We all have those in our lives that for whatever reason have a unique nickname driven out of love. Perhaps it was an Uncle or Aunt that started the name, but for whatever reason; it stuck.
Judd, Zook, Pop-Pop, take your pick.
Around my house, I seem to be referred to as Dar-Dar. I have to admit, this was derived from my own lack of clarity when speaking to my son and I went saying ‘Daddy’ to ‘Dar-Dar”. I didn’t request it, but my better half picked up on it and now that’s what I am referred to as. However, this may be something that I enjoy when he is long past the cute phase and is into the “Hey Dar-dar, Can I have $10 bucks” phase in his life.
While nicknames come out of a natural breakdown of dialogue or perhaps an action that was taken and sticks out indefinitely. “Beep-Beep Richie.” Although I may have this rather odd nickname, Daddy is still used, but that does not seem to make a difference in recognizing who I am.
We like to play the game ‘Who’s that?’ Where we point at someone and ask who it is or we ask ‘Where is…?’
“Where’s Milo?” We ask. My son looks with a deep desire to find… like a stern detective from one of the many CSI programs on television. He finds that small brown Puggle and points at milo and says “Ba!” He knows who Milo the Community Dog is. After all, he see’s him regularly on a giant EZ Rock magnet on our fridge.
(Side note: the dog as let the fame go right to his head. Now he EXPECTS treats when the Mayor comes in on Friday.)
“Where’s Papa?” He looks around. He slowly realizes that Papa is not in the room. In fact, Papa is not here at all. The cogs begin to spin, when hamster is really beginning to roll that wheel and then it dawns on him… He points at the picture of Papa Rob hanging on the wall!
“Yay! That’s right! Who is that?” we exclaim.
A long pregnant pause.
“Papa!” (or a mixture of Papa and BA-Pa).
When we Facetime Papa Rob and Jack calls his nickname, you can see it zap my fathers heart. Who wouldn’t be touched when one of the first words your grandchild says is the very person that you represent to them. It is a nice moment for me too, seeing the bond begin between a grandfather and grandson.
On the other hand, when we ask him about the very two people that take care of him day in and day out we do not get the response a parent would hope for.
“Where’s Mom?” my son instantly points up at the light fixture.
“Where’s Daddy? (or Dar-Dar)” my son looks confused, then reluctantly points at the light fixture.
Since my son thinks I am a light fixture it clearly proves that I am not helping him breakdown the difference between myself and an inanimate object. It appears that I still don’t know Jack.