We had one of those moments on Friday, Peeps.  One of those moments (and we’ve been having a lot of them lately) where I suddenly realize that my little guy is slowly morphing into a less little guy.  Four years old seems very young, unless you’re used to a three year old, after which time it seems positively adult.

On Friday I picked up Wallace from school early.  One of the nice things about school (as much as it is killing me) is the ability to get Wallace early on Thursdays and Fridays.  Not too early, but early enough that he leaves before the rest of his kids.  I think it makes him feel special.  This year has been a good year.

Anyway, rambling, sorry, anyway, I picked him up and he was dawdling, because if there’s anything better than being at school with your friends while your parents look on admiringly, Wallace doesn’t know what it is.  I said to him, chivvying him along for the thousandth time, “Okay, Bubba.  Put your train in the bin.  We have to go.”

One of his very good friends’ head whipped around with an accompanying “crack” and he said, loudly and incredulously, “BUBBLES?”  *crack* *crack* *crack* went the other little heads in the room.

*sigh*

Awkward moment there.  I kind of waved my hand innefectually off to the side and mumbled something while Wallace tried hard not to look embarassed and said, “No, Bubba.  It’s a…. name”.  He doesn’t know what nicknames are yet.

I have called him Bubba from the moment I realized that the name “Chubba” (which it would be hard to argue was not accurate at the time) might have long-lasting effects on his psyche.  He’s Bubba pretty much exclusively at home.  And now his schoolmates know that he’s “Bubba” at home, and since they are all just learning how to make fun of one another in that weird psycho social experiment thing that all of them get into, I’m sure it will come up in class.

The sad thing is that, up until that moment, I called Wallace “Bubba” with zero thought at all, and he responded with as much.  From now on I’m going to be aware of when I call him “Bubba” in public, and he will probably be aware as well.

It’s not the end of the world.  It’s normal and good to be aware of your social setting and social rules.  I went to elementary school with a kid nicknamed “Weasel” for pete’s sake.  He had it rough.  Bubba, if it stops in pre-K, is recoverable.

Still, I think that Bubba is not going to appear at school again.  He’ll always be Wallace there.

Kinda sad.