What do you call your Cuban mother? (or your mother of any nationality for that matter…)
I started wondering about this earlier when I noticed that my sisters and I call my mom by different names.
Her given name is Luz Aurora and her first precocious granddaughter, Annette, liked the sound of that and so christened her Luza. The name stuck. Now practically everyone she knows, including her other 15 grandchildren call her Luza. In fact, my parents were often known as Papi and Luza.
Ironically, Annette (the name giver) calls her Abuela. I think Amy Kikita calls her that, too.
My sisters and I refer to her as Luza or when talking to one another, "your mama" (sounding more like 'yo mama' but that's not important right now), but call her Mami or Luza to her face. She called her own mother, Mamá.
Do my own kids do this? Sort of. It depends on their level of need.
Adam calls me Mo-o-o-m-m. The way he says it sounds like it has multiple syllables. Amy does too, I noticed, but only when she is sick and wants attention. Otherwise, she calls me Mami. 😉
Lucy calls me Mamacita when she thinks I need cheering.
To Jon I'm Mom. He says it quickly. In a short burst. He's efficient that way.
My kids: "Mom, do we have Luza this weekend?"
My niece: "Is the Grandma going to be at your house this weekend?"
My sister: "Your mama wants to be at your house this weekend."
Three itterations of the same thing: My mom (how I always refer to her when I'm writing about her) will be spending her birthday weekend here at my house. The party is tomorrow.
But it got me thinking….
What do you call your mom?
What do your kids call you?
Mom? Mama? La Vieja? Mima? Mother?
I'm just curious.
My mother passed away four years ago, but I used to call her “mami” and my son called her “abuela.” The word we use to call our mothers is usually the first word we learn as babies and the sweetest one we will ever speak. Marta, you are very blessed to have your mom. Muchas felicidades Luz!Maria Eugenia
Ok… I don’t call my Mom anything since she died 13 years ago. But when I refer to her it is “my Mom or your Grandmom”. She was never the type of person you would give a sweet nickname to. Since having a grand daughter I have been given the name Coco. I don’t know why. The only other nickname I have ever had was Pandy but that one is 40 years gone with the death of my dad. My grand daughter calls her other grandmother Mema. (which I say “are you going to Nemo’s”). See ya soon!
La Vieja!!! Once, I called my mom that because I heard my dad call my grandmother that, and my mom looked at me and said, “haste boba!!” That was the end of that. LOL!!! 😉 I call my mom, Mami. My daughters call their grandmothers “Ita” short for Abuelita. But my daughters call me, Mami, Mommy, Mom, Mother, Hey you! (Haste Boba!!!) that was the end of that one. LOL!!!!
I use to call my mother Ma; my sister use to call her Mommy; my brother use to call her Mom; My children use to call her Grammy; and my Father use to call her Vieja. I am called Mom by my children and also called MOM in a very loud voice by my 16 month old granddaugher. I tried to get her to call me Lela – short for Abuela but it was a no go so MOM is who I am. 🙂 I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!
I call my mother “ma” or “ama” sometimes “mami” it just comes naturally to me, it’s shorter and faster.My father is “Papi” or sometimes I just call him with an “Oye!” haha.
My grandma from my father side (Española from Madrid settled in Cuba then the states) I call her “Tata” which is commonly used in Spain when small children refer to their grandmas.
Granpa was “Tato” (Cuban born of Spaniard parentage)
My other grandma is “Abuelita” (from mother’s side she’s Mexican of Spaniard backround her grandmother or great grandmother was Spaniard)
I get called Mooooom and Mommy. My 22 year old who was the first grandchild started to call me mother Bita (short for Abuelita obviously) and it stuck. Soon everyone, even the nieghbors, started to call her that. Our husbands and everyone who came into the family called her that. I would call her Mami when speaking to her but Bita when speaking of her.I sure do miss Bita. She went home to be with the Lord on Feb 23, 2008. RIP Chica! : )
My brother Willy or Bill (http://www.jtbhomepage.com/members.htm) calls her “Vieja”, I call her “ma”. My kids are very Americanized, they call me Dad.
My background is Ukrainian; I call her “Ma” and I call my father “Ta”, which is short for “Tato” (father in Ukrainian.My husband is Cuban (has been in Canada just under 3 years); we both call his mother “Mami” and his father “Papi”.
I am so glad to have found this site. Your recipes are fantasic. I made the Arroz con leche on the weekend and my husband almost ate the whole thing in one sitting.
I call mine Mami most of the time. Some times Vieja or Viejita. I call her by her name only when I’m either exasperated or pissed off. She doesn’t like it when I call her by her given name or nickname; she thinks it is disrespectful.Since I don’t have any kids yet, can’t tell you what they call me!
Alan calls his mom Gorda, Gordita or by her given name Isabel. She has no problems with any of those, and calls him Flaco.
I do use Mima for my cat and my niece. One doesn’t speak yet, and the other one calls me “miaaaa-u”!
Wow, look at the all memories you’ve generated here! That’s the gift of your blog, isn’t it? Penny has recently taken to calling me “momma,” with a Southern twang to it. It’s taking some getting used to…
I’m mami, when they need me, Mamá when they Really need me, Daisy, when i embarrass them.for my grandchildren I’m nana, they tell theirs friend that they have a house in Philadelphia, with nana y abuelo.
I called my dear mother “mami” and sometimes “mima” when I really wanted something. Lately before she passed away I called her “mama”, my daughter calls me that now.
My kids used to call my Mom (who passed away almost 3 years ago) Mita, a name given to her by my sister’s daughter (and her oldest grandchild). When I married into my DH’s BF Cuban Family, I discovered that his mother was called “Mamasan” by her kids. She got the name from a waiter at a Chinese restaurant they used to frequent in Atlanta. Believe me, it took me years to feel comfortable calling her that; I’d just call her “Dona (~) Dulce. Now she is everyone’s Mamasan, especially to her 5 grandchildren. She is a special woman, just as yours is to you. Treasure every moment you have with her! God bless your beautiful family.
I call my Mom “Mami” or “Mima.” Dad I call “dad” or “Papi.”I used to call my Grandparent’s on my Mom’s side “Los Primos”, ie. “El Primo” y “La Prima.” (To know where the appellation came from, youll have to read this: http://babalublog.com/2004/05/dreams/)
My grandmother on my father’s side was “Vieja.”
i dont have any kids, but if I did, I would hope theyd call me something like “Superdad” or Magnifipops” or, maybe, just plain “old dude.”
I call my mom and dad, mami and papi. My daughter calls me mom, moooommmmmy when she wants something, and MOTHER, when she is upset!
Being raised by my grandmother, I called her either mami, mamita or just welita. Being a new mom myself, coincidently my son just learned how to say ma….the orgullo and pride just fills my heart to hear him call me. Funny thing though he calls the cat ma too…my gatito’s name is Tocao(nice name huh!?) He still a bit confused…but he tries…lol