Scoop

Well, we've learned lots about their mom, First Lady Michelle Obama, and there's news about their dad every day, so we did a little digging of our own to bring you some interesting tidbits you may or may not know about the darling First Sisters of our country, Malia and Sasha Obama!

1. Sasha is short for Natasha.

2. Malia's birthday is July 4, quite fitting for the daughter of a president!

3. Tuition at The Lab School in Chicago, where Malia and Sasha used to attend, ran between $18,000 and $20,000 per student, depending on the grade level. Tuition at their new school, Sidwell Friends, is around $29,000.

4. Speaking of school, every Wednesday, the girls will bring a vegetable to school to contribute to the makings of a 50 pound pot of soup to help feed homeless and low-income families. I'm especially excited to hear if their mom and dad will participate on one of the third Saturdays when the families are encouraged to go to Martha's Table, the organization the school supports in this endeavor.

5. The Ty Beanie Baby dolls--Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia--that Michelle Obama vehemently opposed that were NOT fashioned in the likeness of the girls are already showing up on eBay. But, Ty Inc. just announced that nonetheless, the dolls' names are changing to Sweet Sydney and Marvelous Mariah.

6. Best quote: Malia wins hands-down for critiquing her father as he was preparing his inauguration speech with her advice that since he is the "first African-American president" his speech "better be good."

7. Malia is allergic to animal dander, which may be why it's taking a while for First Fido, the gift Dad promised the girls on Election night, to make his or her debut on the White House lawn.

8. While the girls, and America, are still waiting for their puppy, the choice seems to be between two breeds: Labradoodle or a Portuguese Water Dog.

 9. The girls' favorite foods include fried chicken and macaroni and cheese--as every house with kids in America goes, so goes the White House.

10. Sasha's birthdate is June 10, 2001. By the time she was born, her father was already big on the campaign trail running for Senate, so she's no stranger to all of the action, the crowds, the cameras.

11. Malia's choice of favorite activities: soccer, dance, drama.

12. Sasha's into gymnastics and tap.

13. It's piano and tennis for both of the girls.

14. Family friend to the Obamas, "Mama Kaye" Wilson, is known for making some favorites  for the girls including her famous French toast. Sasha digs "Mama Kaye's" cobbler and Malia is also a fan of her lemon meringue pie.

15. While their parents danced the night away at the Inaugural balls, the girls and some friends from their new school settled in at La Casa Blanca and watched High School Musical 3 and Bolt.

16. Sasha is the youngest White House resident since JFK's children lived there.

17. If Mom isn't packing their lunch for school, the girls will have a healthy choice of foods to eat at school. The Sidwell menu this week includes a daily vegetarian option or a classic entrée, and there's always a snack, a vegetable and a nice fruity dessert: grilled vegetable wraps, cheese tortellini, chicken fajitas, spicy organic black been tortillas, garden vegetable quiche, asparagus, organic rainbow chard, gemelli pasta & no nut pesto, pineapple slices, tangerines, a variety of soups. I have yet to spy pizza or French fries among the Sidwell selections.

18. While you probably already know that the Jonas Brothers played to a crowd of 14,000 fans at the Kids Inaugural concert at the Verizon center along with Miley Cyrus and Demi Lavato, you may not know they surprised the girls in a White House scavenger hunt the following night. After sneaking in and being discovered by the group of "hunters," the three brothers stuck around and played three songs and posed for photos with all of the guests.

19. Malia is most excited about her move into the White House because she enjoys decorating: "I get to get this whole new room and do whatever I want," she's said. It's been reported that in the same way Michelle Obama opts for Everywoman brands like J.Crew for clothing, she'll let her girls have their pick of accessible furnishings from  Pottery Barn and Anthropologie.

20. Malia's pet peeve about her dad: She trips over his big gigantic bag when he gets home and leaves it in the mud room. Sasha's pet peeve: Her dad always places his bag on top of her shoes. Maybe now that they have such a big house to live in, Dad can put his bag somewhere else so it's not in everybody's way!

Stephanie Elliot is Betty's Lit Lounge and Parenting editor, and she also answers your parenting questions at Just Another Manic Mommy. Visit her at manicmommy.blogspot.com or stephanieelliot.com

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