The meaning of “mom”

We’ve been watching for a while to see what Iddo’s first word would be. She loves to jabber and tell exciting animated stories. Unfortunately we don’t understand any of it.

This last weekend we decided she officially has a first word. She’s using it consistently enough in specific situations that we’ve decided it has a specific meaning to her. When she sees someone she raises one arm and kind of points her index finger. This is her version of a wave (reaching involves both hands). She waves and says “Hey!” Her first word is the friendly greeting “Hey!” 😀

However she has one other sound she uses with purpose, and has for a while, although it has a very broad meaning. At the end of March when she mastered the art of moving forward, she would crawl towards me when she was hungry and say “muh muh muh.” Which being interpreted meant, “I’m hungry and I need you to feed me NOW!”

Over the past few weeks the sound has changed slightly and the meaning has expanded greatly. It now sounds more like “mum mum mum mum.” And it can mean she’s hungry, tired, bored, lonely, or just generally uncomfortable. When she asks for mom, other than food, she doesn’t care if it is Brett or me who comforts her. She’s just asking for comfort.

Mom does not mean female parent for her. Mom means I need someone. Mom means comfort.

Our beautiful daughter has already taught us so much. And I know there is so much more to learn in the coming years. I hope we both always remember her first definition of mom. I hope she always finds comfort with me, her mom, and with all the other mothers who will come in to her life.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the comforters in the world.