Brooklyne Paige

Last year in March I wrote an article about our granddaughter, Alyssa Grace, entitled, “Priceless” in which I recounted the many humorous things she had said during her then 3½ years of life. I admit that I am one of those shameless grandparents who takes great delight in every little thing these precious ones say or do.

Since that time I have also wanted to write about some of the more comical moments produced by our other granddaughter, Brooklyne Paige. However, we do not have as much access to her because Brookie and her parents live 30 miles away in Turlock. So I asked our youngest daughter, Jenny, to write down some of the things that Brookie has come up with during her first four years. Last Sunday Jenny handed me several pages of Brookie’s classic moments. So here goes . . .

Gender: Jenny and Josh had their second child this past January, Colson Charles Sousa. Jenny had made it clear that she did not want to know the gender of this next addition to the family. Brookie was excitedly anticipating the arrival of this sibling. But she also let it be known that she wanted a baby sister. However, during an ultrasound, the technician forgot and blurted out that they were having a boy. Upon hearing this Brookie yelled out, “But I wanted a girl!”

Rejection: Brooklyne was not happy about the arrival of a little brother. So just before little Colson was born she made it clear that she had no interest in sharing her parents’ affections with a boy. She staunchly stated, “You need to give him back to God!”

Age: Jenny and Brookie were having a mother-daughter talk one day when Brookie began to explain who she thought was old and who wasn’t. Curious to know what her daughter’s opinions were of who is old, Jenny asked, “Am I old?” Brookie said no. “Is grandma old?” (that’s Jenny’s mother-in-law). No again. “Is Meema old?” (Meema is my wife – Brookie’s other grandmother). Again Brookie says no. “Is Dandaddy old?” (That’s me). She says no. “How about Papa?” (Her other grandfather). Again no. “Well how about great grams?” “YESSSS!” was Brookie’s exuberant reply. Great grams is my mother who will be 97 next month.

Vitamins: Jenny gives Brookie a vitamin tablet every morning with the encouraging words that she wants Brookie to grow up big and strong. On this day however, Brookie says, “Mommy, I don’t want to grow up to be big and strong. I want to stay little and be your baby!” This was when she was only two!

Princess: Brooklyne informed her mother one day that princesses are lazy, because the men do all the work! More insights from Brookie at two.

Gastroenterology: During dinner one evening Brookie bursts out with a question to her parents. “Do you know that food turns into poop?” Josh and Jenny assured their little darling that they indeed were aware that food turns into poop, at which point they dissolved into gales of laughter.

Astronomy: Driving in the car with Brookie seated in her car seat in the back, Jenny points out that the moon looks like a slice of cheese. Brooklyne decides her mother needs some correcting, so she says, “No, mommy, it doesn’t (look like a slice of cheese). Do you know what shape it is, mommy?” Amused, Jenny says, “Please tell me what shape is the moon?” Jenny was convinced that there was no way Brookie would know the answer. To her surprise Brookie says, “It’s a crescent!”

Weight: Jenny has been on Weight Watchers in an attempt to lose those extra pounds acquired during her recent pregnancy with Colson. On this day Jenny was very excited because she had just weighed herself and was pleasantly surprised to see that she had lost two pounds. While standing there in her all-together, she tells Brookie the good news. With a critical eye, Brookie stares at her mother, giving her the once-over, and then states, “You don’t look like you lost any weight. You need to keep trying, and don’t give up!”

Jenny tells me that Brookie’s first word was “book,” clearly taking after Dandaddy! All right, I admit it. I’m a bibliophile!

I’m pleased to report that Brookie loves her little brother, Colson. In fact, Brookie and Alyssa can’t stop kissing and squeezing him. I asked Brookie recently if she still wanted to send Colson back to God. She said, “Noooo! I love him!”

          Point of fact – Colson has so captivated Brookie (and everyone else in the family) that she has come up with her own special term of endearment for him: “Little Mashuna.” I had no idea where this name came from but Isaura informed me that it was probably a Portuguese term (mechelona, which literally means, “little touchy one”) used by the lady who looks after Brookie and Colson while Jenny and Josh are at work. 

I can’t wait to write the memorable things that Colson will do, but that will have to be on hold for a couple or three years. In the meantime, I’ll just continue to write about Alyssa and Brookie. They’re entertainment enough!