My Numeric Progeny

Posted by Frankly Francis on February 13, 2009 under Personal | 11 Comments to Read

I have three daughters, and though they have given names, I prefer to refer to them by their numerical birth order.  Thus, my daughters are One, Two & Three.

(From left to right) Three, Two & One

My Dad turned me on to Charlie Chan movies (the black & white days), and Charlie always referred to his eldest son as “Number One Son,” so that is probably where my numeric system comes from…or perhaps it is that no matter how hard I try, I just can’t escape my background in accounting.

I think this is also a very practical way to talk about my kids with anyone else.  Why burden other people with the responsibility of remembering your children’s names?  My numeric name system to those outside my family is clear and easy.  And from my experience, seems to work well.

So as you can figure, in discussion, if I inadvertently say my child’s name, my listeners usually tend to ask: which kid is that?  One, Two or Three?

When One became pregnant, I had to consider my numeric nomenclature.

The answer was not difficult to arrive at.  Since One is my first child, therefore her first child, in relation to me, is 1.1.  Ah, the joys of fundamental mathematics.

1.1

My first grand child, 1.1, is two years old now, but she is still too young to be informed of her designation yet.  I can’t wait.

Now the plot thickens, but the methodology holds up.  Daughters Two and One are presently simultaneously pregnant, in that relative order.  A first child for daughter Two and a second child for daughter One.

According to my system then, One is having 1.2 and Two is having 2.1.

1.2 and 2.1 makes for reciprocal grand children – what a delightful coincidence!

And maybe, I just have too much time on my hands…but most certainly, I have very understanding daughters.

Frankly,

Francis