From Mama to Mommy

I remember the day Cub first uttered his sweet little "ma-ma". Oh, how my heart melted! Now I get "mommy". Which I love. Most of the time...

You see, now that he says "mommy", it has a certain charge with it. It's no longer a little baby babbling "ma-ma", it's a BOY asking for something. And he's learned to use it well. With a smile. With tears. With a fit. With a giggle.

The other night I put him to bed and walked out. He was sitting in his crib making these hilarious elephant sounds and rattling off his ABC's then I heard it. It was urgent. Desperate. Manipulative! Out of nowhere. "Mommmmyyyyyyy? Mommy? Mommmyyyyyyy!!!"

I tried to ignore it for a while. But it got faster, more determined, more skillful -- "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" And it was so doggone cute that I couldn't resist. I had to go back into the room -- to a toddler standing up in his crib now with this big, victorious goofy smile on his face -- and cuddle with him to sleep. I knew he didn't "need" me. I knew nothing was wrong and he would have eventually went to sleep. But I couldn't ignore that "mommy" voice.

What will I do when it turns to just "mom"?!