Virgin Mary

Late last week, Lily was excitedly rattling off the names of friends who would be joining her at a pool party play date we hosted at my mother's.

"Hank, Andrew, Charlotte, Katie, Ila, Lucy, Sophia and LEO. It will be so much fun, mommy!"

"Lily, who is Leo?" (A name I'd never heard before)

"Leo is my baby sister."

"Silly, Lily....you don't have a baby sister."

"YES I DO!"

"Oh, OK. Well, where is Leo?"

"Leo is in my belly. I'm pregnant, mommy!"

(I kid you not -- I couldn't make this stuff up.)

Well, I'll be darned! Now, this is a conversation I knew I would (a) dread if it happened in LIKE 16 MORE YEARS! or (b) applaud if it happened well in to her adult life. But at age two?? Or, excuse me, two and three-quarters? Once again, my precocious child has beaten me to the punch.

Now, Lily may have questionable taste when it comes to naming her imaginary sister, but she's taking parenthood very seriously. She and her little friend Katie have apparently planted a vegetable garden so that Leo will have plenty to eat.

So, for all of you who need to every put something in the mail to our house, please address things to Noah, Courtney, Lily, Truman and Leo. Apparently our clan has grown by one.

PS -- Of course, let the record state, Lily isn't even allowed to talk to boys until she hits 40!!