Babe.

I give nicknames to the majority of my friends. I suppose it's because I want them to know that they are special to me, and to hope that in turn, I am special to them (e.g. I'm the only one that calls them that).

Sometimes I wonder if it's annoying to them, but whatever. LoL.

So we know that Yubo calls me "Mochi," and that nickname has spread to some of his friends and family, which I don't mind. It does make it entertaining when someone is talking about mochi (pounded rice cake), and I think they are talking about me. But I suppose it started to feel less endearing.

I mentioned in a FB status a while ago how after two years, I still get a bit giddy when I hear him talking to someone else and refer to me as, "my wife." My theory is that it's because we're so comfortable and casual in our relationship, and that we're really horrible at being sweet and romantic with each other -- one of us (and honestly, usually it's me) will ruin the mood with a weird face or a joke.

Recently, we had a mini fight that I thought would be worse than it was. I actually told Yubo that I didn't believe that he comes home to me -- rather, that he comes home to games and his teammates, or simply to get away from his job. He went to bed really early that night, and then I didn't get to see him for about two days after that because work got crazy.

Somehow, it mostly resolved itself. And at some point one night, I asked him if he would try calling me "babe" or "baby" because our other nicknames for each other weren't sexy (I call him "bub" or "bubba"). He probably thought I was being crazy, but he humored me, and actually nonchalantly threw it out there.... and I got really giddy.

For some reason, just that little endearment made me feel like we started over, like we were in a new relationship with each and just started dating. Somehow, encapsulated in that little word, he makes me feel special, wanted, sexy, treasured. Even though loads of couples all over the world use that same word, it manages to mean something like that to me. Heck, we use "babe" and "baby" as nicknames for Tifa! But it's said in a different tone, and really does have a different meaning behind it.

He probably hasn't thought about any of this when he uses the word -- he just knows that it makes me giggle and blush, and that I like it. But on top of all that, lately he'll come home and greet me before he sits at his laptop or the TV. I don't know how long this will last, but be sure that I am reveling in it.

It really is surprising how such a seemingly insignificant adjustment can mean so much.