And the Winner is...

Several people filled out a questionaire before Luke was born, sharing their guesses as to what kind of person Luke would be. Some of the questions have already been answered, although some we will still have to wait on.
The questions were:
1. Will the baby be a boy or a girl?
2. When will the baby be born?
3. What will this bundle of joy weigh at birth?
4. What eye color will the newest addition have?
5. Will the baby be right-handed or left?
6. What are your favorite girl names?
7. Favorite boy names?
8. Least favorite girl names
9. Least favorite boy names (you still have to love the baby even if your names aren’t chosen)
10. What will the baby “Be” when it grows up?
11. What will Laura’s biggest craving be while pregnant?

Pretty much everyone who participate already knew that the baby was a boy. So if you filled out the questionaire, you are most likely a winner!

#2 Luke was born June 26, 2006.
Pam Penner came very close with June 28th. Hannah Bergen was correct with, “In June like every other Bergen”. I would like to correct you though, I was born in July. So there are still some Bergens who are kicking the trends. My sister Sarah and Jenna Stoeppler were also pretty close with June 29th. My cousins were really on a roll with the vague answers, Maria said, “sometime in the summer” and she was right on the money!

#3 Luke was born 8lb 8.5 oz.
Nate Patterson guessed the highest weight. He guessed 9 ½ lbs. Thanks a lot Nate. I can see who you’re rooting for here. David Howlett guessed 3 kilograms, and since I don’t know how many pounds that is, he’s probably right. Aunt Carol guessed very close with 8lb 3 oz. Amanda was even closer with 8lb 4 oz., and she tied with Violet Bartel!

#4 Luke still has blue eyes, and they seem to only be getting lighter.
Melissa, Aunt Carol, Sarah, Jenna, Nate, Cara & Cheri, Aunt Laurie, Violet, and Pam Penner all got this one correct. I was surprised at how many people guessed hazel and only three people said brown!

#5 Luke is ambidextrous.
This one I guess we’ll have to wait and see about, but just the other day he truly seemed to be leaning toward left-handedness…Nate Patterson guessed ambidextrous and so far he’s correct! Aunt Laurie also guessed he’d be ambidextrous…at least until he’s two.

#6 Luke was not a girl, and even though we are open-minded people we decided to go with a more masculine name. The most masculine girl names you guys came up with were:
Kylie (aunt laurie), Rowen (sorry Hannah, it could go either way), Jaden (Janis Coats), Georgia (awfully close to George, eh Kathy?).

#7 Luke Stanley Thiessen.
Nobody suggested Luke or Stanley, although Melissa suggested Bergen which is the side of the family that we got the name Stanley from, and Kathy suggested Lukas…close, but no cigar. Uncle Dave was awfully close with his answer, “Any father, grandfather or uncle names, recognizing the biblical and meaningful name David (beloved) carries great significance”.
I was not disappointed that nobody suggested either name we picked because it meant that it was really a surprise for everyone. In case you don’t know, we chose Luke because during the nine months I was pregnant Derek was writing his master’s thesis on Luke 2:1-20, the narrative of Jesus’ birth. And the name Stanley was my choice to somehow keep my father’s name in the family since he had no sons of his own to carry the name Bergen. Your most intriguing suggestions were: James (Laura Neufeld), one of my favorite names is Seamus, from which James is derived. Several people suggested Josiah. Several people also suggested Andrew, Judah and Elijah. Jonathan came up a number of times too, and I must admit it is one of my least favorite names!

#8 Your least favorite names were a hoot. Thankfully neither Luke, nor Stanley came up in your lists, so I know none of you hate the name we chose. I would have to agree that this is a fabulous list of horrendous names:
Hortence, Prunella, Dorphas, Caprise, Hunter ("that’s someone who shoots living creatures with a gun, not what you name your daughter" –Janis), Tawny, Bertha, Sissy, Georgette, "anything overly creative" –aunt carol, and anything ending in –y.

#9 Least favorite names for boys. Percival, Earl, Joy (this was my aunt carol’s grandfather’s name and I must agree…not a boy’s name), junior, bubba, Ashley, Lazlo, Thor, Doyle, Herbert, Belteshazzar, Jehoaikim, Bill, Chester, Nelson, Beau.

#10 We will have to see what Luke will “Be”, but Pam Penner was right on with, “A lover of the Lord”, and Aunt Laurie was also correct in saying, “The best grandkid in the world”. There were several thoughtful answers like, “Special”(Cara & Cheri), “He will be cool because he’s related to me” (Hannah), “I’m going to go with a young adult” (Nate), “healthy, strong, loving, in pursuit of God” (thank-you Sarah), and Gramma Judy gave her opinion saying, “Musician – who sings too. Boys should have piano lessons”.

#11 My biggest craving was Pepsi, although I must admit I didn’t crave much. It was mostly normal things. However, Pepsi was definitely at the top of my grocery list every time. The weirdest things you came up with were: pickles and ice cream (Laura Neufeld)…hold the pickles please! Aunt Carol said kidney pie…bleh. Nate had to be creative and say crawfish pancakes smothered in lard…double bleh. Jenna was kind and said chocolate. Uncle Dave said peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. Kathy Heppner knows me too well and guessed peanut M&Ms…I did eat an awful lot of those didn’t I? Lots of people suggested pickles…what’s with that? If I didn’t like it before would I like it while I’m pregnant? Well, I guess it happens to some people. I just found my list of desirable foods shrank. I didn’t really branch out, no, I pruned the branches drastically. That’s what happens when you start puking things up. They become less appealing when you see them for the second time, in the toilet bowl…if you make it there.

I think everyone who participated was very creative and your personalities shone through your answers. I loved it, and Luke will too when he’s old enough to appreciate knowing how much you all loved him before he was even born. Thank-you so much! We are looking forward to having some more winners in a few more years!

The photos: Thank-you Aunt Laurie for the Occidental College sweat suit! Can you believe it fits me already? I just love hanging out in sweats. Mom made a joke when she changed my diaper earlier. When she saw the poop she said, “That was no Oc-cident!” She gets such a kick out of herself sometimes.