Chew on this!

The whole family has gathered because of an illness in the family. Uncle Val is teaching Lora to play the electric guitar. And she is thrilled to death. The possibilities for this child seem endless -- almost.

"You know," she says. "Some people, well not me because I don't have any teeth right now, but some people can even play the guitar with their teeth!"

Someday, baby.

That's Encouraging

Today I, Lora's mom, had to do one of those new-fangled Internet live chats. I think it went rather well. I was worried because I've been getting some rather unflattering comments from yahoos on the Internet forums. .... But Marty was in school all day and missed it. So when he got home I made him go check it out. Lora was nearby and saw it when Marty pulled it up.

Suddenly, I got a call at work:

Lora: Mom! You know that site, NOLA.com? If you go there and click on Live Chat, it has your picture on it!

Me: Really? (I had not seen the photo they chose, so I went to look. I did not like it) Ew. That's not a good picture of me.

Lora: Yes it is! You look beautiful. I think people are going to say, "Lori Lyons looks beautiful." Not, "Lori Lyons should quit her job because she doesn't know what she's doing."

Reading is Fundamental!

After trying all summer to get Lora interested in reading a book, we have finally succeeded!  She stayed up late last night reading her new Hannah Montana book. And this morning, she was very excited to bring it with her to her sitter's for the day.

"This book is awesome," she exclaimed. "It's like a TV in your brain!"

Here she comes

It's one of those nights. Bumped from the computer by her dad, who is watching one extra inning baseball game after another, she is relegated back to the pink room.

She comes out with a new purse Uncle Bill bought her. In what can only be Disney magic, Hannah Montana is on one side, Miley Cyrus is on the other. She has packed it with stuff:
*her Hannah Montana CD case
*a barf bag, "in case you get nervous"
*a microphone, "because you never know when you might have to give an interview"
*pens and a notebook, "just in case you want to sign an autograph."

She is a Diva in the making, y'all.

Time is relative

My mom, the Nana, is trying to teach Lora Leigh a life lesson:

Nana: When I was a little girl, my daddy told me that you should never steal.

Lora Leigh:: Wow. That must have been a long time ago.

In Lora's World ...

Lora Leigh and her brother, Daniel, are playing Wii. Baseball.  Lora Leigh starts faking Daniel out by hitting the pause button right before he swings, making him miss.

She thinks this is extremely funny.

Being the Mom, I tell her to stop.

"Lora. That's not funny," I say

She is giggling away.

"I think it's funny," she replies. "It's hilarious in my world."

Little Pink Jewels

Marty: Lora, did you ever see pictures of me when I was little?

Lora: No.

Marty: I had freckles all over my face.

Lora: I bet they called you "freckle face."

Marty: They did. I can't believe you never saw pictures of me when I was little.

Lora: No. I only saw pictures of you when Bubby and Sissy were little -- back when you had the black hair-do.

                                            ****

Lora had to spend the day with Grandma and Pappy at their apartment.  Uh oh. Only one TV:

Me: What did you do today?
Lora: Grandma made me watch a movie about the war. I think it was World War II. It had yellow writing. Did you ever see that one?

                                                ****

The next day, I ask Lora if she wants to go to Grandma and Pappy's, or to her Nana's. She picks the former:

"Cause if I go to Nana's, I'll have to work on her computer and clean my room and all that nonsense."

                                               ****

Me: If you have to choose between singing and dancing this year, which will you choose?
Lora: Ummmm... I think singing. I'm not that into dancing anymore.
Me (trying to be diplomatic): And you're a better singer than you are a dancer.
Lora: It's OK that you said that.
                                           ****
I took Lora to see Mama Mia tonight. On the way home, she asks me:
Mom, did you ever sing with your deodorant?
                                             *****
Lora: Mom, you're kinda cranky today. Did you have a bad day at work or something?

                                              ****

Lora: I hate bees and wasps.

Marty: Why is that?

Lora: Cause I got stung by one at Nana's house. I was four. I've hated  'em for three years now.

 

My Fashion Insultant

We have just returned from Wal-mart, where Lora snagged a bunch of Hannah Montana t-shirts from the clearance rack.  She also upgraded from last year's High School Musical school back to this year's Hannah Montana model. (Kim Possible was soooo kindergarten).

As soon as we unpacked the bags, she ran upstairs and changed -- brown leggings, new pink Hannah Montana shirt, new pink Hannah Montana headband, new pink Hannah Montana school back, new pink shoes. Quite an ensemble... And she looked soooo cute!!!

I tell her: You look so cute!
Lora (with eye roll): Mom, I know fashion.

Later, she comes to me with a drawing.
Lora: I'm designing all of your clothes from now on.
Me: Oh really?
Lora: Yep. I'm going to be putting together all of your outfits from now on. After all,  I know fashion.

10 minutes later ...
She's back, with a drawing of me in my current ensemble.

Lora: Mom. See that outfit you're wearing? Ta da. (She shows me the drawing). It's going to be in magazines all over the world.  I'm going to design it. I'm going to take your picture and we'll give it to a guy, like a manager or something. ... Well, I'm probably going to be the manager, so we'll give it to somebody and he'll draw it and we'll put it in magazines and then everybody will be wearing what you're wearing..
What do you think?

to be continued ......

Lora's Mom
July 18, 2008

A little background

My entire life changed that day in January of 2001.  About 10 minutes after she was born they put this tiny little bundle in my arms and said I could be her mom.  And nothing has been the same since.

To steal a line from Rosie O'Donnel, my life was now in color.

More specifically, pink.

She is seven years old now, about to enter the second grade. She is a very good little singer, a pretty good artist, a passionate if somewhat uncoordinated dancer and an excellent student. 

And she is a drama queen.

She spends most of her time in one of her two pink rooms. One is her official bedroom which is painted the color of pepto bismol (she talked me into it).  The other is her downstairs "toy" room, which is eggshell and just contains a whole bunch of pink things -- including her Disney Princess pink TV with DVD and VHS player, her pink sing-along microphone, her pink keyboard, a big pink fuzzy chair and a whole host of costumes and such.

She spends most of her time watching innocuous fluff on the Disney channel -- which is commercial free (for products anyway). But within the last year, she has gone up a number to Nickelodeon -- which is by no means commercial free.  And she is learning so much about the world.....

But she also draws, paints, colors, dresses up, and uses her extraordinary imagination. And about, oh, every 10 minutes or so, she comes out into the living room where her father and I try to do our things, to share some random thought.... and usually she is wearing a completely different outfit from the last time.

It goes like something like this:

Lora: Mom. Zach and Cody are in trouble again.
                                     ****
Lora: Mom. Hannah Montana has a shirt just like me!
                                     ****
Lora:Mom,you know how you want to lose weight?
Me: Yeah
Lora: Well, they have Slim Shots! They'll help you get skinny!
                                      ****

Lora: Mom, you know how all of your plants are dying?
Me: Yeah.
Lora: Well, they have things things, they're glass balls and you put them in your plants and when they're dying and need water, it waters them for you! Isn't that cool?
Me: That's awesome.
                                       ****
Lora: Mom, you know what I found out?
Me: What?
Lora: If you eat too many Cheetos, the top of your mouth hurts.
                                   ****
Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we roll our eyes. Sometimes we look at each other and say, "WHAT did she just say?????"

But we are always amazed at  her sharp wit, her humor and her wonder at learning what this world is all about.

So, stay tuned for more
"Dispatches from the Pink Room"

Lora's Mom