…or rather, it’s “nen nen” (which literally means “milk” in Chinese).

Gavin’s first words were “ai yah” and “yeah yeah” (taught to him by his Dad).  You would have thought it might be Mama, or Mummy, or even Dada, or Daddy.

When he finally learned to say Mummy, he used to address me as such ONLY when he wanted to nurse.  So he would say, “Mummy milk,” or “Mummy nen nen”.

He must have figured we were too familiar for formalities because he decided to dispense with addressing me as “Mummy”.  Now, it’s, “Nen nen nen nen nen nen,” until I give him what he wants.

It might have been fine if that was what he said only when he wanted to nurse, except that he always says, “Nen nen,” when he wants me.  Even when he doesn’t want to nurse, he’ll say, “Nen nen.”

So it would appear that my name is no longer “Mummy”, but “nen nen”.  I used to think he would call for “nen nen” when he wanted me because he knew that he could always get Mummy if he asked for “milk”, but now I occasionally catch him saying, “Nen nen,” crawling into my lap and then crawling out of it again even before I can get my shirt up.

Is this one of those sociological side effects of nursing or is my child unique unto himself?  Are there any breastfeeding mothers out there also known as “milk” to their toddler? 

Perhaps I should just put it down to one of those dreadful terms of endearment that one gets stuck with, like “chubby-wubby”.

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