What's in a Name?

I never used to let Ellie have nicknames,

A) because Ellie already WAS a nickname (since her real name is Elizabeth), and

B) because I was the classic psycho first-time mother ready to maim anyone even considering calling my child anything that was not pre-authorized by me.

Don’t get me wrong, both girls get called sweet pet names, like Sweet Baby, Baby Eva or Baby Ellie, Angel, or all 3 together when I’m feeling especially lovey-dovey with them: Sweet Baby Angel.

But I’m talking nicknames. Of which, in just one year, Eva has accrued a list a mile long:

-The Eva-nator. (like the Terminator)

-Eva Knieva (like Evel Knievel)

-Meatball Marinara (what Ricardo called her when she was first born and was huge and robust, and those annoying Subway comercials were on like, allthetime)

-Grouchy Smurf (Ricardo’s current name for her)

-Little Piggy/Miss Piggy

-Monster

-Monkey Butt

-Guatona

-Evita

-Sweetest Little Pea (Grandpa’s nickname for her)

-Stinky Baby (what loving big sister Ellie calls her)

-Poop Monster

-Big Baby (from Toy Story 3)

… and so on. It must be said, too, that I have recently become more relaxed with Ellie’s name, and she now dons the nickname, “Ell’s Bells.” I bet that by the time I have my third child, we won’t even know what his real name is—we’ll just point in his direction and grunt, and he will respond. Ha. Ha.

Ellie was in the tub tonight and I heard her shout, "CANNIBAL!" right before making her toy astronaut plunge off the side of the tub into the water. 

Gotta watch out for those astronauts. They just may eat ya! ;)