Doodlebug Who?

Before my son was born I was very aware of nicknames parents give their children. Some are simple, just the shortening of the child's name, others include the child's likes or hobbies. My sister loved the Care Bears and since her name was Kerrie, my mom started calling her Ker Bear; it just made sense. My initials before I was married spelled Sam so I went by that nickname amongst some family and close friends. Many of my friends at school had nicknames as well, so I knew I wanted to have a nickname for my son that fit him.

During the course of my pregnancy, I began thinking of what we could use as a nickname. Somehow everything I thought of didn't have the right ring to it. One evening while watching "The Simpsons" with my husband, we heard it; the nickname of all nicknames. It was the episode where Homer was trying to outdo Ned Flanders in the fatherhood department and so volunteers to take the boy scout troop that Bart is a part of out camping. At some point, Homer and Flanders end up on a raft in the middle of the ocean with nothing but one lonely cheese doodle for food. As a last resort, Homer uses that cheese doodle as bait to try and catch a fish. While watching the cheese doodle float on the water, Ned cries out, "God speed little doodle." My husband and I laughed and laughed; we had never heard anything so hilarious, yet cute. We thought "this is the one!". What better word to describe the small being that would soon enter the world? Doodle. It was perfect.

After our son was born, the nickname Doodle stuck. I subsequently added bug to the end and Doodlebug was born! Now at 5 years old, our son is well aware of his nickname and has accepted it. He will even refer to himself as "The Doodle". While the joy of his nickname will only last a short time in his eyes, one day as he is heading off to college or getting married we will be able to utter the phrase, "God speed little doodle."