Sticks and stones may break my bones......

It was bound to happen. I am just surprised who started it all.

My sweet, little Ava who will be turning 4 very soon decided one day to call Simon the worst name she could possible think of-- "Mrs. Teapot." Of course, this infuriated Simon who came to me in tears. I pleaded with Ava (while trying to keep a straight face) to only use kind words when describing her brother--no name calling whatsoever! That was short-lived.

Not long after, she began calling him, "Cuckoo clock."

When Ava decided to call Simon "Bugabooboo" during today's breakfast, I remembered back to my childhood. My brother, Jordan, called me "Double Ditz" while I referred to him as "Big Boy Bubba." I cruelly called my sister, Abbey, "Eczema lady" because she was sadly plagued with this chronic skin condition from head to toe. But, she had the last laugh. She eventually grew out of this dermatological disorder right as I began my adolescent acne phase.

I did my share of dishing out mean words (mostly directed at my siblings). And, I was also the recipient of many mean words (Jess, does our sophomore year in seminary ring a bell?). Anyway, I'm going to try and nip things in the bud before this name calling in the Warren house escalates to actual derogatory words.