Can you imagine what it would be like if we took it to another level and had a show something like "Gary and Cheryl plus 10"?
Just a fun little story for your entertainment today...
Yesterday around noon, Gary called me to say that Delaney was sick at school. She's throwing up and needs to be checked out, he tells me.
(Illnesses seem to be running rampant through our town right now, so I was sorta afraid that we were eventually going to catch some of it. But, as my girls are very healthy--seriously, I can count on my two hands the times all three of them combined have vomited!--I was hoping we'd avoid the 2010 bugs and viruses and flus.)
I headed to the middle school and peeked into the office of a friend of mine who is the school's nurse. Did you see Delaney? I asked her, but was answered with a blank stare. "Nope, she hasn't been in here."
That, of course, piqued the interest of all those who hold holy the rules of middle school (not that I'm opposed to that; we need rules, and we certainly do with thirteen-year-olds!) and was asked, Do you know how she got hold of you? Did she, perhaps, text me that she was sick? (I get a completely "not cool" vibe from the secretary if that's true.)
Nope, I explained. I got a call--well, my husband got a call--from the school.
About that time, Delaney comes traipsing down the hall toward the office. She appears to be the picture of good health and asks me with a confused look, "Why am I checking out?"
At that moment, of course, it dawns on me.
It's the classic Gary Called One Daughter by the Other Daughter's Name Situation.
I laughed as I told the secretary: "Sorry, wrong daughter. I've got to go check out my sick kindergartener instead."
Gary and I are constantly calling the girls by each others' names. Delaney is called "McKenna" and poor Sydney gets the worse of it this time of year, as Gary starts coaching her softball team and calls her "Delaney"--who he coached for years at her same age--more times than he calls her "Scout."
It reminds me of my own childhood when my Mom--who only had two of us, so I have to give her special grief for it--would call me Christopher, call Christopher "Cheryl," and call us both "Solo" (the dog's name).
I can only imagine how hard it would be if we had more than three kids.
11 comments:
I was the last of five. When I was small, when everyone was still at home or in the years soon after they left home, can you imagine how many name she went through before she got to mine? I didn't get in trouble much, but even when she wasn't upset, by the time she got to my name or resorted to "Hey you!" she was often irritated!
I call it "The Curse of the Youngest Child"!!
LOL that was kinda funny. How is Sydney doing now??
Remind me to tell you about the time we didn't pick the kids up from daycare lol.
And I thought only Grandmothers did this!
Yep, I was "NickJimChris." Titus is "Si...FE...TITUS!" It happens. Love this story. I had a more romantic ending in mind like he met you in the parking lot with roses or something. A puking is more realistic though.
:)
Oh, Cheryl, I just loved this. I think all of us parents do this, don't you? I cant go a day without calling my kids by each others names.
Marg
This brought back memories for me. When my mother called me or my brothers and sisters the wrong name, she'd stop herself and say "call the roll". LOL!!!
My oldest daughter's name is Rachel and the youngest daughter's name is Amy. I can not tell you how many times I would call the youngest one, RaeAmy. :-)
I hope your little girl is feeling better by now. Give her an extra hug. And I hope the rest of your family doesn't get the bug.
I have to laugh at the name mix-up. I do that a lot and I only have 2.. I hope your daughter is better now.. We have a bug going around here too. I'm so ready for the cold weather to go away.
I'm with Laura--my grandmother did that so often when my mom was alive. She always called me Jane. ;) Hope ol' what'shisname and you stay well!
Hey everyone!!
I loved all of your comments. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only person who does this!! LOL
And, oh...thanks for the concern about Scout. She still has a little bit of a cough, but she was able to go back to school after missing just one day. So, not so bad!! (Of course, both of the other girls have had the stomach bug. But, we're getting better...I think!)
Hope yall all have a great weekend!
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