Close to Nowhere
When our first child, daughter Dana, was born, husband Butch (later to become Pop) and I were informed by his mother Jimmie that she was going to be Jimmie, not Grandma.
My mom, being a long-time grandmother, didn’t have a problem at all with Grandmama or whatever.
By the time son Kris came along, Jimmie was kinda thinking maybe she could be some kind of special name after all. It was just too late to change her name with the kids though.
Pop and I didn’t have any problem with what we were gonna be called. His dad was called Papa. So he was just naturally a Pop.
And I am now and forever a Bumpy I guess. When first granddaughter Merideth was born, she called everyone by name by the time she was 18 months old or so. But she wouldn’t call me anything. Nothing!
I asked her one day “What’s my name?” She looked at me like I was insane, said, “Bumpy.” You could just hear the “duh” behind it.
Now, half the world calls me Bumpy. Most of the time I’m not sure who Linda is?
We spent Sunday/Christmas with Mere, Tim and baby Shepard. Tim has six brothers and one of my two brothers came over, along with Tim’s dad. We had a bunch.
Shepard is the firstborn everything on both sides of his family. Grandparents are all working out what he’s going to call who. I’m easy. The uncles are easy. Tim’s dad Keith says he’s not particular. Dana has always wanted to be named Earl, so she’s thinking that Earl would be a good grandmother name.
To be honest, Earl would suit her, but Shepard’s mother Merideth says “no.” Bear in mind that Merideth is also Dana’s daughter. Dana is very strong-willed, but I think when Mere sticks to her guns with Shepard, Dana is going to be greatly surprised when she finds out that Shepard’s mother has a will of iron also.
Tim is going to get a lot of experience being a diplomat.
The problem I’m going to have with my new great-grandson is the brothers. Especially Cody, who is about 19-20. All Tim’s brothers are very excited about having a baby in the family. They like to hold him and I’m betting I’m going to have to fight with Cody to take the baby away from him.
It’s OK though. I dug my grandma cane out and I’ll whack him in the head if I need too. Accidentally of course.
It’s going to be so much fun! I didn’t just get a great-grandson, I got seven grandsons! All sweethearts!