The etymology of Chichimama

Rebecca pointed out this weekend that I should really explain where Chichimama came from, now that there are "strangers" reading my blog. And I suppose I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea...

When C's friend Julia was about 15 or 18 months, she had a very hard time pronouncing C's name. (Hey, at almost four C still has a hard time with his name.) She also had a hard time with my name so she began calling me "Chichimama" meaning "C's mommy." I had never had a nickname, and was tickled to have been given one by one of my favorite little ones. When I began blogging, it seemed like as good a pseudonym as any. So there you go. I am not in fact a chichi individual, despite my love of shoes...ah well.