I have a confession to make.
You know my daughter, the one I keep referring to as Hannah on here? Well, I really don't call her Hannah. It's her name, of course. It's written on her birth certificate and her social security card. It's what our friends, family and almost everyone calls her. Except me and her daddy.
My child's name is Hannah. But my sweet like monster baby? Her name is Nenny.
A name is something special. We chose Hannah because we thought it would carry her well throughout her life. We thought it could be cute and pretty, but also serious and mature. We used our heads when we named her Hannah. But my heart heard something different. Nenny.
So why am I making such a big deal about this? Most kids have nicknames, right? Well, I suppose it is because nobody knows her nickname. Not her grandparents, her sitter, or my closest friends. And its not because I think it will embarrass her, or that she will hate me for it one day. I just don't want anyone else to call her that. It's kind of like the way we have secret names for our husbands. Wouldn't it be weird if your dad called him that too? Well I guess that's how I feel about Nenny.
Today at school my kids were reading House on Mango Street. I have read the story so many times but never realized there was a Nenny in the story until I read it out loud to my class. Just saying the word to my students made me feel like I was naked in front of the room.
The world will call her Hannah. Doctors, teachers, her friend's parents; they will all know her as Hannah.
But Nenny belongs to just us.
XOXO
You know my daughter, the one I keep referring to as Hannah on here? Well, I really don't call her Hannah. It's her name, of course. It's written on her birth certificate and her social security card. It's what our friends, family and almost everyone calls her. Except me and her daddy.
My child's name is Hannah. But my sweet like monster baby? Her name is Nenny.
A name is something special. We chose Hannah because we thought it would carry her well throughout her life. We thought it could be cute and pretty, but also serious and mature. We used our heads when we named her Hannah. But my heart heard something different. Nenny.
So why am I making such a big deal about this? Most kids have nicknames, right? Well, I suppose it is because nobody knows her nickname. Not her grandparents, her sitter, or my closest friends. And its not because I think it will embarrass her, or that she will hate me for it one day. I just don't want anyone else to call her that. It's kind of like the way we have secret names for our husbands. Wouldn't it be weird if your dad called him that too? Well I guess that's how I feel about Nenny.
Today at school my kids were reading House on Mango Street. I have read the story so many times but never realized there was a Nenny in the story until I read it out loud to my class. Just saying the word to my students made me feel like I was naked in front of the room.
But Nenny belongs to just us.
XOXO
that is awesome she has her own secret little nickname. and nenny is a super cute one too :)
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