Much has been written (by me, on this blog) about Noam's inability - or is that refusal? - to call Akiva and Hillel by their proper names. When they were first born, it was "Eema's baby" and "Daddy's baby" (interchangeably) or "this baby" and "that baby." Or (for quite a while) "baby" and "other baby." Then came "Hillel" and "other Hillel." These days, he pretty much just uses whichever name occurs to him first. Though occasionally, he'll check with a parent before proceeding. For example, at breakfast just the other morning.
Noam: Eema, which baby is this?
Eema: Akiva.
Noam: Akiva.
eats yogurt, slurping meditatively. Pauses.
Noam: We have too many babies to say all their names.
Eema: (thinks about this) Do you mean, we have too many babies for you to call each one by the right name?
Noam: Yeah.
Eema: I understand.
Noam: Why did we do that?
Eema: Do what?
Noam: Why did we get so many babies.
Silence descends. Noam, just eat your yogurt, okay?
The kid does have a point, Sara.
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