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.