Monday, December 8, 2008

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that I don't think this is the image he was going for

Have you ever thought about the different 'grandparent names' out there? The possibilities are practically endless. You've got the traditional and the not so traditional.

I realize that I am no where near becoming a grandparent just yet. But after having Kate, and hearing my mother-in-law go through a list of the different grandparent names she liked (and finally deciding on 'Grammy', but not until after I wrote her original choice of 'Mami' in Kate's baby book), I've gotten a kick out of hearing the non-traditional, somewhat unique choices people have made. Granted, most of the time people try to get their children to refer to their grandparents by one name or another, but the truth of the matter is that whatever the first born calls them is the name that sticks.


Growing up we called my mother's parents Grandma and Grandaddy and my dad's parents Granny and Papa. Clearly we were risk-takers.....not afraid to step out of the box. Pshhh.

Now Kate and my sisters' children refer my parent's as Papa and Gaga (pronounced Gogga). The name Gaga sort of just happened. Actually now we simply refer to her as just "Gog". And our children lovingly refer to their great grandmother as just "Great". My family is all about coming up with nicknames and making nicknames out of nicknames....and making shortened versions of nicknames even shorter. For instance, Big Al's son's real name is James Patrick but we have called him J.P. since birth, until about a year or two ago when we just dropped the 'P' and started calling him J. Actually, to disclose the full truth, we originally dropped the 'J' and called him P for a short while until we realized that calling him P wasn't really workin' for him, especially since it got a little confusing during the whole potty-training stage.


Wow. Not only did I chase that rabbit, I killed it.


Sal Gal jokingly says that instead of being called Grandma, she wants to be called Glamma (as in glamorous). I am leaving my options open, as I realize that I have a while to think on it. What unique grandparent names have you heard?


Names are one thing, but have you ever thought about what you might look like as a grandparent? Keep in mind, the way you see yourself may not be exactly what others see, as Kate pointed out to us last week.


The other morning as I was making Kate a bowl of grits, she kept saying, "Paw" (which is what we call M to the Izz-A's grandpa). I looked out the window several times thinking I would see him outside but never did. She kept saying "Paw, Paw" (in her country accent that makes one syllable words sound as if they have two) and pointing, but I couldn't figure out where she was looking, until her little finger touched the box of cheese grits.


She was pointing to this:


I had to tear it off the box because she kept wanting to hold it and carry it around the house. She carried this little picture of 'Paw' around for the majority of the morning. I laughed so hard, especially at the thought of sharing this story with the real Paw. I think he'll laugh at the fact that she sees him as the Quaker Man. I don't think he's gonna see the resemblance.




But to the Quaker Man's credit, he is sportin' some seriously long grey locks, which is rather admirable at his age.








35 comments:

Mrs Anne said...

i love "glamma" :)

you're adorable!

Angela said...

Bahahaha! Kate is so cute! I'd love to actually hear her talk. You'll have to let us know what the real Paw says when he hears this story :)
By the way, I also call my grandparents granny and poppa and grandmom and grandaddy.

tickledpink said...

That is the cutest story! I love Glam that is a good one! My mother is Nanna to my sister's children. I have thought about what I would like to be called as a grandmother even though I don't even have children. I would want something fun or sassy, but not like granny, memaw or something that will make me feel old as dirt!

Lianna Knight said...

I was the first grandchild...so guess who picked out the grandparents names? :) My aunt is only five years older than me, so as I child, I would hear her call her mom (my grandma) Mother. And it stuck...I call one of my grandma's Mother...and all the other grandkids followed. Not such a bad grandparent name...it just gets confusing to some people when I talk about my Mom and my Mother :)

My mother-in-law is hoping to be called D-ma by my nephew. That's short for DRAMA :)

~Mrs. Guru~ said...

That is so adorable!

starfish said...

My mom is going through the what name should she (her granddaughter) call me phase now!

Stephanie said...

That Quaker story is absolutely to die for!

My great grandmother is Mamama...have no idea where it came from but it's there now. My mom didn't want to be called Grandma for anything in the world so she picked Nendny! Now if you mispronounce it alittle then the interpretation is completely different though :)

Mom of Three said...

I love Glamma too! My kids call my mom - Nanna, and dad PaPa. My MIL wanted to be called Grandmommy as she thinkg everything else makes her sound really old, and didn't like it so much as I want to be the only mommy, but of course I never told her that... funny enough though the kids call her Ma-maw and she hates it, but it's what they want to say lol.

Too funn about the Quaker man!

Anonymous said...

Too cute!

My parents want to be called "mum" and "boompa" No clue, y'all.

Rebecca Jo said...

That is soooo funny!

And LOVE Glam-ma!!! I wish I would have thought of that...

My hubs & I are "Nanny & Pappy"

Unknown said...

How funny!

Brandi said...

Our nephews call my mother and father in law 'Hunny' and 'Pop'. Their names are Sunny and John. It's too cute. I've asked my mom what she would like to be called and she has no clue so we will see when that day comes. We call my dad 'Hat' because he always wears a cowboy hat and he wants his grandkids to call him that! How original is that! Yes we are true redneck there! :D

The Quaker Man story is too cute!!! Love it!!!

A Belle and her Beau said...

I want to be called Glamma too :) I refuse to be called Granny, Maw-Maw or anything like that!!!

The Golden Years said...

Hahaha I'm sure "Paw" will get a kick out of that!

Too funny!!

Girl Next Blog said...

Actually it is :)

Oh, and the first picture of the post before is really cool!

Kat said...

Hahaha! That is too cute. I love that she wanted to carry the pic around too. :)

Emily said...

I cant wait to hear what paw says about Kate's story! so classic! We call my moms parents... gaw gaw and paw paw... I think we pronounce gaw gaw the same way you do with ga ga...

A said...

originally we were going to call my mom "GK" for Grandmother Kathy...but since the 2 year old has started talking he has always called her "KK"...so that is her name now - KK

and when thinking of names for my dad...we couldnt very well call him GD (for Grandfather Dave) bc we didnt want people to think our kids were calling him g*d D*mn...so he was just Pops...not Pop singular, but Pops plural...

and I am totally with Three under Three about the whole Grandmommy issue...as that is what my MIL wants to be called...so I may have to sabbatoge that and get the 2 year old to start calling her Maw Maw!!! (insert evil laugh here)

Sassy Engineer said...

That is too funny and cute! My family was super original - We called my grandparents Grandma and Grandpa and just added their last name - really creative huh?

Katy said...

Good post. I liked all of the diff. names and the way your family shortens names. Funny.

Jennifer Owens said...

I love hearing different Grandparent names. I call my own Poppy and Grammy - and since I was the first grandchild I totally have ownership of calling them that first!!

My step-sister has a little boy ande he calls my dad G-Daddy. Which seriously, when I have kids one day, they WILL NOT be calling him that!!!

And the Quaker oats Paw-paw was too funny. SHe's so cute!

Unknown said...

Glamma is too cute, yet I agree with you...I'm not sure if the Quaker Man resemblance is something he (or anyone, for that matter) will appreciate. :)

My mom is still so young and beautiful so she REFUSED to be called Grandma or anything with an 'old' connotation to it. So Lily calls her Meema and we all love it.

Anonymous said...

My mother goes by Nana and my dad and stepmother go by Papa John and Mimi Tutz. Don't ask. :)

amy (metz) walker said...

Funny about the Quaker man! I think it's really sweet too!

I knew a girl who called her Grandmother "Muv"...which I don't know what that means, but she said it's a southern woman thing and her grandfather was "diddy" as in granddaddy, but it became diddy.

Anonymous said...

How cute!

I called my grandparents Grandma and Grandpa..and Granny and Papa... But my husband's gets a lil confusing with "Meemaw" and "Maamaw." I still have to ask which is which. :)

Tiaras and Timeouts said...

Such a cute post!! My parents are Grammy and Bumpy (don't ask). He planned on being called Grandpa Tom, but things don't always work out when the little ones can't say it!

Living for the Little Moments said...

Such a sweet story!

My grandparents had pretty common names... Nana, Papa, Mama, Grangran (notice the theme?). I don't have kids yet, but my mom has decided (At least for now) that she doesn't want to sound old and wants to be called "DD" when she becomes a grandmother... that was a new one to me!

Trina said...

Funny! I like Glamma.

We have a GG (for Grumpy Gramps, or more recently Goofy Goober lol), Nana, Nene, Pawpaw and Grandpa.

Suz said...

Can I just say first of all, how happy I am that you posted this post regarding grandparent names... There is no way I can put this on my post, but this is Dustin's side of the family's first grand baby! So, my mil has been discussing what she wants to be called... She insists on being called, GRANNY MOMMA! Can I just say how I just cannot stand this name.. It's worse than Aunt Jamaima sp?.. Granny is fine, but together, I think she sounds like she should be 90! I am going to teach my child secretly to make up a much cooler name.. I am with your sis.. Glamma is much better and so hip!

Anonymous said...

Love the Quaker story!

My son calls my MIL "Ouiser" (Weezer) as in Shirley MccLaine in Steel Magnolia's. Fits her perfectly!

I know several grandmothers that are named "Cookie".

Kristy said...

That is FUNNY!!
My grandpa was Bable. (????) Blame it on my brother- but we all called him Bable, even though we all thought it was weird. =)

Anonymous said...

I know a couple who are grandparents for the first time recently and they have named themselves. She is "Mac" and he is "roonie"...as in MACARONI...macaroonie...They were so proud of what they named themselves. I think when you become grandparents you just turn sillier than heck...like these two!

Mrs. Nurse said...

aww how cute!

petrii said...

Hahahaha heeheeheeheehee That Kate is adorable!! I bet "Paw" got a kick out of that huh?

Have a Beautiful day,
Dawn

Angela said...

thought provoking... i never think about this before. hm... if i have kids what would they call my parents? good question. my niece differentiate 2 sets of grand parents by their city location.