About ViviAnne Grace

ViviAnne Grace Bohannon was born on August 25, 2005.

ViviAnne is the name that Kristen envisioned calling her first daughter long before we were married. As soon as we found out that we would be having our first child, a girl, Kristen campaigned for the name.

She explained that the name was a contemporary variation of classic names whose etymology was rooted in the Latin for “life” and the Hebrew for “Full of Grace, or Full of Mercy”. I fell in love with the meaning, the spelling, the punctuation and all that came with it. It was modern yet elegant, recognizable yet exclusive; a name fit for royalty. She translated the name ViviAnne as “Full of Life”.

Those who know ViviAnne know that no other name would have suited. She is the essence of life, spirit, and strength. Since she first spoke her opinion, it has been known that she is strong in will and even stronger in passion. The answer to all of Kristen’s prayers, she is sophisticated and precious. She is her Mommy’s world and her Daddy’s little princess.


From the beginning she has been enamored by shimmering beauty, purity and innocence. And the color pink. Pink is the color of her room, most of her clothing and almost any toy that is given to her. She has always had a natural infatuation with babies; she has a maternal instinct that has always amazed us.

When we brought Cooper, her little brother, home from the hospital she was 17 months old. The love she displayed was palpable. Her face looked at him with astonishment, as if she couldn’t understand how she lived without him. These tangible emotions are not normal from a child, especially of her age. How can a toddler fathom that he was a part of her? Since that day he has idolized her. He has always looked at her with eyes of enchantment; the way she looked at me when she was born, as if to say “you are my shelter, so I am safe.” She can’t possibly do the things she does without consciousness and touch people in their deepest being; but she does everyday.


As ViviAnne came out of sedation from her first treatment, the anesthesiologists warned us that she probably wouldn’t be able to speak for awhile and she would be confused and uneasy. She opened her eyes, looked deep into Kristen’s, and said in the clearest words that will echo in my soul for eternity, “Mommy, How are you?” The most traumatic experience of her young life (at that time) was culminating and her immediate concern was for our well-being.

Her elegance lights up a room and her ingenuous manner leaves adults speechless. I’m sure every little girl is her Daddy’s Princess, but somehow ViviAnne transcends the cliché. I can’t describe whether it is what she says, how she says it, how she carries herself, or her sincerity. But she engenders a feeling of belief that fairy tales are real and she is living proof.