Day Nineteen

nicknames and why I have them

My very first nickname was given to me by my cousin Maria's, at the time boyfriend, now husband Robert. For some reason he has always called my Tif-a billy or just Billy. I'm not really sure how or why he started calling me this as I was 4 or 5 at the time. I came down to Perth with my Nanna for a visit and we stayed at my Aunty Dot's (Maria's Mum). At the time Maria was living at her Mum's house and studying to be a teacher (or had just started teaching, I'm not sure which one) and Robert was around often visiting. I always get a warm feeling inside to this say when he still calls me Billy, even at thirty it still makes me smile that he cared enough about me to give me a special name that has stuck with me for so long. RObert and MAria are the only ones who use the nickname and I think its gives us a special sort of connection.

I have been called lots of the nicknames you would expect over the years, Tif, Tiff, Tiffy, Tiffo and the only one I actually like and use myself is Tif (and yes I usually spell it with a lower case t, I'm sure that would provide some sort of insight into my self esteem to a handwriting analyst). I was also one called tif-a-licious by a lovely boy I am no longer friends with.

My mum never calls me anything except Tiffany, however when I was little she called me poppet and pumpkin. I always think its amusing that my mum called me poppet when I was little and I ended up calling my daughter Poppy!

My favourite 2 nicknames are the ones my husband shaped person uses for me. The first one is Wench, I don't remeber how it started but I'm sure it was originally intended to stir me up! The second one is Squishee, which comes from Finding Nemo when Dory find the jellyfish and says she is going to call it Squishee. Also I am quite squishee so it just seemed to fit. He also calls me Wife but thats not really a nickname, more a descriptor (and most likely because I call him Husband).