Chosen name, round two

[semperfiona]

Trying to figure out what I want to be called by the new grandbaby. It's difficult. I don't feel old enough to be Grandma, but on the other hand...when I was a kid, my grandfather's wife never wanted us to call her Grandma, so she was always Aunt Jeannie. But none of my cousins or my sister or I have ever really felt close to her, and I doubt whether any of them have been in touch with her at all since he died. I certainly haven't. I don't want to set up that kind of distance in a relationship that is already likely to be somewhat fraught due to the fragility of our connection with her mother.

Tammie and I have actually been talking about this on-and-off all weekend, looking up alternative endearments for one's grandmother, and trying them on for size. Tammie is leaning toward "GiGi"; of the list, the one I liked best was "MeiMei" (I have no idea how they spelled it; this spelling is Chinese for little sister which amuses me a bit), but none of them really fit me; they're from cultures I don't belong to, or sound more like something generated by the child than something comfortably presented by an adult. My family culture is pretty stuck on "Grandma", and I suspect that's what I'm going to end up choosing after all.

Comments

[jilly-bear.livejournal.com]

I had two grandmas - grandma Martens and grandma Baird. When Randy and I got married I found that my mom was just grandma but his mom was Mamaw - something that the first grandchild came up with because he couldn't say granddma - it stuck. It was a good way to differentiate between the two.

I have been named MiMi since the other grandma is Neena. I'm still holding out for once little Livy starts talking she comes up with her own!

Since there are two of you - you may need to come up with either differing names or grandma Fi and grandma Tammie.

[maiabee8.livejournal.com]

My mom wanted to be Nana, but ended up Nonnie which works well. My grandma is Gigi for Great Grandma, my kids also have a Grandma Lastname, and great grandparents Granny and Oma Lastname (they're German), and one great great grandmother, Grandma Lastname who they basically never see. My step mother, Phyllis, is Feefee to my kids and Meemee to her bio grandkids.

Mazal tov on the new addition to your family!

[maiabee8.livejournal.com]

My mom wanted to be Nana, but ended up Nonnie which works well. My grandma is Gigi for Great Grandma, my kids also have a Grandma Lastname, and great grandparents Granny and Oma Lastname (they're German), and one great great grandmother, Grandma Lastname who they basically never see. My step mother, Phyllis, is Feefee to my kids and Meemee to her bio grandkids.

Mazal tov on the new addition to your family!