I think my first blog should explain the title I chose for this site. My family loves nicknames. Aren't nicknames just another way of saying, "you're special to me"? I think so! I love how they just kind of happen. They come from the fun, happy moments we share. Quincy, my 10 year old, probably has too many nicknames, but the one I love the most is "Lou". She's my sweet Little Lou! It started from a song I sang to her when I pushed her in the grocery cart. I would put her in a cart out in the parking lot and sing "Here we go Loopty Lou" as I pushed her as fast as I could into the store. I can still hear her giggles and see that big smile! I love to call her "Lou". So, "Lou" became Loopy, Louie, Lulabelle, Tallula, Lula, etc. One day a man working in the store overheard me calling her "Loopy", and as we were leaving said, "bye-bye, Loopy". I did correct him and told him her real name, but I shouldn't have. I love those funny names! By now you can guess why I chose the first part of this Blog title.
So where in the world does "Roni" come from? How about another song! Oh yes, a song that Quincy and I
would sing to her little brother, Jack, called "Macaroni and Cheese". Quincy changed it to "Jackaroni and Cheese", and he's been my sweet little "Roni" ever since. He also has many other variations of that nickname: Jack-a-root, Roni-cheese man, and one of my favorites, just "Roe".
Now that they're older they think these names are absolutely horrible! I just remind them of the love that comes with every "Lula" and "Roni" I say throughout the day.
I have to add that it's love I hear when my husband calls our daughter, "Doot", a nickname "only daddy can call me", she says, and "Buddy" to his "best little boy".
The nicknames don't stop there. John and I also have one for each other, very simply, "Beb". Although, I do remember calling him my "Cherry Peach Parfait" for awhile. Of course, that came from a song as well,
"you're truly scrupmtious...scrumptious as a cherry peach parfait". Scrumptious--that's a word we should use more often!
My family also had nicknames when I was growing up. I remember my parents calling each other "Choog", I was "Sis" and my brother, Kevin, was "Kiki". Some of my cousins called me "Kimmy Sue" and in college I was "Gig" (Jig). That nickname came out of necessity because my roommate had the same first name as me. We couldn't go by "Kim 1" and "Kim 2" forever.
Some nicknames are not so favorable, I guess. When I was in Jr. High, my friends called me "Miss Piggy". It was the 80's, the Muppets were popular, and I think it was my big nose that got their attention. I'd like to think they meant it as a "we think you're special" nickname--hmmmm. But, I took it with a good sense of humor and this nickname resulted in years and years of "pig collecting", stuffed animals, figurines, anything with a pig on it.
So, I really love nicknames. I could go on and on with other nickname anecdotes, but I'd like to stop and hear your comments. What are your favorite or not-so-favorite nicknames?
