Papa is 60!

Up until recently, my dad didn't have a legit grandparent name.  Nothing sounded right...nothing seemed to fit...and goodness knows that anything we had come up with, P was unable to repeat.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, we went over to my parents' house for dinner, and P decided that that would be the day he would start naming all his family members.  He had Share-Share and B down, but Aunt KiKi was waiting on pins and needles to hear her name, and I'm sure my dad had given up hope.  Well, P shocked us all by finally saying "KiKi" loud and proud before dinner.  We were all thrilled!  Then, while sitting around the dinner table, we were trying to get P to say every one's names...

Me:  P, can you say Share-Share?

P:  Share-Share.

Me:  P, can you say Daddy?

P:  Da-dee!

Me:  P, can you say KiKi?

P:  KiKi.

Me:  P, can you say B?

P:  B!

Share-Share:  P, can you say grandpa?

P:  Papa.

We all freaked out, and P got this huge smile on his face.  We egged him on..."Is that Papa???"  And precious P looked straight into my dad's eyes and said, "Papa,"  with such clarity and conviction.  And at that moment I turned to my dad and said, "I think your grandchild just gave you a name."  And based on the smile on my dad's face, I think he accepted the name that had been bestowed upon him by the Peanut.

(As a side note, we already have a Papa in the family...and quite a wonderful Papa at that...J's grandpa. :)  But what are you going to do when your kid names a family member?  You just go with it...and I guess, get creative.)

Well, the name "Papa" has definitely stuck.  P asks about him almost daily...it's SO FUN to hear him call his family members by their names!

We celebrated Papa's 60th birthday last weekend.  My mom had been out of town, so K and I took care of everything except the main course...which the birthday boy willingly prepared for us: filet Parmesan (which is an ode to a favorite dish from an Italian restaurant we go to in downtown Springfield every year on the way to Michigan).  It's ridiculously good.

 Here's P before dinner wearing his new blanket/Elmo cape :) from Cousin Whit.

And here he is helping Papa blow out his candles.

Happy Birthday, Papa! :)  We love you!