D'rka

For several years now the boys have known that Dan and I call each other "honey." Every once in a while they sneak in a 'honey' or a 'cutie' as well and we all have a good giggle. Recently though, we're been learning our BIG names. Nathaniel James Hacker and Andrew Stephen Hacker - so only naturally the boys wanted to know Daddy and Mommy's big names. We told them it was Daddy and Mommy and left it at that. Well,

I am not sure where he initially heard my 'big name', but he did and it stuck. Whenever I do not answer his call the first, second, or even the third time he now calls out "D'rka, D'rka" as he knows that'll get a response immediately. It's been going on for about two months now, and I am finally getting around to blogging about it - because I finally caught it on video.

I have to admit that I love, love, love it. It is so cute the way he says it, the way his face smirks as he tries to pronounce it. My heart just melts. It is honestly one of the things that I will cherish and miss as he grows up. I just want to hang on to that memory for forever. It's precious. It's difficult though, because in my mind I know it is disrespectful and can't continue.

Instead of reprimanding him for calling me by my big name I have told Nathan and he, that there is a special name that only the two of them can call me, and it's "Mommy." Everyone else in the world can call me D'rka, but only they can call me mommy. It was a way to twist something disrespectful, into something special and treasured.

He still refers to me as Mommy the majority of the time, but every once in a while a "D'rka" pops up - and my heart melts...