A Rose By Any Other Name...

You know when you are sleep deprived, your emotions are so much closer to the surface? You know how you can be more edgy, jumpy, angry that much quicker than you normally would? You know how you can also be more goofy and more inclined to laugh at inappropriate things?

Good. I just wanted to set the stage for this.

Miss A loves kindergarten. She has some wonderful friends that she's made and we are so happy for her. It's not surprising that she's made these friends, but it's a relief, I guess, on some level. Anyhoo, one friend, Varshini, came to Miss A's birthday party and wore the most gorgeous birthday dress (black velvet with rhinestones, etc). So cute. Granted, she was the only one in an official party dress, but no one really noticed (except how beautiful the dress was!). ANYWAY! Varshini is already writing really well and has super fantastic handwriting. Miss A is constantly bringing home notes and cards and many many envelopes (envelopes and "getting letters" appears to be a big thing for Miss A and her compadres).

The other day, Miss A brought home a note from Varshini commiserating the fact that a little boy in their class has been teasing Miss A. Miss A had not brought this up, but this little boy has been calling many of the girls, "Baby Dinosaur". Can you imagine the horrors????

I tried to comfort my chagrined daughter and asked, "Who's calling you names?"

"Akshat!"

Yes, Gentle Reader.

Akshat is the name of one of Miss A's co-kindergartner. His name means, "One who cannot be injured," which is lovely in thought, but alas...it is pronounced, "Ox-shat." Unless you are in kindergarten (or, as I'm almost 100% sure, you have the emotional maturity of someone in middle school, but I'm not one to judge when one is calling my daughter, "Baby Dinosaur!"), and then it's pronounced, um, somewhat differently. And poor Miss A cannot quite get the difference yet...well, that's not true. She corrects herself after initially mispronouncing through substituting her erroneous short "i" sound with the corrected sound of the short "a" (you see where I'm going with this). You can tell that her sweet kindergarten teacher has been working mightily with the kids on this matter. Seriously.

But holy smack, Gentle Reader. It takes everything I have not to laugh or flutter my eyes at this. And I know I'm one to talk about names, considering with my own name or the name of Miss Q. But still. Bless this little kid's heart!

In fact, when Miss A later related the same tale to Super J later yesterday, Super J gave me a smirked look when Miss A made the same flub and then said, "Sweetie, I just don't think you need to worry so much about this kid making fun of you. Just be nice to him."

So. For my friends who are expecting, please please please think through the name you give your children. ...especially if you are thinking of living abroad, because the name that is so lovely in meaning in one country may not translate so well elsewhere. And that's my life lesson for all of us today, lol.