pet pet names

(for my madeline ~ august 13, 1997 - june 1, 2011)

pet names are funny. i gather the term originated from people referring to their loved ones by a name other than their own given name; to be more precise, people calling other people by names more commonly associated with the names we give to our beloved pet animals. names, like: pooky...snuggle bear...schnookums...or, honey bunny. this got me thinking about my very own precious little bunny. my bunny is, in fact, a very real bunny. weighing only three pounds, she is a holland lop; a cross between the french lop and netherland dwarf breeds. with soft, fluffy, cinnamon-colored fur and long, floppy ears with charcoal-colored tips...her name is, madeline. madeline came into my life...and has blessed my every day since with the gift of her sweet presence...when she was only six weeks old and she could fit in the palm of my hand. as i write, she is over thirteen years old...and she now fits in the palms of my two hands. madeline is her given name; yet, i rarely call her madeline. that's why it occurred to me...our pets have pet pet names. the names we call our pets that are anything but their given names. following is a list of the most common names one may hear me singing through the walls and halls of my home on any given day...names that are anything but, madeline...yet, so tenderly beloved, just the same: ~ baby ~ baby boots ~ baby love ~ boots ~ bumble ~ bumble berry ~ bumble berry boots ~ chew chew cherry ~ escittacittamon ~ juju ~ juju bee ~ little miss ~ little miss baby boots ~ little miss juju bee ~ little miss punkin ~ little miss punkin soup ~ my baby ~ my love ~ my baby love ~ my super duper baby love ~ my sweetpea ~ my sweetpea love ~ my sweetpea baby love ~ my teeny tiny ~ my teeny tiny sweetpea ~ my teeny tiny sweetpea love ~ my super duper teeny tiny baby love ~ pompom ~ pompom wazoo ~ punkin ~ punkin soup ~ soup ~ sweetpea ~ sweetpea love ~ teeny tiny ~ tootsie pop ~ tootsie pop drop ~ teeny tiny tootsie pop drop ~ my super duper teeny tiny tootsie pop drop. it should be noted that my precious husband has a handful of affectionate nicknames for madeline, as well: punky ~ punky punkerson ~ punky p. punkerson ~ raton ~ skinny little raton ~ poopy ~ poopy pants ~ poopy pantalones. most of his, unfortunately, pay homage to a rabbit's amazing gift in sheer quantity...to defecate.

~ janean christine mariani