Jaleigh, Jaleigh, Jaleigh...

This is the picture of innocence, right??

Let me share a little of my life with Jaleigh lately.

Unfortuatley last thurdsay was "crazy hair day" at Ethan's school. There was much commotion about getting his crazy hair just right. So this is what he looked like when he left...

Fast forward a few hours to a grocery store in town.

"Momma. Momma!"

"Yes, Jaleigh?"

"Momma- Look at that lady! Look at that LADY!!"

Lady turns around to smile at Jaleigh, since we were only a couple feet from her and Jaleigh was using her abnormally-lound normal, voice.

"Yes Jaleigh I see her. Are you gonna say hi?"

The Lady stays looking at her waiting for Jaleigh's hello.

"Momma- That lady has CRAZY hair like Ethan!"

Horrified, I quickly give the lady an uneasy smile and say, "Jaleigh- say goodbye to the lady." and start to push my cart away.

Jaleigh says, "But Momma- That lady has CRAZY hair! Did you see that lady has crazy hair like Ethan" all the way down the isle.

Next stop, Dollar Store.

As we go to leave I hear Jaleigh yelling, "Momma!!"

I turn to look and she is standing inches from the back of a larger lady. Regrettably, I was standing in front of the lady. Large lady in between Jaleigh and I. It seemed in slow motion to me at the time, but Jaleigh lifts up her hand with a pointed finger and says (again with the abnormally loud voice plus a little louder) "Momma- that lady has a BIG BOOTY" I try to ignore it and get to her as soon as quickly as I can. All the while she thinks I can't hear her so she keeps raising her voice and repeating it over and over. The poor lady acted like she didn't hear, and I truly hope she didn't. Somehow that seems impossible. I get to her and say, "Jaleigh- that isn't nice!!"

"Why Momma? She just has a big booty." and we continue that same dialog all the way to the car. (And by the way, BOOTY??? Where did she get THAT??) I can't take any more so that is it for the day.

Next day. Hallmark store.

Before we walk into the store I remind Jaleigh to "look with your eyes, not with your hands". We get in the store and she is doing *pretty* good. Then I see her approaching the stained glass window hangers and wind chimes.

"Jaleigh, remember to look with your eyes, not with your hands."

Two seconds later I turn to see her head butting the display. I guess she was trying to touch with her eyes??

Saroya recently lost her 7th tooth. Ever since Jaleigh realized you get a present when you lose a tooth she has been saying her teeth are loose (even to the dentist!). When Saroya made it to her 7th tooth and Jaleigh still hadn't lost one, she hatched a plan. She found a broken piece of a plastic toy (or pen, I'm not even sure what it is) and told me her tooth had fallen out.

She then placed it under her pillow and checks every morning to see if it is there. This has been going on a week and she is still suprised when she checks and it is still there. She says, "WHAT?!? (with her mouth hanging open for dramatic affect) It's still HERE???"

What's a mom to do??

She decided she needed to paint her own nails today (fingers and toes),

And to make her OWN bologna sandwich.

Sometimes she even SLEEPS like she is getting ready to do something else unexpected.

Any time Jaleigh hears the water running for someone to take a bath or shower, she begs to get in. Tonight the bath was getting filled for Ethan. Jaleigh comes to me half naked.

"Momma- can I get in the bathtub?"
"No Jaleigh, Ethan needs to get in and it's too late. You need to go to bed."

She goes to the bathroom, dips the front of her head in the water and comes back to me.

"But Momma- I am so SWEATY!! See??

So sad. I just don't know what to do sometimes. Should I laugh or cry?? Sometimes I do both.

But when the day is over and everything is quiet, I sneek in and find Jaleigh snuggled close to her big sister my heart is full. I just reach over, give them both a kiss and sneak out of the bedroom. It's all worth it. Everything...