'Stina!!

Can I tell you how much I love the way little kids try to say my name?? When I was in the seventh grade, I started babysitting for a little boy named Nick. He was three. His older sister is my one of my sister T's best friends. She is about nine years older than her brother, so when I babysat, it was just for Nick, even if his sister was home. As most older siblings do, Nick's older sister took great pleasure in tormenting and teasing her little brother. The very first time I babysat for Nick, his sister was home. She told him to clean up his toys in the living room or she was going to get the vacuum out and suck them all up.

Nick was apparently afraid of the vacuum cleaner, and freaked out. He hurled himself across the room and onto my lap (remember, we had just met about twenty minutes before), screaming and crying. He kept reapeating, "Help me, Tatina! Tatina, help!!"

For the next few years, that's how Nick's family referred to me: Tatina. How cute is that?

My cousin Kirk and Andy, a friend of the family, used to call me Tina, but that didn't last long. For the last fifteen years or so, I've just been plain old Kristina. Boring.

Until recently, that is. My friend's son, let's call him Wall-E (he LOVES that movie!), turned three in May, and for the last six months or so, he's been saying my name. When I walk into the room, Wall-E's eyes light up, he smiles, and says, " 'Stina!"

Oh, my goodness. How cute is that? A few times, he's actually said, "Kristina" but I don't encourage that at all. 'Stina is way cuter.

Speaking of cute, check Wall-E out! He's gonna be a heartbreaker for sure!