Extinct

We gather here today...just kidding. But Merrick's very favorite Dino, has bitten the dust. He was the location for many a wrestling match between my two wild men. *as you can see...*

They were having one such wrestling match Friday afternoon, when Dino started to look a little on the flat side.

Billy realized what had happened, as you can see from the classic *hand-on-the-forehead* pose...but all the super-glue in the house wasn't going to put Dino back together. *Yes, we tried super glue...any better ideas? :)* As you can see from Merrick's expression...we are rather sad to see Dino go.

We hope that one day soon we can find another one...but we got him last Christmas when the toy store in the mall was going out of business. Hopefully they can find another location, besides my bed, to wrestle in the meantime. :)

He Loves Me...

This week at I Heart Faces...the theme is "Blue".

I have lots of pictures of my two guys wrestling and rough-housing. But the other night I took this picture of Billy with his Tizzy-girl.

We *and especially Billy, who is Merrick's #1 wrestling partner* are learning how different it is to parent Tirzah as opposed to Merrick. Merrick likes anything rough and loud. Tirzah much prefers someone to stare adoringly into her baby blues and tell her just how gorgeous she is. Which, of course, Billy doesn't mind doing. She even tends to get irritated with his scruffy face if his kisses aren't careful enough. He's wrapped right around that chubby little finger. And from her grin...I'm pretty sure she's well aware. :)

Wolf Man

This was a video I took of  Merrick at the dinner table to other night. He has recently taken up the habit of growling. Not sure where he learned it. I know we are pretty crazy around here...but I don't usually growl at my kids. He growls when he's mad, when he's happy, or when someone just needs to be reminded that he is, apparently, being raised by a pack of wolves. ;)

Mr. Sniffles

Just a little video of one of our Wal-Mart trips. Merrick loves to blow his nose now...and takes it upon himself often to help himself to toilet paper, or wipes from his room to blow his nose. He doesn't get the reason why someone blows their nose, however, because at this point he is the picture of health. :)

What did you just call me?

Around here...we really don't go by our real names. No we're not in the witness protection program or anything, we just have a thing for nicknames. I think this started in my *Austin-Lee's* family. In this family our cell phone contact lists hold names like Pookey, Spanky, Twiggy, and Annamal. To look at it you'd have no idea who these people are, or if they are even people.

Some of these names can be kind of embarrassing. I was knows as Lou-La-Bell for awhile. One of my sisters is Helga. My brother? Well, he was Frank the Monster. There is no rhyme or reason...it just happens. There is even a Sweet Face and a Mookins among my cousins...whatever that means. :)

My mom's side of the family has always nicknamed everyone. The joke is you're officially welcomed into the family when you've got a ridiculous nickname that takes the place of your real name, and said nickname is written on your birthday gifts, Christmas presents, and your cup at Thanksgiving dinner.

So...the nicknaming has obviously passed on to our family. Billy has always called me Lea-Girl, or Shooter...and I have been calling him 'B' since we were both in high school. I usually call the kiddos the hooligans when I'm referring to the both of them. But they have a plethora of nicknames all to themselves.Merrick started out as Merrick the Terrible. He was so serious that we all lived in fear of his dirty looks. :) It changed into Chubba when he went through his chubby phase at about 4 months. There is also Wild, and Mick is what his cousin Leia calls him. Then for some reason we started calling him Boogie. That one has stuck for a long time, and we are still calling him by that name. I'm pretty sure he thinks it's his real name.

We also call him Choppers, for several pearly white reasons you can in these pictures. :)
Then...we have Tirzah, aka Tizzy, or the less popular (with her mother) Tizz-Bomb. *That's the kind of name only an uncle named Frank the Monster would give you* We also call her So Pretty Girl, and T. Merrick simply calls her Beebees. She is also lovingly dubbed Cheekies. Again, for obvious reasons pictured below. :)
I guess I need to make sure they know their real names before they get too confused. I know their real names are a little different anyway, but no one would believe the kids who claim to be named Cheekies and Choppers. :)