Tommy

Internet, I'll admit it........when Thomas Trouble was born I cringed every time someone called him anything other than "Thomas". He was not a Tom or Tommy to me. He didn't look like one and it just didn't sound right to me.

That said, I have always known that there will come a time when I have absolutely no control over what anyone outside of my home calls him.

What I didn't know, was how strongly Thomas Trouble felt about his name until a trip to the ER some time this past year. He had to wear an ID wristband while there and I told him that's so that everyone would know his name. When we later got home and I tried to take it off of him, he wouldn't let me. He told me "Mama, I have to wear it to school so everyone knows my name. They don't know my name. They keep calling me Tommy!"

That's when I realized how strongly he felt about being called Thomas only.

Enter Mr. Mean. Who as you all know, plays by his own set of rules. You can probably sense where this is going!

For months now we've all had a name from him, except Thomas. I'm Mama, Mom, or Mommy. Einstein is Dada or Dad. Norman is Woe Woe. Thomas hadn't yet been verbally identified.

Until this past week.

And you guessed it.

Mr. Mean calls him Tommy.

And suddenly, I love hearing the name Tommy. Not because I like the name Tommy or because I think he looks like a Tommy, because I don't. But I love hearing the Mean One say it. It didn't roll off his tongue until he perfected it. And when he says it, you can actually see him move his mouth like he's trying really hard to say it perfectly.

Thomas on the other hand, hates it. And usually says "Mama, make him stop! My name is Thomas!" when his brother calls him.

And just when I thought I had name control in my home, I don't.

Leave it to you Mr. Mean!