How to Become a Baa-Baa: A Grandpa’s Tale

How to Become a Baa-Baa: A Grandpa’s Tale By Les Raff
What’s in a name? I blogged a while ago that I have never had a nickname. It is as glaring deficit in my personal history as not having a tattoo would be for today’s millennials. Somehow, I have learned to live as “Les”.  And my full name,”Lester”, has taken on a bit of a cache since Leicester City, F.C. won  its remarkable 5000-1 championship in the British Premier League Football. Yes, “Leicester”  is pronounced “Lester” (and “British Premier League Football” is pronounced “Soccer.”)
But now I have a special name! I have had it for a several months, and like most special names it is one that no one could predict. What makes it super-special is that it came from my granddaughter Hannah. I am proud to be Baa-Baa.
It is always fun to guess what children will call their grandparents. When Hannah was a newborn, Barb and I played that game. Barb was hoping for “GlamMa”, defined by Urban Dictionary as “the new Grandma, a woman with a sense of self and style. ”  Yes, that would fit Barb. I had no special preference, but we both agreed that we did want to be Bubbie and Zaydie, names we still feel are a little too old school.
So how did I become Baa-Baa? Every Friday morning while Barb is baby-sitting for Hannah the three of us spend a few minutes Face Timing. On one of those morning calls I gave Hannah an iPhone tour of my office, including the row of bobble heads on a high shelf above my microscope. There was a one-armed Robin Ventura, a stern Carlton Fisk, Detroit Tiger star Miguel Cabrera, and even White Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard.  Hannah was fascinated as I bounced their heads up and down. Soon all our Friday calls started with Hannah calling out for the bobble heads. “Baa-Baa, Baa-Baa”  was her greeting to me. And that’s what I became. Not Robin, or Carlton, or Miggie–but I will take Baa-Baa any time.
As for Barb, both of Hannah’s grandmas became Na-Na. But now that Hannah is a little older and wants to differentiate between her two wonderful grandmothers, Barb has become Na-Na-Baa-Baa. It works!
While on family matters, just a reminder that I will be making my annual run for prostate cancer awareness and support, in honor of my late father, in the SEABlue Prostate Cancer Run/Walk. I ask all my family, friends and casual readers to support this cause. You can sponsor my run by clicking here:   Support Les’s Run. I already have a great start at reaching my goal, but there is still a long way to go. Thanks for any contributions, and please mention on the link that you heard about the Run/Walk here.