The mother-daughter duo left Wednesday — a day before the pageant — to make sure Laila would have a chance to win the $10,000 grand prize.
"She has been practicing daily, and we are very proud of her," Roberts said in an interview Tuesday. "We feel great and are excited for the opportunity."
Laila is one of the youngest beauty queens in the competition, which welcomes queens up to age 27. Winners will be announced today during an awards ceremony.
Win or lose, Laila will hold the title of "2-year-old State of Indiana Sunburst Beauty Queen." The toddler swept both the Sunburst preliminary and state finals rounds in May.
She practiced daily for those competitions while also going to preschool and making time for a few of her favorite things.
Her favorite color is pink. Her food of choice is pizza, but Laila is also a Skittles fan.
The fruit-flavored candies are her coveted reward after performing well at a pageant. Her routine consists of blowing kisses and saying her name, age and birthday on stage.
Laila also is learning to speak Spanish, her mother said. As she learns, Roberts hopes the pageants build Laila's self-confidence.
Founded in Florida in 1978, the Sunburst Beauty Pageant has produced Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Universe contestants.
"We are extremely proud of not only who our contestants are but the outstanding folks they have become," the pageant states on its website.
"We do pageants because I want Laila to try different things," Roberts said as her daughter played with a toy guitar under their kitchen table.
"I think she is my princess and I have no problem sharing that with everyone."
Call Star reporter Cara Anthony at (317) 444-6049. Follow her on Twitter:@CaraRAnthony.
Laila's mom responds to pageant controversy
News of Ebony Roberts' decision to enter Laila in the Sunburst International Beauty Pageant pageant was published Tuesday on IndyStar.com. Almost immediately, it attracted criticism from parents who say beauty pageants exploit children.
Others argued that the pageants make children grow up too fast by allowing them to wear makeup, hair extensions, fake nails and false teeth.
In response to the criticism, Roberts said that babies and toddlers are discouraged from wearing makeup at the pageant.
"She is going to be completely natural," Roberts said in an interview. "I am not going to make her do anything over the top."
Sunburst encourages parents not to apply makeup on contestants two or younger. There also are restrictions for contestants up to age 6.
Blush and lip gloss are allowed but the pageant wants parents to use "very little makeup if any, on this age group." All other groups may wear age-appropriate makeup, according to the pageant's website.