The sweetest sound

I once read a magazine article in which someone (of course I can't remember who it was) said the sweetest sound she ever heard was her child's voice calling her mommy.

I wouldn't know what that sounds like.

Before anyone misunderstands me, let me say that Madeleine is a little chatterbox. She talks on the way home from daycare about her friends. She talks to Sophie when we get home. She is even starting to talk on the phone. She does not, however, call me mommy.

Yesterday we drove down to the hospital to bring David a couple of sandwiches (he is complaining about the hospital food). The hospital is south of us, so as we drove past our exit, a little voice pipes up from the back seat as she starts pulling on the straps of her car seat,

"Hey, Ria, no!! Out here now!"

My daughter does not call me mommy, she calls me Ria.

"No, no Ria. No night-night yet"

"Tank you Ria"

"Peas Ria"

"Hi Ria, how are you?"

and perhaps my personal favorite, yelled from the crib

"Hey, Ria, up NOW"

I've tried telling her that my name is mommy. She looks at me, smiles, repeats mommy and then I am 'Ria' again 10 minutes later. I know (at this point in time anyway) she isn't doing it to spite me - she hears everyone else calling me 'Maria' so of course that what she should call me too.

So, I continue to correct her and tell her my name is mommy each time she calls me 'Ria'. I can only hope it sinks in before her teenage years hit and then she IS doing it to spite me!

And for those who may be wondering ... the counter tops were installed and I am VERY happy with them. Unfortunately there is not a lot of light in the kitchen right now and the pictures look too dark. We need a nice suuny day - no more snow!!!!!!!