In Earth’s complex ecosystem, the relationship between birds and bees is a particularly nuanced one. On the one hand, mutualism and symbiosis: both are among the planet’s chief pollinators; on the other, predation and contention: many birds prey specifically on bees, and bees, well, they’re bees.
But none of that stuff explains what birds and bees have to do with how babies are made, so for now we’ll just have to embrace the mystery, as we happily announce the births of not one, but TWO Williams Randall babies in the last few months!
Allis Gray Leer
On a Saturday afternoon in late November, the world met Allis Gray Leer. Allis arrived healthy and just a shade under seven pounds. Proud parents Nick and Lindsay Leer (Lindsay is our manager of online services, currently in her tenth year at the agency) gave their first child a doubly grandparent-inspired name: Lindsay’s grandpa, a farmer whose hobby was fixing up farm machinery, was a huge fan of Allis-Chalmers tractors, and always had at least one of them around. Allis’ middle name comes from the matriarch of Nick’s clan, Bonnie Gray Leer. Mama came through just as healthy as baby, and both families (not to mention Lindsay’s Williams Randall family) were overjoyed by the happy news.
Claire Lenore Parmenter
On the afternoon of Saturday, June 7th (just what is it with these Saturday afternoon WillRan babies, anyway?) Claire Lenore Parmenter made her triumphant global debut, to the delight of an adoring public, not to mention parents Will Parmenter and Ashley VanArsdale Parmenter (Ashley is a senior art director in her sixth year at Williams Randall). As with the Leers, both mama and baby were blessedly healthy upon birth. Claire came into the world a little under eight pounds, with a full head of hair. Besides both being Saturday afternoon births, Baby Parmenter and Baby Leer share another similarity: a grandparent name. Ashley’s grandma Janice Lenore VanArsdale played a major role in Ashley’s childhood, not just as her grandma, but as her next-door neighbor. No family connections behind Claire’s first name—it’s just a very pretty girl’s name that Will and Ashley liked. And hey: that’s OK …if all babies were given old family names, there’d be a lot more Hezekiahs and Eunices walking around. And nobody wants that.
Leaving aside all talk of birds, bees, storks, and any other nativity-associated fauna, Williams Randall recognizes that the world’s most important natural resource isn’t oil, uranium, heavy metals …or Heavy Metal, for that matter. No, our most important natural resource is people—living, breathing, thinking, caring, reasoning, loving people. That’s why it is with special joy and optimism that we announce the births of Aliss and Claire, and congratulate their parents Lindsay, Nick, Ashley and Will – pretty terrific people themselves – on their great good fortune!
