Meet Mark & Nickie

My wonderful parents whom we affectionately refer to as "Mark" and "Nickie" (real names have been used) are the best. First they let us call them Mark and Nickie, usually when we're teasing them or making fun of a comment or gesture they've just made, second they're AWESOME parents who have worked hard to get us where we are now and third, not to limit their awesome-ness with only three points, they shamelessly guilt trip us when we don't call them at least twice a day (which I have kept up for the most part) and then act like it's not a big deal when I call and say "I'm calling so you won't freak out when you don't hear from me today". Usually Nickie will respond with, "Oh. I don't care if you don't call..." They're just such cute little characters. My mom is perhaps the sassiest 51-year-old you will EVER meet. Sassy is sometimes referred to as a bad thing, but she's so darn cute when she gets all snappy. My dad used to talk to our dog Spot, "Oh! Good morning, Spot! You need to pee?" And he'll randomly yell things throughout the house (disclaimer: dad is not crazy). Maybe you have to be there...

What inspired this post was the phone conversation I just had with my dad about a recent Christmas purchase I've made for them. I called to let them know to be sure to look out for the Amazon package which will contain the digital camera I've purchased as their present (which they asked for - that's how we roll in the Chang household. Buy your own presents, wrap them yourself and stick them under the tree).

Well then Mark proceeds to whisper in the phone (all in Chinese, but I'll spare you the butchered ping yin since I've not been a product of the Evergreen Chinese School of Houston or other "formal" schooling), "Hey, buy your mom that hair clamp thing that your sisters have.

Me: What hair clamp thing? Mom's hair is too short.

Mark: You know, the one that your sisters use. She keeps saying she wants one...

Me: Ohhh, the Chi?

Mark: Yea, sure. (voice getting quieter) I know she wants one. She keeps talking about it.

Me: (chuckle) ha, okay okay.

Mark: Be sure to send it to the restaurant, okay? Okay? Don't forget...

And I just thought it was so cute! This is probably a normal occurence in every other household (parents sneakily getting each other surprise gifts), but it's just extra cute to me when my dad tries to do it. Here's some more pictures just cause. And one day when they finally learn how to efficiently use the computer Nickie will kill me for posting these pictures of her in her pj's celebrating her birthday this year and for posting her age.