It's probably more of a habit, really. He cries, you come, you snuggle and say good morning... sort of nice, especially if he has older siblings to compete with for attention during the day. Is he still in a crib? If so, a change of bed will probably lead to a change of habit. I wouldn't worry about the crying, though. If it bothers you, teach him to call out, "Mommy, mommy!" instead. 🙂
My son has kind of started doing this recently. It's not so much crying as it is just whining? I don't know. I'll go in his room and tell him hi good morning and he'll say it back but just whiney and like he might start crying.
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My 2 1/2 year old started doing this as well. She was sleeping perfect then started developing some fears and separation anxiety. We adjusted her schedule a bit but still will wake up at least once between 4-6 am SCREAMING. It seems to be slowly getting better.