The Bummies

After the Spider Pig Post, Ryan told me that I should explain why we call our boys "The Bummies" I am sure that everyone can come up with their own reasons why we probably do this, but there is actually a funny story behind it. (no pun intended)

To really understand it we need to go back a few years...

The first Christmas Ryan and I spent together he introduced me to "The Twisted Christmas" CD, and to the song "The Buttcracker Suite," done to the tune of "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Ferries."

Joseph does not have much of a bum or hips so when he wears pants they always end up sliding down and giving him a plumbers bum. So to make light of it we would sing this to him as we would walk over and pull his pants up....

"See the plumber. What a bummer. Slippy slip, slippy slip, slippy slippy slip. Say it isn't so."

(A line from the song mentioned above.)

I don't think the words are in the right order for the song but that is how we would sing it. (We usually didn't sing it in public.)

As Joseph got older he could pull his own pants up when they slipped down, but we usually had to mention something to him (we still do.) Sometimes I would just simply sing "What a bummer" and Joseph would pull his pants up while he finished singing the song. I new this was kind of silly but it got the point across while making it fun right? (I know we scarred him for life.)

On Valentine's Day 2007. Grandma and Grandpa Bolander had stopped by to drop off Valentines and visit. After a while they had to leave, and as usual the kids followed them to the door to say good bye. Joseph likes to yell goodbye as loud as he can after them until they drive away. During this exchange of goodbyes Joseph suddenly called out "Goodbye Bummies!"

I was a little shocked and instantly told him that it was not a nice thing to call someone , the whole time wondering where this word might have come from. (I later decided that he concocted the word Bummie from the word bummer in the song.)

Grandma tried really hard not to laugh but Joseph caught on and knew that it was funny. So the next time he saw Grandma he yelled out "Hello Bummie!", and she yelled back "Hello Bummie."

The name Bummie has stuck, and because Josh is Joseph's Partner in Crime he has adopted the name too. So when we refer to the Bummies just know it is a term of endearment.