Our New Names

While the babies were napping, Elena, Isaac and I were unbraiding Maya's hair. Doing black hair is a bonding experience, I'm learning. We've had really good talks each time I've done it.
Today, we were talking about when the kids first came home. We reviewed all the details of the homecoming. Then we got to talking about their names. I asked Isaac if he remembered what "Isaac" means. He said (correctly): It means laughing, because I'm always laughing. I said: That's right, you're Laughing Isaac. Maya said: I love to talk. I should be Talking Maya. A good fit for her.
Taking a huge risk, I asked: So, what should my name be? (While they were thinking, I was sweating, thinking my character flaws were about to be exposed.) They unanimously came up with Reading Mama. Whew!
I started thinking about why that would be at the top of their impressions of me. Hmmmm. I read to them over breakfast, during school time, generally right after I put the babies down for nap, and then I read my own books during my downtime. I guess it shouldn't be surprising that they'd come up with that.
A note of humor: they decided Lydia should be Happy Lydia because whenever she throws a fit, I ask: Can you be happy? and she nods and says "happy", while immediately drying up her tears. For some reason it's the magic word for stopping her in her tracks. I don't know why it works, but I'm thrilled to have discovered it. Perhaps "Fit-Throwing Lydia" would be more appropriate, but all her older siblings see her through rose-colored glasses.