The family, grandparents, parents, children, were gathered around the pool on a hot summer weekend. The youngest child, Ellie, had just turned 4. My son, Jim. decided to go up to the house to get some more towels. As he started to leave I hollered, "Jim, bring me back a bottle of water."
Ellie took my face in her hands and staring into my eyes said,
"You can't call him Jim."
"What am I supposed to call him?"
"You can call him dad."
"I'm not going to call him dad. He's not my dad, he's my son."
She frowned at me with that you're just being difficult look.
"OK," she said. "You can call him sweetie pie."
And so Jim became sweetie pie.
