KD...that is a very special relationship there.

I'm kinda going through a similar situation, with my 2 year old nephew now living with my family and I. It was very difficult, but I noticed this last week had gone very smoothly. He's so susceptible to learning, I think he realized I will reinforce his behavior and is changing.

Anyway, I feel a special bond to Eli. It's a lot like what my own children and I have, but a little different. It may be that he is still very new to this family. I do make an effort to treat him and my kids very equal, but I know he still needs special attention, since he's deprived of mothering. My mothering overwhelms him at time, we're very affectionate with our children and he is still not used to being tucked in and kissed and cuddled.

He's calling me Mama too, I still don't know what to think about that. I guess Desi is hard to say, with the "z" sound in it. My husband gets awkward about being called dada.

I hope I travel the same road you and your nephew has traveled. I hope our bond will as strong and loving. If you don't mind me asking, did you legally adopt him? I'll pm you with other questions. I didn't realize you had such a similar experience as me.

My biggest fear about the entire situation is I will truly love this child as my own...he will become my child, then his mother will return to take him away from me. I fear forming a mother/son relation for it may be temporary.