He Called Me Mom

We have always let Clark decide what to call me. He calls me by my first name. No big deal. It's his decision.

Now that I've said that I can tell you deep down inside, where there are things I don't share with Superman or anyone else, it does matter to me. I would love for him to call me mom. I need validation from a 6 year old that I matter. I don't like the looks from strangers in public who realize I'm the stepmother and I instantly feel judged. I doubt the clerk at Walmart is going to start yelling at me that I'm a home wrecker but still the fact remains. I would love for people to see my family and not think a second thought. Mom, dad, kids. No big deal. Yes, a part of me wants to prove a point to Krypto. I would love for her to know in Clark's eyes I am a mother at his dad's house. I know it's petty.

My 3rd anniversary of my 28th birthday was last week. (I've decided to not celebrate birthdays but rather anniversaries. I always did like being 28.) My husband and the kids got me flowers and a card. Clark and Kent picked one out and he gave it to me. It said world's greatest mom. No big deal. Clark always calls me mom when he is talking to Kent. He knows Kent will call me mom.

However, during the middle of dinner we all were discussing the upcoming birthday party for Clark. We were trying to decide what kind of games would be fun and somehow we kept trying to top each others' ideas with more outrageous ones. Then Clark says, "My friends would be like, your mom is funny." He took a minute and then said "I mean stepmom." He looked at me and looked at Superman, trying to gage our reaction. I tried not to react. I did. Really. But I couldn't stop. I started to cry. Not the big ugly cry just the I've got something in my eye. I recovered quickly and nothing more was said.

I know it's small. It may not have meant anything to anyone else but to me it means the world. Maybe, just maybe, I am slowly making progress.