On October 16, 2023, at 5:07 p.m., the world welcomed another Bevins baby. Her name is Sylvie Ella-Celeste Bevins. Rosary’s beloved English Department Chair Mr. Bevins, his wife Stacey, and their three-year-old daughter Rylee are busy taking care of their newest addition, but Mr. Bevins had a few minutes to answer a few questions and give us an update on what’s going on in the Bevins household:
Q: How did you come up with Sylvie’s name? What is the significance of her two middle names?
A: This is one that I think only makes sense to me…I wanted a name that fit the pattern we have going in our family—and obviously, I also wanted a name from mythology and Shakespeare.
As far as the pattern goes, we had Rory, Stacey, and Rylee, so I needed a two-syllable name that ended with an “e” sound. I also needed a name that started with the letter S so our pattern would be R S R S.
I spent months searching for a name before coming across Sylvie. I loved the name, and it fit the pattern, so I did some research. It has ties to Roman Mythology as the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.
There is also a great Shakespeare character named Silvia in the play “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.”
It fit the pattern and had all the ties I was looking for, and most importantly, I just like it.
As for her middle names, Ella was my wife’s grandmother’s name (there is a story here I will save for Honors English II class second semester), and my mother’s name is Mary Celeste. Both Rylee and Sylvie have hyphenated middle names with one name coming from my side and one name coming from her mom’s side.
Q: What are Rylee’s thoughts on being a big sister?
A: She is obsessed with her little sister. She spends a lot of time washing her hands so she can get up close and touch Sylvie. Rylee is always asking where Sylvie is and what she is doing. She has been very helpful, and she is already an awesome big sister.
Q: How has your experience with Sylvie been different from your experience with Rylee as a newborn?
It has been totally different. I was afraid of everything when we had Rylee. I read books and watched videos, but nothing will ever prepare you for having a newborn baby. I was always convinced something was going to go wrong, so I was constantly checking on Rylee. With Sylvie, it is still tough, but I am not as terrified and trust that she is going to be ok. I know what her cries mean (hungry, dirty diaper, tired), and I have way more confidence.
Q: On average, how many hours of sleep do you and your wife get?
A: The answer to this depends. During the first week, we were up every hour to feed her, so the answer was not very much. We are both trying to get four hours or so each night, but the reality is Sylvie is in charge. She has yet to let us get those full four hours, but we are getting as much sleep as we can.
Q: What is the most stressful part and/or the most enjoyable part of spending time with Sylvie?
A: The most stressful part is the lack of sleep. Sylvie has chosen 1 a.m.–3 a.m. as her awake time. This is normal for newborns, but very hard on parents.
The best part is holding her late at night when everyone is asleep. We have full-on conversations about all the people who love her and all the amazing things she is going to be able to do someday. Having a baby is truly miraculous, and right now, the best thing I can do is hold her as much as I can knowing that it will not be that long before she is too big to be held. Other than enjoying holding a tiny miracle in my hands, it really is a joy to see her and Rylee together. It sends me spinning to think of all the memories they will make together.
Congratulations to the Bevins family, the Rosary community is so excited watch Sylvie grow up and do great things one day!
