The Four-Letter Word

As a child, teenager, young single adult, newlywed, and new mom, I've always had this vision about a single, four-letter word. It's not something I really consciously thought about (most of the time), which meant that it never took over my mind and heart. Until recently. And I'm not even ashamed about it. I may have been a little embarrassed or frustrated about it in the past, but today all that changed. Today was a first in the four-letter word department.

Today Grant called me mama.

I have no idea how early or late the average child says that word, but my fifteen-and-a-half-month-old has been all but refusing to say it for over six months now (no joke). He said dada as his second word, a-dah (grandma) late last fall, bapa (grandpa) about a month ago, and just about every other person's name since the beginning of March. He points people out in pictures, and when he gets to his mommy, he skips right over and goes to Dad or Grandpa, usually. Or he calls me dada. Or Josh.

He said mama one time over Christmas break when he'd been throwing up for an hour (all over me, and that's not an exaggeration), was exhausted. He moaned the most pathetic mama of all time, and for the first time I realized what I'd been missing out on. All of a sudden I didn't care that I was covered in vomit. But it would be well over three months before he'd attempt to say it again. I don't know why, but sometimes I felt a little sad, as if he knew everyone except the person that was with him 24/7 (cleaning up his plate, his face, his nose, his bum, his messes, his owies, his tears).

I'm sure I'll get used to the word and won't even think about it in a short time, but, by golly, I'll enjoy it for now!

The best part was that it was as if a lightbulb clicked on. He could pick me out in photos that up until today he passed over, he called my name instead of Dad's when he needed me. Before he wouldn't even try to mumble it. What changed?

I may never know, but I'm sure glad it did! This is the best four-letter word ever!