Peepaw

I am about to welcome my third grandchild into this world and my thoughts go back to how I came to be called Peepaw. Nakiah, who is now 5 years old tagged me with the title. At the time she was almost 3 years old. Mamaw was easy for her, so I'm thinking Papaw will be just as easy.  We (especially me of course) tried to get her to say Papaw, but to no avail. I remember times when Darcel would go around the horn and ask Nakiah who everyone was....Mommy came out of her mouth, Daddy did, and so did Mamaw....to my disappointment, no Papaw. Months go by and still no Papaw. So one day, in my finite wisdom...try to break it down for her. I start with trying to get her to say the first part by making the "pa" sound...nothing. I pronounce the letter "p" because she knew her alphabets...she said that, so I'm thinking, cool. I say the second half, "paw"...nothing. I don't remember how much time goes by, but we are all together again so I try again with the previous routine. I pronounce the "p", make the "pa" sound and then "paw". She hesitates, and out comes "p"paw...we all laugh and Darcel says, there ya go, because at one point I remember saying I don't care what she calls me as long as she calls me anything other than "gramps" or "grandpa" or "granddaddy"....nothing wrong with those, just not for me.


Nakiah and Ava

So I'm already wondering how do you spell "p"paw. I didn't want to have just a "p" and then "paw" and I wanted something that everyone knew how it would be pronounced when they saw it, so I came up with "Peepaw"...you're welcome.


Time goes by and I find out Darcel and Charles are pregnant. After Ava is born, I ask Darcel are we going to see if I will be called "Papaw" or "Peepaw" by the new addition when she is able to talk....remember, my wisdom is finite...and in  Darcel's infinite wisdom, she tells me it has to be "Peepaw" to keep confusion down. So as Ava grows and begins to speak, she too calls me "Peepaw"....music to my ears.


Know what?...I wouldn't have it any other way because my granddaughter, in her infinite wisdom, tagged me with a title that I would like to think only exists in all the world, right here....I'm their Peepaw.