Dynamic Duo

In my last post, I listed some of my favorite things, which included watching my husband, John, with our granddaughter, Brooklyn.  I would like to elaborate a bit on their relationship.

John and Brooklyn are part of a mutual admiration society.  It began moments after she was born.  The first time John saw her he asked, "Is she reading yet?"  He is absolutely smitten with her and she positively dotes on him.  Whenever he walks into the room her face lights up and she breaks out in the biggest smile, even if she had been crying just moments before.  She watches everything he does and, if she is on the floor, she will follow him around like a puppy.  If he is not around and someone says, "Where is PopPop?", she will stop what she is doing and look around.  John carries Brooklyn around like a sack of potatoes, hangs her upside down, and puts her on his shoulders, whereupon he instructs her to use his head as a drum...she is only too happy to oblige him.  Occasionally, they watch sports together (neither I, nor her parents, are particularly interested in sports).  Brooklyn, at 10 months, owns 3 balls (2 of which are soccer balls) which her PopPop has purchased for her (the soccer balls were purchased soon after she was born).  John does a lot of traveling for his job.  He always brings back something for Brooklyn, but his gifts are not necessarily typical baby gifts.  For example, she is probably the only baby girl that owns (and wears) a black House of Blues t-shirt with a picture of Jake and Elwood on it.           

When Brooklyn spends the night at our house she sleeps in a pack and play in our bedroom.  After her morning bottle I put her in bed with us for a bit.  John usually tries to get a few more minutes of shut-eye and Brooklyn makes that difficult, but John doesn't seem to mind.  Brooklyn will sit next to him and watch him sleep for a moment or two, then the fun begins.  She will scoot right up to his face and repeatedly touch his beard and grab his nose (okay, I admit it, I do encourage this), then she proceeds to climb all over him.  This endearing ritual occurs every morning she is with us.  

I am grateful to Papa God for the relationship John and Brooklyn have...especially while Nathan is away during his army training.  John is her only father-figure during Nathan's absence.  She has uncles on her mommy's side, as well as great-uncles on her daddy's side, but it is not the same.  Nathan and John are very much alike in many ways and I think Brooklyn picks up on that.  I think it comforts her to be with John.  I am sure she does not understand why her daddy is not around, and sometimes she cries for him, but having her PopPop nearby helps her cope.  I can understand that; I like having him around, as well.