Pet Names

First of all, let me point out that the title ‘Pet Names’ does not refer to my dog, though I probably should someday blog about the origins of Samwise Fingolfin 3’s name (excuse me while I add that to my emergency list). I guess a better title would have been ‘Nicknames,’ but since I’ve already mentioned the given designation (the last word is courtesy of a more subtle use of the ‘synonyms’ feature) in the first sentence, I’ll let it be.

When Andrew was a wee lad (as if he is no longer wee), Mollie and I kept track of the many different names we called him; Andrew, Drew, Drewbers, the list is long and undistinguished. We have started a similar list for Annaliese, but it contains many less names than did Andrew’s; Annaliese, Anna and one that has become a staple in our household, Anna Banana.

I was first loath to refer to my daughter by that name, foreseeing the anguish it could one day cause her. But my worries were abated, or at least sated for a while, when Andrew heard Mollie call Annaliese by that name. Apparently he understood the humor and/or rhyme of the two words because he began laughing heartily. He then attempted to echo his mother; Nanabnanan, Anaannban, the words were mostly a jumble of a’s and n’s, mixed with a chorus of giggles and the occasional b thrown in for good measure.

He has continued to call her Anna Banana and has since come closer to the correct pronunciation. That is an accomplishment in and of itself, as before attempting this rhyme he could not pronounce either word on its own (Enna and Nana). That aside, I am struck that my two year old son understands and recognizes humor. We will occasionally have our attentions drawn to him as he laughs to himself, then proudly proclaims, “Andrew funny!” I have yet to see or understand exactly why at that moment he considers himself funny (or at least my reasons for thinking him funny are different from his), but I am convinced that on his own, he truly sees certain things as humorous.

I think that of all the things I would like to pass on to my son, humor is near the top of the list. It follows close on the heels of love for family and trails the pinnacle of fatherly instruction, love and service for God, by a solid margin. Yet being able to find and appreciate humor in all things (perhaps too many) has been a mainstay of my life. It is an enjoyment I hope to share with my son for many a long year; a pleasure I may be privileged to much earlier than I ever expected.