Is Jesus a Bad Word?

We are very much into bad words these days.  As far as Greg and I can tell, the only bad word she is currently sure of is stupid,which she refers to as the "PS Word."  We have no clue why. We have thought about it over and over and over, and...we've got nothing.  PS Word?  What the hell?

But, she loves asking me if words are bad.  Just this morning she asked me if totally and buttitude are bad words.  The second one baffles me as much as it baffles you, but she claimed that Martha from "Martha Speaks" says buttitude.  I told her that both of those words were in fact not bad and then made a mental note to pay more attention to "Martha Speaks."

My favorite memory on the subject of bad words goes back a couple of years when she asked me if Jesus is a bad word.  We are not a religious household and I was taken back by the question, but I answered honestly, figuring she had heard of a guy named Jesus and thought, hey, I wonder if that's okay to say.  So, I told her, "No, Jesus is not a bad word."

A few minutes later, Ruby walked by and rubbed up against Leah, and I heard,

"JESUS Ruby!  Don't do that!"

And I thought, Oh, that's what she meant.  Ah, well, oops.

Parenting is obviously not my day job.

A Rare Occasion

I'll just sit here quietly while you pay at Pathmark.

Really, do not worry about me.

I won't move, won't run, won't talk, won't try to leave with someone else.

Just sitting here, minding my own business. 

Won't try to take this chair home...or the one next to it, nope.

No need to worry about me.



Code Red

Do not be fooled.  This child is naughty.  Do not let her smile convince you that she really needs a doughnut.  She says that to everyone, several times a day.  Consider yourself warned.

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Dear Mom...

Your granddaughter is FRESH!

She is also smart, inquisitive, stubborn, deliberative, funny, headstrong, silly, intelligent. 

I could go on.

She wants what she wants when she wants it, and my psychology degree comes in handy at times.  She is always asking questions and testing waters and I don't want to break her spirit, so I push through and answer her, explain things to her, and try not to let her relentless thirst for life kill me dead in my tracks.

I am nervous because she gets smarter everyday.

And I don't.

Friday Night Sights

Ah, it's that time of year again.  The time when the families of Sparta gather on the field on Friday nights to listen to music and frolic and dance the night away.

Or, more like the parents get to sit down and have a drink and allow their kids to run around like lunatics for a few hours with some music in the background.

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In Deep Sleep

Usually Leah is running at 115% all day long and there is not much that slows her down.  It's non-stop from 5:30 a.m. till 8:00 p.m. with a two hour nap in between.  However, every once in a while she goes balls to the wall for hours upon hours and crashes during the day on the couch.  It happens so infrequently, I've been able to catch all occurrences on film!  Here they are:

and fin.

That's it.  Just once.

The Fairy Princess and The Wicked Witch

Lan and Baby Tai Yu came to visit over the weekend and, in addition to going to Costco and the parade and hanging in the back yard by the pool, we played a little dress up.

Leah and I got a kick out of this.  Baby Tai Yu--not so much.

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Going To The Mazoom

Today was Leah's last day of school and parents were invited to attend an end of year party.  Greg and I both took the day off.  The plan was to head into NY after school and have lunch, walk through Central Park, and maybe end up at the Museum of Natural History.

And then a monsoon hit NJ.

So, we headed to the Children's Museum in Paramus.  Not as cool as the AMNH, but fun nonetheless.

Adjusted

Leah's been in school full time for several weeks now, and, although I am totally jinxing it by discussing it here, her transition has been seamless and this has been a huge weight off my shoulders.

We were all very surprised when Greg decided that he wanted a new career and then was offered a job after his first interview.  (If you remember, some of us had to interview 13 times in an industry we've been in for 7 years before being offered a new job.)  Because of that, we were forced to put her in full time school mid-year, or rather, at the end of the school year in May.  The school we selected offered open enrollment which allowed us to sign her up on a Friday for her to begin school the following Monday. 

I was told several times by the head mistress that while she might enjoy school in the beginning, the fad would fade and she would eventually give us problems when it came time to drop her off.

I also lost a few nights' worth of sleep thinking about how all of the kids were going to know the routines, the songs, their letters, numbers, days of the week in Japanese, whatever, and she would be lost and embarrassed.  Just thinking about it brought a tear to my eye. 

You know where this is going, right?  Nothing.  Nada.  No issues, no problems, no hesitations, nothing.  She sings the songs, announces the date, pledges the allegiance, and knows that butterflies come from caterpillars.  She's just so damn awesome.

Pledge Of Allegiance

Le Weekend

Hmm, where shall I start?

Gymnasties on Saturday morning.

Followed by marshmallow roasting at night.  (Oh, it was just soo much fun not eating these since I had completed my daily points intake for my stupid diet.  Er, I mean lifestyle change.)

A little cuddle between Mommy and Baby...

Followed by Matthew's birthday party on Sunday.

Mmmm, cake.

And we rounded out the weekend checking out the swing set at Adriana's new condo complex. 

Two feet up!

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Dream On

Yesterday Leah told me that Pop Pop John took her to gymnastics with Ana.  Then, after that, they went to Dunkin Donuts.  And then, she woke up! 

That's what she said. 

I think that she recounted her first dream. 

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A Week of Firsts: L.P.

Leah started school today.  A little earlier than first planned, but since Greg's new job has regular 9-5 hours, we needed to put her in full time starting now, rather than in September. 

She did really well!  No crying, no accidents, and from what her teacher reported, she played well with other children.

Leah reported that Jacob hit a little baby after he got up from nap.

Wish us luck on Day Two!

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What Have I Created?

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Reminiscing

I know that these may not be the most interesting posts out there, but I love looking through my old videos and seeing how much Leah's changed in such a short time.

Dance Fever

Over the weekend, we attended Grandpa Enzo's dance recital. 

Leah loves the stage so she had to jump on up during intermission and perform a little one-girl dance routine.

It was fun waiting for Grandpa to come and take his flowers. 

All in all, a great time was had.  We can't wait until both of them are dancing on stage together.

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Weekend Movies For Your Review

Love Song

Rainy days may have just packed you inside the cozy closet of your room. If you are all bored with the crafts and other indoor games, then just grab this movie from the nearby store to roll over with fun and frolic of the adventures of the world's most adorable singing kid, Leah Patricia. The film won the 2010 Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Movie. So, I guess, you don't want to miss all the entertainment for few hours, that will make you a lifelong fan of this kid.

Gymnastics Kid

After hanging with the wrong kids at daycare and a run-in with the law, Leah G. is forced to return to the world from which she fled some years ago. Enrolled in an elite gymnastics program run by the legendary Miss D.J., Leah's rebellious attitude gives way to something that just might be called team spirit.

Now That's What I Call Dance

 

L.P. has lived most of her life very much like a wild street cat: surviving each day in the perilous Sparta, NJ while trying to overcome the tragedies in her life, like that day when her mom ran out of milk. But there is one thing that keeps her going—her passion for dance. Will she remain hidden in the dark alleys of Birch Tree Lane or will her talent shine through for all the world to see?