Hiiiii-chah!

My friends, the moment we knew was coming is finally here: Merrick's inner Karate Kid has awakened.  

I don't know what started this fascination with Karate.  And I don't know who first started all the "hi-yahing" and prancing around, Marcos or Merrick.  All I know is the spirit of Jackie Chan has taken over my house.  Even the twins get into the karate action.

For his first lesson, the thing Merrick was most excited about was getting his little white karate outfit (ok, he's officially taking tai-kwon-do, but for future reference, I'm just going to call everything martial-artsie "karate"...it's just easier).  He was ecstatic.  Marcos helped him put on his outfit right before class, all the while encouraging him to work hard and do his best (and have fun, of course).  I'm so thankful my children have such a wonderful daddy.  

Once the class started, Merrick was incredibly intense and enthusiastic.  You can tell he's taking the lessons because he wants to and not because his parents want him to.  My favorite part is how he kept saluting the teacher and saying, "Yes Sir!" really, really loudly as if he had just enlisted in the Army.

In his first class, Merrick got a green stripe on his belt for doing the punches well.  After about 4 more stripes like that, he becomes a Tiger Cub Yellow Belt.

Here are a few pics from Merrick's first official Tai-Kwon-Do lesson.  I'm probably spelling that completely wrong.  The martial arts world is a complete mystery to me.  All I know is that Jack Black is the Dragon Warrior and that Mr. Miyagi is the man.  

This was right after the class:

How does he even come up with these moves?

Hi-cha! (Yes, he says hi-cha a lot instead of hi-yah.)

This was the following week in front of the house.

Jackie Chan, eat your heart out.

Our First Family Play!

A few weeks ago, Mama and I got to take the kids to see their first play.  Since Marcos and I met as Theater majors in college, this was a very special day for me.  Naturally, I assume that the kiddos have theater in their blood, and I couldn't wait to see how they would fall in love with the stage like their daddy and I did when we were little.

Since we are such huge Tangled fans here, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take the kiddos to see Rapunzel.  Of course, it was nothing like the movie.  It actually stuck closer to the original story, which I had completely forgotten until I saw it acted out.  Later, Merrick said, "Mommy, I think that was Tangled 2."

My mama is the best mom and grandmother in the entire world.  I am so grateful that she lives nearby and can go to me with special events like this.  I love that she is going to be in so many of the kids' childhood memories.

We dressed Scoutie Girl in her Rapunzel dress (pajamas actually...shhh....don't tell!) to see the play.  She's only two and she already loves to dress up.  I definitely see a closet full of princess dresses in our future.

The twins and I went down to the stage to check things out before the show started.

I was incredibly surprised that the kids paid attention during the entire show.  Typically, when we see a movie, I am chasing them all over the theater.  Not the case here.

Dee lovin' up on Merrick.  :)

Woo-hoo!  What a great family field trip.  I can't wait to take them to their next show.  After the show, my mom was already talking about taking them to auditions.  Once a stage mother, always a stage mother, I guess.