john paul and i are the givers of nicknames. mostly with little or no creativity. before we knew our college-boy-next-door neighbors' real names (and even after) we referred to them solely as "tank top" and "shirtless". we also have "crazy lady","afro","bff's" and "loud girl". i lovingly call john paul "jape" from a before-married dream i had starring trever keith (lead singer of face to face). and he, in turn, calls me "miles" (a leftover from the mission). our children are not to be left out. they have multiple. when we are referring to jakob and max (not talking to them) jakob is "the boy" and max is "the little man". but the names we actually call them are "snake" or "gravy" for jakob, and max is "snackwell" or "mitty"or "maxwell house". occasionally just "house" if we are feeling particularly lazy. riley is affectionately known as anything aviary: "birdie", "baby bird" or "the bird". and zoe's might be too long and impossible to spell, but i will attempt it here. any form of "zuh zuh"(which means "precious one" in navajo) that comes out of our mouths. "zuhzy", "zuh zuh boo" or just plain"boo" and john paul's favorite "zoe lane-a-riforous". it comes naturally. growing up, my dad was the nickname-er. no one can tell me how or why, but i was simply "motsy". i hardly ever hear that name anymore. (it's only my dad, my mom or my brother, wes.) but when i do, i immediately feel a bond. i feel known. i feel my past. and i love it. what are the nicknames in your life?
Friday, March 27, 2009
what's in a name
john paul and i are the givers of nicknames. mostly with little or no creativity. before we knew our college-boy-next-door neighbors' real names (and even after) we referred to them solely as "tank top" and "shirtless". we also have "crazy lady","afro","bff's" and "loud girl". i lovingly call john paul "jape" from a before-married dream i had starring trever keith (lead singer of face to face). and he, in turn, calls me "miles" (a leftover from the mission). our children are not to be left out. they have multiple. when we are referring to jakob and max (not talking to them) jakob is "the boy" and max is "the little man". but the names we actually call them are "snake" or "gravy" for jakob, and max is "snackwell" or "mitty"or "maxwell house". occasionally just "house" if we are feeling particularly lazy. riley is affectionately known as anything aviary: "birdie", "baby bird" or "the bird". and zoe's might be too long and impossible to spell, but i will attempt it here. any form of "zuh zuh"(which means "precious one" in navajo) that comes out of our mouths. "zuhzy", "zuh zuh boo" or just plain"boo" and john paul's favorite "zoe lane-a-riforous". it comes naturally. growing up, my dad was the nickname-er. no one can tell me how or why, but i was simply "motsy". i hardly ever hear that name anymore. (it's only my dad, my mom or my brother, wes.) but when i do, i immediately feel a bond. i feel known. i feel my past. and i love it. what are the nicknames in your life?
