Names and Wrestling

I've always called my children names. Don't worry - they are all terms of endearment,of course. Some are just variations of their given names.....Coley Boy or Will Boy (yes I watched way too much Waltons as a kid)then came Luke's nickname of Luter or Luter Bridge (long story) or just Lu. Abigail quickly became Abby, then Abs, Abby Sue (her middle name is Suzanne) or the name her brothers shortened it to - Sooz. I've been known to call them all Boo-Boo Kitty or Sweetie or Precious Poodles of Love -- or sometimes I spell love - - if I'm feeling especially loving - to Precious Poodles of L-O-V-E. Don't ask. I don't know where that came from. I tell myself that they like these names. I think the nick names are much nicer than what I call them when they are in trouble....that would be their entire name.....COLESON CHARLES LECHNER.....WILLIAM ISAAC LECHNER.......etc., etc.

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Abby and I are outnumbered by males in our family, 4 to 2. Sometimes the testosterone just gets to be too much for me. Like tonight when the wrestling started. It's actually going on right behind me. I feel like I'm stuck in a scene from Nacho Libre. Charlie actually tryed to tag-team with me a few minutes so I could jump in and give him a break but I declared that " I'M A GIRL! I DO NOT WRESTLE".

When my two oldest sons were old enough to walk and crawl they began wrestling with their father. They frequently tried to get me to join in this boy activity. I would quickly remind them that I am a girl I do not wrestle. Then along came another boy. Soon all four males would conduct major wrestling matches in the living room floor. Or any available patch of grass.

Then came baby sister. I was hoping that she would be put-off by this violence and be content to sit in the corner with me - sewing, knitting, painting her nails, reading, playing with her dolls and stuffed animals. She obviously did not get the memo that wrestling is not a girl activity. She loves it. She's right in the big middle of them, even as I type....body slamming, elbowing, dog-piling, punching and happy as she can be.