by Melissa Willets posted in Parenting

The other day I was at a park with my kids when I met her. The elusive mom baby. Perhaps you've also come across one of these baby grown-ups, or, um, you talk like one yourself"
Here's how to know. You see, mom babies have their own language. They speak like this to their babies or small kids:
"Should we change your diapie""
"What does the sheepie say""
"Do we want a snackie""
Everything she says is s-u-p-e-r e-x-a-g-g-e-r-a-t-e-d. And she speaks in a voice that's about 20 decibels higher than her normal voice, almost like she inhaled helium and is trying to be funny. Except she's dead serious.
And yes, she's out in public. Because aren't we all guilty of getting a little (very) goofy with our kids when we are in the privacy of our own homes" I mean, I call pee, pee-pee. I refer to my youngest daughter as my "wittle, wittle baby." But then I go out into the world, and tone it down a bit. I'm not running around the mall asking if my daughter wants a "drinkie winkie." I'm not a baby. I'm a grown up. So I try to talk like one.

Look, I get it. You're in the baby world. All. The. Time. Your life is changing diapers, and making bottles, and washing onesies, and watching Sesame Street. But that doesn't mean you have to talk like Elmo all the time. Especially since your child is learning how to talk from you. Don't you want them to say "diaper" instead of...