An Homage to Mommy

When we spent time with Wes's family for Christmas, Punkin picked up on my first name like she had not previously done.  I guess it was the first time she really understood what my first name was?  I don't know.  She has occasionally called Wes by his first name for a long time, although his first name is easier to say than mine.

But at Christmas, she really hit on it and started calling me "Kiss-tine" and seeing how I would react.  (Few kids before the age of three can really say Christine and, honestly, I think the way she says my name is cute.  Of course.)  Anyway, I knew that if I made a big deal about it, she would resist calling me Mommy, so I just gently tried to correct her.  Sometimes, even a month later, she'll look at me slyly and say, "Hi Kiss-tine!"  When I don't respond, she'll say "Hi Mommy" and then I say hi back.  She definitely knows I prefer Mommy and she's figuring all that out.

The other day, she was in the bath and she said "Kiss-tine."  In the bathtub, Punkin has some Disney themed mermaid toys...even though I swore to myself that I wouldn't buy her things like this.  (Just as a side note, Disney has evil geniuses for marketing. )  So when I responded, "No.... I'm Mommy" to Punkin, she said, "No, no" and then pointed at her mermaid princess "PINCESS Kisstine!"  Which means, of course, Princess Christine.  Well, she had me there.  I couldn't really argue with being named a Princess, could I?  I'm still pretty amazed at how quickly her brain came up with a "social" explanation for what she was doing.  To her credit, she still calls one of the mermaid princesses "Kisstine," which alternatively makes me laugh or disturbs me.