Introducing: Rose Irene Valentina McLennan, b. Nov 20, 8:54am

Our new little girl, Rose Irene Valentina McLennan, was born Wednesday, November 20 at 8:54am at Ottawa’s Monfort Hospital. Due on November 14^th, our little Scorpio arrived after thirty-six and a half hours of (induced) labour at 8lbs 5oz and twenty inches long. We very much thank our midwife Maxine and Arlaine (and backup midwife Kelly; all of whom were magnificent) from the Midwifery Group of Ottawa, for all their help and support.

Rose is a first grandchild on the McNair side, and the fifth grandchild on the McLennan side, providing a new half-sibling for big sister, Kate, and a new cousin for Emma, Rory and Duncan.

Just so you know: we have not named Rose after the Billie Piper companion from the Doctor Who reboot (Christine’s least favourite companion, and rob’s most favourite for some time (until the appearance of Amelia Pond, obviously)), nor Saskatchewan Olympian “Rosie” (Rosannagh) MacLennan, nor James Howlett’s first redheaded love, before he became Logan,and long before he became Wolverine (as told in Wolverine: Origins). We simply liked the name. Our Rose.

As Christine researched:

The surname Rose can be of English, Scottish, Irish, French, and German origin. It was originally a Norman form of a German name Hrodheid, composed of the words Hrod (Bright/Flame) and Heid (Kind). It was originally spelled (by the Normans) Roese or Rohese. It fell out of use during the Middle Ages but was revived during the 19th Century although regarded as being a flower name.

Rose = bright/fame/flame + kind/type, also 'a rose', flower

Irene = derived from the Greek, for 'peace'

Valentina = feminine form of Roman name Valentinus -- healthy, strong, brave

[Christine and Rose, leaving hospital] Irene was my mother’s middle name [see her obituary here], and also the Anglicized version of Christine’s maternal grandmother (most likely from “Irina”). The name Valentina comes from Valentina Tereshkova (b. 1937), a retired Soviet Cosmonaut and engineer, known as the first woman to have flown in space. She piloted Vostok 6 in June 16, 1963.

We are home (as of Thursday afternoon), happy and safe, and everyone is healthy, albeit rather exhausted.

Wednesday's child is full of whoa--