DS has an entirely normal and traditional top 100 boy’s name, and an entirely common and sensible nickname. Think:
Edward - Eddie
Thomas - Tommy
Jonathan - Jonny
When he was about two weeks old, my mother told me that she wouldn’t be using his nickname as she didn’t like it. However, she doesn’t use the longer version of his name, either. Meaning that for over seven months now, DS has been ‘the baby.’
Hello baby! What are you and the baby up to today? Let me give the baby a kiss! The baby is getting big!
I’ve tried speaking to her about this, but she gives ridiculous comebacks and continues to refuse to call him anything other than ‘the baby.’ For example today, she said, “I can call him the baby, it’s not like he’s 95!”
Where do we go from here? DH has suggested I start using ‘the lady’ instead of Granny: say goodbye to the lady! which I can definitely do, but I’d be grateful for any other ideas.
While I’m at it, she’s also fond of saying ‘silly mummy,’ as in: did silly mummy make you cry? Did silly mummy wake you up? (no, you did by talking very loudly right next to him). Again, I have asked her not to do this, I’ve said it’s unkind and not a nice thing to say. Her responses to this have included that she is ‘talking to the baby, not to me,’ that I am over sensitive, and woke(!?). She also very exaggeratedly said to DS, oh your mummy is perfect and amazing and you are SO lucky to have her! when I last asked her not to use ‘silly mummy.’
Help!