Kassie #2

My mom habitually calls us kids by our sibling's names. I thought it had something to do with all us kids having K- or J- names; you seem to be setting yourself up for failure giving your kids like-sounding names (however, now that I have kids of my own, I find Moms mix up all their kids' names no matter how different they sound).

My little sister, Karma, seemed to get the worst of the sibling-name-mix-up. She was called "Kassie" so often we starting nicknaming her "Kassie #2". No one was immune from calling her by the wrong name. It wasn't only my mom, it was everyone in the family (and even some family friends).

Once when I was very upset with her, I sternly said, "Kassie!... " and the rest of my tirade was lost in laughing. I couldn't keep a straight face after calling her by MY name.

Chelane has started calling me Kassie. Cam and I correct her and say "Mom" after every time. She more often calls me "Mom" now.

It is our "fall break" here in Utah so we took the kids to the Kangaroo Zoo (much like the Bouncy Place back home), went to Temple Square and visited the Visitor's Center (Cam wanted the kids to see the large Christus), then headed a little more South to visit with some friends until Karma was off work.

All day we were telling the kids that we were going to see Karma, and Chelane would say, "Karma?" However once we got there, we asked Chelane, "Who is that?" and she said, "Kassie". While carrying her, Cam drilled her on the "Who is that?" question. Chelane would say "Karma" then when she got in earshot of Karma, would change to "Kassie". Karma decided Chelane was just doing it to get a rise out of her (where on earth did she learn to do that?!) As for me, I think it is just a reminder to Karma that she can never escape her past as "Kassie #2".