Battle of the Grudges

Back in June, I had a week-long business trip to Miami.  Jake was almost 15 months old and when I came home, he just stood there and cried.  I tried to hug him but he wouldn’t have it.  That was when I realized he was pissed.

About three weeks ago, James and I went out of town together to Nicole’s wedding in Napa.  Jakey spent the weekend with his grandparents.  When he came home, he was exhausted.  He laid on his daddy’s chest and gave me the stink eye for at least half an hour.  He wasn’t mad at his dad for being gone.  Nope.  Just me.  His horrible, unloving mommy.  Boy can he hold a grudge.

But, two can play this game.  For example, there was about a two week period when Jakey was very little when he called several women “Mama.”  Including the director at school, Sylvia.  Sylvia is African-American.  She’s the one who called Jacob the anti-birth control.  Now at the time, I figured this might be common.  One of the new babies named Nicholas would inch his way over to me every time I came to visit and call me Mama until I picked him up.  And Nicholas was Chinese.  Two weeks.  It went by fast.

I recently wrote about how all men were “Dada.”  The problem?  Now I’m Dada.  This has been going on for weeks, maybe months.  At Angela’s bridal shower I went into the house and I hear “Dada!! Dada!”  Yes?  I prefer Mama. MAMA.  He gets this knowing smile and then says Mama.  Really just to appease me.  Every night at dinner, “More, more Da-dee!”  Now he’s been calling us both Da-Ya.  My mom thinks that’s his specific name for his granddad… unfortunately it is gaining traction in a variety of daily conversations.

The omnipresence of my new nom de guerre is starting to wear on me.  I’ve been getting a little grudgey myself.  Like I won’t give him another bite at dinner till I hear Mommy… More, more Mo-mee.

I’ve been in DC the last three days and am dreading being mad dogged when I get home.  Jake’s just lucky that I’m not that good at holding grudges.  Apparently last night he woke-up in the middle of the night and yelled “Mama!”

I feel my defenses crumbling already.