Name Race

Things I learned at the doctor's office yesterday:
1. There are no physical signs that point to labor being anything close to imminent.
2. If this baby proves especially stubborn, then Sara will be induced Monday evening, July 12, so that she will be born on July 13. So at least we finally have a strict latest-possible date.
3. Through billions and trillions of babies being born, and unfathomable medical advances, and totally comprehensive amounts of information available to everyone involved, doctors still don't know exactly when a child will be born. Depending on how precise you define "roughly," doctors still don't even know roughly when a child will be born. After her examination yesterday, the doctor admitted to us that Sara could go into labor today or she could fail to as late as 19 days from now. That's almost a three-week window.
Given this knowledge, I'm not going to think about the imminent possibility of it happening for a while longer, until next weekend if possible. I'll keep myself up on the signs and keep thinking about what I need to do when the time comes, but the waiting part I'm stepping away from. In fact, mentally I'm preparing for the arrival to be about two weeks from now.

The naming process is very nearly finished, more or less on schedule, I guess. It's weird, but thinking about this process reminds of a horse race or something similar. At first we had all these potential names and then slowly some faded from the pace. Early on, we had a front-runner emerge, and in fact lead the pack almost the whole way around the track. As the field winnowed, a pack emerge behind the leader From time to time a candidate would depart or appear in this pack, but for the most part this was the group from which our name would come. (We're not saying what our choice is, but I feel like I can say without checking with my wife what some of the rejected choices were. I won't give up the last few still on the table, though). Stella joined the pack relatively late but her run with the leaders proved short-lived. Veda snuck in for a time but never really had enough momentum. Ophelia was one of the first to loose the leading pace, and her etymological cousin, Cordelia, would later suffer the same fate. Viola and Ruby made such brief appearances that I'm not even sure if it happened or if I'm making it up. Uliana, a decided underdog, hung in long enough to get a pat on the back for a good effort. Penelope was running very strong initially, and had a fair amount of staying power, but then faded fast. Vienna came out of nowhere midway through the race, shot right up near the front, and then just as suddenly disappeared from the field. Finally, Josephine, a forgotten participant at the start, picked up steam all along the way, climbing into the top four or five and holding steady, was just never able to fully bridge the gap as two contenders broke away from the field.
While all of this was happening, our lone leader was strolling along, challenged but comfortable in the front. A couple of late arrivals materializing in the trailing pack, initially not distinguishing themselves much but holding strong. Then as some of the second pack started falling away, it become apparent that the two latecomers were legitimate contenders, biding their time until breaking free together to chase the leader. Maybe it was the tough job of constant pacemaking, but the leader started to tire just enough that the two were able to join her at the front for a pack of three. They stayed level for some time, the initial leader perhaps possessing a slim advantage still, when the crowd started to get wrapped up in the excitement of the two newbies at the front. At some point, almost imperceptibly, the longtime leader broke stride and slowly allowed the other two to make the pass. Getting and nearer and nearer the finish line, these two have been neck and neck, one holding the lead only as long as her stride leads forward, as the longtime frontrunner holds her position a couple lengths back but far ahead of the rest of the field.
Even though I'm really a participant, I don't know which will win, but just like any other observer, I'm extremely excited to find out.