I Am Brooke

I don’t mention it much, but I really don’t think I could ask for a better kid than Brooke.  She is awesome.  She is sweet, thoughtful, smart, and sassy.  She makes me laugh, and she makes me proud.  I am especially proud of how she just rolls with the punches of life and easily adapts to new surroundings and situations.  She has had no problems at all adjusting to life with Luke, and she is an amazingly thoughtful and considerate big sister (especially considering that she is not even 3 years old yet).  Last night I was getting Luke ready for bed, and she noticed that there were not any more diapers in the basket on his dresser.  She went into the closet, pulled out a handful of diapers, went into the living room and got her little chair to stand on, pulled the chair next to Luke’s dresser and filled his basket with the new diapers.  I couldn’t get over the thought process that went into that and how she was actively thinking about something she could do to be helpful.  I was completely impressed and grateful.

Brooke’s Halloween costume arrived in the mail yesterday.  I don’t love it, but this is what she picked out after the dog costume plan fell through (they were already sold out of her size online, and I don’t have the time to try to hunt one down at a store).  For days she has been asking about when it would arrive, and she squealed with glee as Daddy opened the box yesterday.  She kept clapping and telling us how happy she was.  She immediately had to try the costume on, and she was thrilled.  Last night she had to tell the costume goodnight, and this morning she had to tell it goodbye before she headed off to school.  She is now very excited for Halloween.

Here is the collage of zoo animals that Brooke brought home from school yesterday.

Here is the nice zebra that Brooke brought home from school yesterday.

Tonight Brooke started to tell me something about school, and I finally figured out she was telling me about two girls named Mary Alice and Caroline.  She said that Mary Alice is her best friend.  I only know a couple of kids in her class because I happen to have briefly met their mothers at church.  I know there is a girl named Mary Alice only because at open house I remember seeing the name and thinking that in Tuscaloosa there are a lot of little girls named Mary something.  When I asked her if she is friends with any boys, she told me Carson.  I do know who Carson is because I know his mom from church and the gym.  Mostly Brooke has been talking about Mary Alice tonight, and it made me feel good to hear that she was making friends other than Mommy, Daddy, Bella, and Luke.

Here is the Humpty Dumpty project that Brooke brought home from school yesterday.  I think that Brooke was trying to capture Humpty Dumpty post-fall from the wall.

Today a note came home from school with Brooke telling us that someone in her class was diagnosed with hand, foot, mouth disease. Along with the note came an enlightening printout of all the possible symptoms of the illness, which were frankly quite alarming. I no longer feel bad for sending Brooke to school when she was at the beginning of her cold and am glad she was home for two days last week. I am hoping that the two days she was home plus the long weekend limited her exposure to the child in question. More illness in the house is the last thing we need right now. Of course, as my best friend pointed out, at least it is not head lice. I had a bad experience with head lice when I was in school and am afraid if that were the case I might not be able to send Brooke back to school…ever.