On being a grandmother- again!!!
I can hardly wait for the fall, when I get to meet my new grandchild. Matt and Karine gave us the happy news a few weeks ago. My only other grandchild (Mitchell) is 13, so there will be a large gap in ages. Mitchell is going to be an excellent big cousin though, because he is baby crazy.
Matthew asked me recently why my MSN name is Nannynick, since Nick is my child, not my grandchild. It's the name Mitchell called me to differentiate between all his grandmothers and great grandmothers. When he was born 13 years ago he had a grandmother, and great grandmother on Darcy's side, and on Melissa's side, a grandmother, 2 great grandmothers , a step grandmother and a step great grandmother all living in close proximity. For birthdays or Christmas, he got presents from them all. When he got to be 5-6, he gave us all descriptors, so there was nanny-at-the-base, nanny-with-the-swing, and nanny-with-grandad. Because I still had Nick living at home with me, I would sign the cards and gifts, Nanny & Nick, so I became Nanny-with-Nick, then just Nannynick. I adopted the name as my MSN name.
That reflection on my MSN name shows how much influence every grandchild has on grandparents. Melissa was the first grandchild on both sides, and it was her who "named" the grandmothers and grandfathers. When I was a kid I called my grandmothers "gramma" and one remaining grandfather "Papa"; I followed the family tradition, and assume the oldest cousins were responsible for this. My mother and I just assumed my mother would be "gramma" as well, and my father figured he would be grandpa, grandfather, or granddad. It didn't happen- Melissa dubbed them "nanny" and "pappy". I remember the first time my father called himself "pappy" to the kids, it was a special moment right after Matthew was born. I know he really liked the name. Now I am nanny to Melissa's child. I wonder if Karine's parents have thought about what they want to be called.
That's all for now.
Matthew asked me recently why my MSN name is Nannynick, since Nick is my child, not my grandchild. It's the name Mitchell called me to differentiate between all his grandmothers and great grandmothers. When he was born 13 years ago he had a grandmother, and great grandmother on Darcy's side, and on Melissa's side, a grandmother, 2 great grandmothers , a step grandmother and a step great grandmother all living in close proximity. For birthdays or Christmas, he got presents from them all. When he got to be 5-6, he gave us all descriptors, so there was nanny-at-the-base, nanny-with-the-swing, and nanny-with-grandad. Because I still had Nick living at home with me, I would sign the cards and gifts, Nanny & Nick, so I became Nanny-with-Nick, then just Nannynick. I adopted the name as my MSN name.
That reflection on my MSN name shows how much influence every grandchild has on grandparents. Melissa was the first grandchild on both sides, and it was her who "named" the grandmothers and grandfathers. When I was a kid I called my grandmothers "gramma" and one remaining grandfather "Papa"; I followed the family tradition, and assume the oldest cousins were responsible for this. My mother and I just assumed my mother would be "gramma" as well, and my father figured he would be grandpa, grandfather, or granddad. It didn't happen- Melissa dubbed them "nanny" and "pappy". I remember the first time my father called himself "pappy" to the kids, it was a special moment right after Matthew was born. I know he really liked the name. Now I am nanny to Melissa's child. I wonder if Karine's parents have thought about what they want to be called.
That's all for now.
posted by Marybeth | 7:56 AM
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