Funny Girl

Some of my favorite conversations with Lyla lately:

Lyla: I gotta get to work
Me: Where do you work?
Lyla: I work at SecondMarket?
Me: What do you do there?
Lyla: Ummm, I send emails and work on the computer. I also talk on the phone.
Me: Who do you work with? Lyla: I work with Aishwariya and Maggie and a bunny and butterflies. And they have chocolate there.

Lyla: Mommy, something is wrong with my hand.
Me: What's wrong?
Lyla: It feels like a porcupine.
Me: I think you were lying on it for too long. That's called pins and needles.
Lyla: Pins and needles? That's so silly.

Lyla (looking for the remote control to lower the volume on the TV): Mommy, were is the stop talking button. This is too loud.

Lyla (in a moment on introspection): Mommy, sometimes it's hard to be quiet. And sometimes it's also hard to wait for what I want.

And the question she asks me every single day: How is Baby Jack gonna come out of your belly? She sticks her eyeball right into my belly button as she asks. At my last sonogram, I told her to ask the doctor. Dr. Stone simply said "one way or another."

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Whenever you are ready, Baby Jack, we are ready for you.  I am done working and just waiting around for our baby boy's arrival.  Lyla helped me wash and fold all of his clothes and has tested out all of the baby gear to make sure it is in working order.  I would say I am in nesting mode, but I feel too big to do anything, so I am thinking about nesting and just trying to control the chaos unfolding around us.

I took Lyla to my last growth sonogram, where we learned that our boy is very, very big. We saw him on the "TV" -- the 3D sonogram -- and Lyla thinks he has chubby cheeks. She will demonstrate if you ask her.

Lots of new changes coming Lyla's way in the next few months.  I am just trying to keep her life as predictable as possible right now. Pre-school ended and she started camp this week. Five mornings a week is a big change for her (and us, since we like to sleep in most mornings). Her baby brother will be here any day. A house move is on the horizon as well (more on that soon). She seems excited to have a big room all to herself that will be all purple and mermaids (her choice...not mine) but I am worried that these major life changes will take a toll on her happy little spirit.  She is a strong, resilient little girl and I know she will be fine, but it doesn't stop me from worrying.  One piece of assurance I got was from her preschool teacher on the last day of school.  She told me that Lyla is kind and helpful to her classmates.  She is often paired with students who need a little assistance in following the routine or getting along with others.  I think Lyla is up for the challenge of big sisterhood.

Tiny Dancer

Lyla had her first ballet recital a couple of weeks ago. It was a big to-do with costume fittings, dress rehearsals and sold out shows. But mostly it was super sweet to see my little girl growing up and developing into an independent being who can actually do things without me. Cue the tears... She was the cutest snow white I ever did see, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth for the entire dance routine. Beautiful and graceful Dylan was also in the show. It was a special treat to have both girls in the same recital. And I was happy to have a big cousin backstage to watch out for my little one.

 



Little girls in costume invaded lower Manhattan for the day. Can you imagine how many looks Lyla got strolling through Tribeca like this?

 

 I love this photo of Dylan and Lyla

 Snow whites keeping busy backstage

I actually was not sure if Lyla would do any of the routine during her performance.  She never showed us any of the routine at home and when she was at rehearsal on the big stage she just looked up in awe at the lights and auditorium.  Aunt Phyllis said it didn't matter if she did any of the moves because the audience always loves the cute little girl who just stands there (which is pretty true).  But she did great -- dancing alongside the other girls, with one eye always on the big girl leading the way. A few of Dylan Lyla had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction in the finale - her Statue of Liberty headpiece kept falling down. But she handled it skillfully :) She eventually found her way over to Dylan in the finale. Our dancers after the show Cousins