Like Pavlov's Dogs

If there's any doubt about whether or not Mila has a sister who is a dancer, ask her to count to ten. She'll do it, but first she'll count to 8 with perfect rhythm a few times. She has to TRY to remember that 9 and 10 are in there. She also accurately identifies "tapping" shoes versus "jazzy" shoes versus "foot undies" and you know what? I didn't know about foot undies until I was an adult. Why does a 3 year-old know about them?

Oh, yeah. The sister thing.

Mila can also do a couple of tap steps, which, she's never taken a class. She has no interest in taking a class. There has never been a moment when she has indicated that she wants to know more about dancing or do any actual dancing. It's just a thing that is gained through osmosis. If you're in this house, you'll find yourself doing a ball chain blah, blah, something or other. What? You thought I pay attention when the other kid is teaching me these things? Of course not.

The thing that cracks me up the most, though, is this thing.

"Hands on hips, smiles on lips!"

It's a dance thing. Alexis has heard it approximately 6246942806 times in tap class (and others, probably) and she has repeated it to her sister. Of all the crazy things for the little one to obey, she obeys THAT thing. Every time. But only if Alexis is the one providing the instruction.

It's almost always a little bit awkward, but I think that's why I like it. I could offer Mila $1 million and a couple of books of matches and she wouldn't smile for me. If Alexis says it, though, that's different. You have to follow Alexis instructions. Awkwardly.

The only question is, how long will this last? Will Mila be in middle school and still automatically obeying when someone says "Hands on hip, smiles on lips?"

Gosh, I hope so.