Leila is 3

Leila turns 3 today, and she is so amazing and grown up. This morning she corrected me when I used a plural for something. She said, "It's one book. It's not five books." How does she know that so well? Her vocabulary is also growing so much. She used to say "it's hot" when the sun hit her eyes. This morning she said "It's too bright."
I made her a t-shirt for her birthday that said Birthday Princess and had a big 3 in the middle. She wore it with her little pink skirt, but it's not good for dancing because it's not big enough.
I had her pose for a picture outside, and in order to get a good shot of the shirt I asked her to be a super hero. Super heros stand with their hands on their hips. She had her sun glasses on and a serious look on her face because Super heroes also wear serious looks. Then she started making a peace sign. (The other day she got mad at me because I didn't have my facial expression just so- on eyebrow raises and the other lowered- for a super hero.)
I can't believe I've known her for 3 years now. She's incredible.
Ali is incredible, too. He's scooching all over the place with one leg folded under him. I suspect he might be crawling when I'm not looking because he's very fast. Today he came into the bedroom from the living room. He's beginning to try more foods, but he often spits them out. This morning I gave him the last dose of a third treatement of antibiotics for ear infection, and he started doing a lip vibrating spit. H has to hold him down and we force his mouth open- it's horrible.
I have so much more to write- like that Leila goes to sleep all by herself now- like Benny and Gus, she says. The other day she said she was going to Erika's house. She said goodbye and went outside, but didn't move away from the door or close it. She poked her head in to say goodbye again. Finally she closed the door, so I went to watch her through the glass. She very slowly went down the steps and down the driveway. She was looking at the neighbors and looked very uncertain. Finally I opened the door and called her back in. Was that what she was waiting for? She said she was really going to walk to Erika's. She really wanted to go. However, we don't even know where she lives. Then I had her pretend that her room was Erika's. The problem with that was that the light wasn't on so it was "too scary." Luckily Erika is coming to her Teddy bear birthday tea party!
Ali and I were in Calif last weekend for a job interview at Long Beach City College. The teaching demo and interview went well, I think, but the writing sample wasn't so good. My brain was kind of mush. Ali is such a good traveler, just as Leila was. I was worried about his ears, but he wasn't. The other passengers and crew always enjoy him. Luckily I usually had an empty seat next to me so he could sleep and I could read.
I need to think of all the other things I've been meaning to write, but I'm so busy! Job, applications and classes. Help! Sometimes I try to fit some art in there as well. I need to post some things I've been doing. I also need to get my web site up. I think I'm going to call it loma3studio.com What do you think?