Not the Mommy

We've been having a bit of fun around here at Paul's expense.

It started off innocently enough.  Paul and I were talking about that "old" series Dinasaurs. The baby, as we recall, wouldn't say "Daddy."   It was "Mommy" and "Not the Mommy." 

I often use that phrase, "Not the Mommy", when I'm reminding the girls that it is not their place to be correcting their brother ALL the time.  I point at myself and say "Mommy"... then I point at them and say "Not the Mommy!"  It doesn't really help, but it does give us all a laugh and gets Mac out of the hot spot for awhile.

I also have to tell the girls that I don't need "echo-parenting."  That is the phrase I use for when they repeat what I've just said to Mac ... as in "Yeah, you're supposed to clean up your room today." or whatever.

So, anyway...  Kim and Kendra were in the room when Paul and I were talking about the Dinosaurs series, and they really were tickled by the "Not the Mommy" phrase for the Daddy.... and since then.. Paul's been getting a daily dose of "Not the Mommy" from the girls.

Of course, the funny part for Paul and I is to remember that when Kendra (our oldest) was a toddler, she began referring to Paul as "Mondy".  Kind of a cross of Mommy and Daddy, I guess.  Her first word was Daddy....but by the time Kim was part of the family, she was calling Paul "Mondy".  Which I think just emphasizes the fact that in the early years... the dad role can be kind of fuzzy at best.