I'm suspicious of any site that requires you to download their proprietary applet.

{{{{{{{ SHIR }}}}}}} Dunno what else to say, but know you have LOADS of emotional support over here.

Aims, I'd take it as flattery. If they are air quote friends, how often will you be hanging out with them? And when you get your own Maggie, you can tell her all about how you came up with the name, and how they have no skills of imagination, and that you and MM are the superior beings with imaginations out the wigwam and how lucky she is to have you two as parents.

You are all absolutely right. I tend to get prickly with these people anyway, so this just kind of skewed me this morning. I'm not living in rational-land this morning.

Emeline is the Emeline

Funnily enough, she announced this morning that she is to be called "Emma" now.

Funnily enough, she announced this morning that she is to be called "Emma" now.

Ha! Of course she did!

BTW, Aims, did you get my email yesterday?

Just did and this is me JUMPING AROUND LIKE A CRAZY THING!!!! WOOHOO!!

Aims, seriously, if they really did choose a name for their child specifically to mess with you? They have problems in the head such that you needn't even bother with a smiting. Air-quote "friends" tend to not stick around; by the time your Maggie is old enough to know that some people have the same names for no reason at all, they'll probably be long gone from your lives. And if they're not, so what. Margaret/Maggie is a lovely name (my best friend is a Margaret!) and it's *your* choice; that's what makes it special. Your Maggie will meet other Maggies in her life. Why they named their kid what they did is not worth a moment more of your energy.

And the passive-aggressive comment about your Christmas card? Screw her. She's just jealous 'cause you're prettier than her.

looking at Ryan pictures. Am ded, of course, from the cute. But, being a non-parent, and in wonderment of the whole mixing two sets of genes together to make a new off spring, I am amazed at how little Ryan's face has so many characteristics of BOTH parents! All the best ones too!

Aimee, I had a very good friend in grad school. When she was pregnant we were talking about names and I told her that since I was a young girl I had wanted to name a child Emily Nicole. You can guessed what she named her daughter. I told her she filched my name. She was truly surprised, hadn't realized until I told her that the name had come from me.

At first I was irked, later I decided it was, in a way, an indication of her affection for me. And then Emily turned out to be the most popular girl's name for the next 5 years and I decided she had saved me from myself. And thus, Frances Lucy was born.

I'll agree with the crowd that it probably she probably didn't intentionally steal the name, Aims, but if you want I can still make snide remarks about baby weight behind her back with you.

ask the sushi chef

I'm not sure if he speaks English or how well or how open he is to sharing. It's a family place. The woman who runs the front of the house likes us, so maybe I'll ask her if he'd be open to sharing his secrets.

The first time I got a pile of sushi, I got a glare from Grandpa (I'm just assuming he's grandpa), but now he just looks a little sly as he gets another roll out of the fridge. OK, he intimidates me.

I have noticed that rinsing the rice makes a big difference, even though Hubby thinks it's silly. And smoked salmon makes a great filling.