What's in a name?

My family sort of has this thing about nicknames. It's like we can't bear to call someone by their actual name. My brother Josh is the only one who seems to have escaped without a silly nickname, I'm still not sure how he managed that one, but his children are definitely not immune. This little cutie pie is his daughter, my niece, Ella. Ella has many names that people call her, none of which are Ella. I call her Monkey (and about 1 out of every 5 times I call her that she will actually make a monkey sound for me). My brother and his wife call her "weedil" (pronounced weed-ul... long story). My dar-dar (she's my grandmother, another long story) calls her "Etta", and my parents call her "Etta Chop". I feel her pain though, to this day I'm still called "Babbot" "Mippy" and "Abbot". Don't ask.... I really don't quite know why. Anyway I was so lucky to have this little monkey all to myself for about 4 days. She came to stay with me last week and we did all sorts of fun aunt/niece stuff, and of course I bought her some new clothes and we had our own little model shoot! She's a natural. :) I just love her so much my heart could seriously burst. Oh she told me a good joke.... what do you call a snail on a ship? .........A snailer!! (when she would tell the joke she would then say "get it?!?!? get it?!?!") I miss her already. :)

Oh I have to explain about the dog... that is Gilver. She named him that, and she carries him with her everywhere. They are pretty much inseparable. So I figured, Gilver can be in the pictures, why not?? Besides I want to always remember her at this age, and if Gilver is important to my monkey...well then Gilver is important to me. :)