The Big Bang Theory’s Baby Is Here: Five Best Moments From Howard and Bernadette’s Big Episode

Someone’s having a baby! (Hint: It’s Bernadette.) On the Thursday, December 15, episode of The Big Bang Theory, Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Howard (Simon Helberg) were finally about to welcome their firstborn into the universe — but despite their very calculated planning, not everything went… uh, according to plan. Still, there were plenty of great moments for both the (soon-to-be) proud parents and their nearest and dearest.

Amy Seduces Sheldon With a Wizard Costume (Sort Of)

The timing of Bernadette’s labor wasn’t great from the get-go. Right around the moment that her contractions started, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) were desperately trying to celebrate Amy’s birthday with some annual sex. They were interrupted and told to get ready to go to the hospital — only to find out it was going to be a while (because Bernadette had been sent home, since her contractions were still very far apart). Penny (Kaley Cuoco) tried to coax them to join her at a diner, but Leonard (Johnny Galecki) explained Amy and Sheldon wanted to knock boots.

To try to get back in the mood, Amy changed into something more comfortable, literally. She emerged from the bathroom in full Harry Potter regalia, complete with a robe, and had even gotten Sheldon his own robe as well. While he was initially turned on, he soon realized this meant she had gone to Wizarding World without him, and he was not happy. That’s when Raj (Kunal Nayyar) interrupted them to say it was time to go to the hospital. Again.

Raj Blows the Surprise

After being sent home from the hospital the first time, Howard and Bernadette kept track of the contraction times while Raj videotaped for posterity. When Howard got annoyed, however, Raj explained, “This is not for me. This is for the baby. Someday she is going to want to see this!” And just like that, Raj blew the surprise that Howard and Bernadette had managed to keep for nine months. “I said ‘she,’ but lots of things are ‘she,'” he argued. “Boats, cars, whales, thar she blows!” Neither Bernadette nor Howard bought it, though, and so they knew they were having a girl.

Bernadette and Howard Decide Not to Name Their Baby Melvina

Apparently, none of the pair’s pre-planning included brainstorming potential names, so they did that in between her contractions after they had returned to the hospital (better late than never!). Bernadette suggested Raj’s mom’s name, Debbie, but he said she’d always hated it. “She would have been the best grandma,” Raj said, clearly sad that his mom wasn’t around. Bernadette asked what his mom’s middle name was — but it was Melvina, which Bernadette axed pretty much instantaneously.

Instead, when the baby was finally born, they happily announced her name was Halley, after Halley’s Comet. It was science-related and sweet and pretty much perfect.