Mama

I had to wait a while to hear that one.  And i'm not alone in that.  Some of my peers still haven't heard it.

I waited to have a kid.  And it turned out that kid has Autism. And while he is talking now, it took time, and work, and chocolate to make it happen.

And its not to say i hear "mama"  all the time.  It's still more of a label than an address.  "that's mama's drink" or "mama's in the kitchen"  but occasionally i get "mama, i need help!" (his favorite phrase lately--and btw, he usually doesn't need help, he just wants someone to do something for him)

But if you had asked me 10 years ago, i would have told you that i never planned or wanted to hear it.  I was gonna be this snarky old lady with a bunch of dogs and a bad attitude yellin' at kids to get off my lawn.

But i wasn't married to that idea--just figured nothing else was really possible.

And now im in charge of an Old Man, a dog and a kid and a daily load of laundry.  And while i may bitch about it, it ain't so bad.  Especially when a certain little hand reaches for mine, or demands "family hugs!"  It's not such a bad label--mama.  At least until he learns to whine it.

and i've still got time to yell at kids, even if i don't have a lawn...