June 28, 2001 - Thursday
I can remember several occasions when I was younger when my mother, I'm sure like every mother with multiple children, got my name wrong. In a slightly agitated state, she would rattle through my brother's name, my sister's name, or even the dog's name before happening upon mine. And, there's no mystery to that. It's not as if she thought about and couldn't remember my name, but rather that habit took charge and hit the wrong button. It's probably happened to everyone at some point. The names of loved ones are so automatic that they usually don't require any thinking. But, every now and then, do to stress or just plan talking too fast, we slip up and come out with name for a different person and situation.

Lately, Harry's been calling his mother and me by opposite titles and that, on the other hand, seems a little strange. Have "mama" and "daddy" become so second nature to a year and a half-old boy that he doesn't really need to think about them anymore? Is his young brain so full of other ideas that he doesn't pay attention to these old details now? Can he be experienced enough with speech to have a slip of the tongue? It seems so.


Comments, opinions?