"my darlin' mama"

Jack talks so much now. No, really, so so much -- so much in fact that my ears have not adjusted yet. I often have to guess for quite some time as he gets more and more frustrated with me to figure out what he is saying only to realize that he was speaking very clearly. It was me who just could not imagine that my son would be saying such things . . . and, of course, as I type this late at night I am stumped for any perfect examples but I can tell you some of my favorite regulars that come out of his mouth each day . . .

"What you doing, mama?" (his inflection with this really makes it . . . so cute. And the fact that he will be sitting there with me for awhile and then just suddenly look up and say it or sometimes walk into a room where I am and just throw it out so nonchalantly -- like a little adult.)

"What's that, mama?"

"Sorry, mama. It be alright. Sorry, mama." ( said as he stroked my back -- after coloring on the couch and then having it demonstrated to him that said coloring would not simply wipe off)

I had tried a little experiment when it comes to the words "I'm sorry", which mostly boiled down to modeling true sympathy and apologies but never demanding or forcing one out of him. I was not completely sure it would work and things can get pretty awkward when another parent is standing there most likely expecting me to force one out of my son, but I stuck to my guns. And lo and behold, one day he started showing true empathy and offering his own heartfelt (make that heart-melting) apologies, which of course mean so much more to the receiver than a forced apology. I know they mean a lot to this mama.

Which brings me to my ultimate favorite Jackism at the moment, which is "my darlin' mama" -- most often said while he hugs me and rubs my back or is lying down cuddling with me. He gets this very specific, almost sad, sound to his voice and he says it over and over again while nuzzling up to me. He also simply says "my mama" during these moments but the "darlin'" showed up there recently, which I suppose is my doing because I use that word a lot when speaking to him. The fact that he put it all together into one term of endearment is too much goodness in one bite.

Can you tell I'm smitten?