Loony Like a Llama's Mama

As parents, we are so eager to see our babies grow and learn new skills.  We support them so they can sit up and later can walk.  We show them the world around them and help them explore.  We are ecstatic when our little bundles of joy start to coo and babble, eager to hear what their first words might be.  We even repeat words over and over again hoping that our little ones will catch on and say them back to us.

Although this is good and what every parent should be doing, our efforts do come back to haunt us down the road!  My son (6) and my daughter (almost 5) are at that stage when they can’t get enough of rhyming words.  I know this fascination is wonderful as they continue to learn how to read, but it is enough to drive the sanest person loony!

Currently, I am known as ‘Llama Mama’ by my dear children.  It has nothing to do with the fact that llamas and I both have curly hair.  Nor thankfully, is it because they feel I have hideous teeth or bad hygiene like a llama.  It is simply because ‘mama’ rhymes with ‘llama’--oh, lucky me!

Yet, the rhyming doesn’t stop there.  A normal day these days goes something like this:

My kids: “Llama Mama, we're hungry!”
Me:  “Okay, what would you like?”
My son:  “I want an egg, leg, beg, peg.”
My daughter:  “No, I don’t want an egg, teg, weg, leg!  I want a pear, care, stair.”
Me:  “Well, how about an egg, toast, AND a pear?”
My daughter:  “Why, tie, eye?!”
Me:  “Because that would make a balanced meal.”
My son:  “Okie, dokie, pokie!”

It’s as though I’m stuck in a Dr. Seuss universe, having to find the meaning through a thousand rhymes.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore Dr. Seuss and have since I was a little girl.  However, living it and reading it are two entirely different things!  I know someday I will look back and laugh about this crazy phase my children are going through.  Nonetheless, right now this llama mama is a bit loony toony and can’t wait for them to lay off the rhyming just a little!