Just Call Me Aunt Lolita

When I was married, he would laugh at the number of times that our children would say "mom". He always said that I needed one of those clickers to count. I would tell my children: "Guys, look, I'm right here, you dont have to say 'mom' before you say something to me. I am always listening".

"Okay, mom"

I think Eleanor and Ezra are the worst (or best?) at this. They would definitely have the highest "mom" count.

Sometimes I am really good at ignoring the number of "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom mom"'s and sometimes *I am so over stimulated* that I have to step back or I turn into "yelly mom" and no one likes yelly mom.

The other day the kids were on number nine MILLION of saying mom and I said "you know what guys?! I. AM. DONE. I am no longer mom, that's not my name. It's not Audree, it's not mom, it's....

it's...

it's...

AUNT LOLITA! If you want me, ask for Aunt Lolita"

Ava laughed, Ezra said "WHAT?! Aunt Lolita?" and Ellie said "mom? That's not your name! You can't be Aunt Lolita. Mom? Mom? Mom!!!!!"

I said "sorry Ellie, mom's not here anymore, only Aunt Lolita". I'm laughing at the fact that I've finally snapped and we're just being silly together...except Ellie didn't think it was so funny. She starts crying from the back seat, silent tears streaming down her little cheeks.

"Ok Ellie, I'm sorry, I was just being silly, if you really need to say my name, you don't have to call me Aunt Lolita."

"Thank you mom. Hey mom?"

Queue internal screaming session. "Mom" was said 59 billion times that day, and I didn't even need a clicker to count it, I just know because of how my ears felt and the tiny twinges of anxiety that perked up in various places of my skin.

I love being "mom" but somedays I think being Aunt Lolita would be more fun...except when Ellie is around.