Thoughts - What's in a name...

The Boy is working on his "skills".  "Skills" = the name we use for homework or any type of academic work that will make my kid's brains bigger.


He is practicing writing his name, phone number and random words 
he sounds out and we spell together. 


Ahhh...good times for the little tyke in the midst of summer.


"Mom, I know how to do this already."
 - You need to practice - it's good for your constitution


"What?"


"Mom."  
"Mom."  
"Mom."


"Look, my pencil looks like a truck driving in the mountains."


"Mom, I'm thirsty."


"MOM."


 - Boy!  Get back to work!




Boy.  The Boy.

That's what we call him - often.  How we got there might be evident by the above conversation.  Though, this is not his only nickname.  There are plenty of others...Angel Face, Wee-um, Baby Boy, Turtle, Goose Feather and Hey, get over here.  You get the drift.


The amazing thing - he answers to all of the aforementioned names.  Including his actual, on-the-birth-certificate name.  But, what is up with all my nicknaming?


Terms of endearment?  Yes, oh yes!
Genetic glitch?  Yes, oh yes!


This didn't start with me.




This is my Grandma.  
(Totally gorgeous, by the way)

My Grandma's name is Helen.

Everyone calls her Penny.  Some people don't even know that her name is not Penny.

We grandkids (and great-grandkids) call her Mudgie.   Ummm...what?

My Grandpa.

(Also totally gorgeous)

We call him Boo-Boo.

And no, not after Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo.

You see that sweet bass fiddle he's got there?  Yeah, he played that with the big bands back in the day.  Everyone called that bass fiddle his "boom-boom".  

Thus, Boo-Boo played the boom-boom.  You see the thread of connection there, right?

Hello?  You still there?

I know - goofy as all get out.

The list continues.  It's a lonnnnng list.  And the names do not just pertain to upright, two legged individuals.  

Yes.  Even the animals in our lives have been subjected to this genetic name game.

Birth name: Trudie.

AKA:  Trudie-toots, Fatty, Fat-fatty, Truds, Baby Puppy or Crazy Animal

I guess this nickname thing isn't soooo ridiculous.  You use nicknames too, don't you?

Well, some linguists believe that Eskimos have hundreds of names for the word snow.  

Snow.  The white stuff.  

I feel nickname justification on the horizon.

In my case, when I assign a nickname, I feel I'm acknowledging the different characteristics in a person - and naming them.  I do this out of love, closeness and familiarity.  

I love my nicknamed characters - in all their forms.  Be it "Boy" or "Sweet Baby Boy".

And if I don't give you a nickname?  Well...let's just say we need to get to know 

each other better.

Or not.

Cares