Roma. Roma? Roma!

Our second daughter Roma Eve Perea was born on Monday, July 15th, 2013 weighing in at 7lbs 6oz and 19in long. Just a wee little one in comparison to Eliana! And I'd like to make a statement to the random guy in the parking lot at Home Depot who yelled at me across several cars and said, "It's a Boy!"... well it looks like you were wrong.

And in the best way possible. Because Eliana is now blessed with the wonderful responsibility of having a little sister and this relationship couldn't thrill me more. I have an older sister--14 months older--so we are really close. Growing up we fought like cats and dogs, but five seconds later we were the best of friends. These days we rarely fight if at all. She's been my protector, my best friend, my teacher and a secondary mother. I wouldn't change or give up our relationship for anything. She's the best. And for that reason alone I had hoped for a girl this go around. Someone Eliana could confide in, learn from and be best friends with. I'm ecstatic to watch the two of them grow up. It's going to be awesome.

So back when we named our first born, we explained how important the process was for us and everything we considered when choosing. For our second born this was no different, but this name holds special meaning to us. It's a bit unconventional and might throw some people off from our usual focus of Spanish names, but we think it fits well next to Eliana and I'm stoked that we discovered it.

We basically named her after the capital of Italy which in Italian is Roma not Rome. I know random, but hear me out. Last summer my husband was gone for three long and tortuous months on work related business. We didn't get to see each other at all and Eliana and I basically spent three months eating off of the same plate, riding bikes and devouring more ice cream than I'd like to admit. It sounds fun in theory, but it was a tiresome and trying time for all three of us. More than I will ever admit. 

E missed her father and I missed my husband. I yearned for him daily and although we had been separated for work previously, adding in a kid changed the entire process. When he got back we had a huge trip planned out--three weeks vacationing in Europe starting and stopping in Rome without Eliana. To say the trip was epic would be an understatement. That trip changed us. It changed us in so many ways and I will be forever grateful for it.

So yeah we did two things outside of our ordinary process: 1.) We used an Italian name not a Spanish name (although the languages are very similar) 2.) We chose a city with no real meaning other than we were changed by the beginning and end of our adventures there.

Roma. Roma. Roma.

When you get three weeks alone with your spouse to spend reconnecting, talking, discovering, loving, laughing, dating, just BEING with one another after six years of marriage and three months of separation--trust me--it changes you. It also tested our abilities as parents to trust someone else with our one and only daughter for three weeks straight. She was in the wonderful and capable hands of my parents, but that doesn't make it any less painful. Not to mention Hector only got two days with her and then had to say goodbye for almost an entire month more. It wasn't ideal, but it was so so worth it. And I would do it all again.

Her middle name was a simple and easy choice. It's my middle name. I got it from my mom and it made sense to pass it down again. I didn't always love it growing up, but I love it now and I think it fits well with Roma.

So that's that. We now get to embark on the wonderful journey of raising two daughters. I'm sure our home will include more dolls, glitter and slumber parties than I ever imagined. And copious amounts of chocolate because what girl doesn't love chocolate?

Eliana Reese and Roma Eve. I just realized they have reverse initials.