I always wanted my kids to call me "momma" instead of "mommy".  No particular reason why, no hatred against the word mommy, it's just that I liked the softness of momma.  Ja didn't care, he was happy to be daddy, so we taught the kids momma instead of mommy.

This has worked well.  Most kids call their mother's mommy, which means that at a park, or the wading pool, hearing momma generally means me.  It's quite handy, really.

Until recently.

My daughter is rebelling against the system.

She's already really good at saying "Da-d-d-yyy" and rolling her eyes in just the way that all good daughters do with their silly fathers.  (My dad would be very familiar with this tone of voice... in fact, we still use it on him because he's, quite frankly, nuts.)

I always thought it was so sweet when Keyzia would call me Momma.  She'd curl up in my arms and say, "I love you, Momma."  Stroke my cheek, and lean in for kisses.  Just makes your heart melt.

But now.  Now.  SOMEONE taught her "Mom."  And she has to use it at the beginning and the ending of every sentence she says to me.

"Mom, I'm going outside.  Okay Mom?"

"Mom, can I have a drink, Mom?"

"Mom, I love you, Mom."

"Mom, Ephraim's hitting me, Mom!"

sigh.

I have to admit, I don't like it.  What happened to that little girl who says momma all the time? 

Now she says Momma when she really wants something.  The manipulation, it starts early, I tell ya.  Very early.

 

She must have learned that from her aunts.