The Mouth of Babes

Since moving to Florida many years ago, I don’t get to see my grandchildren as often as I’d like but that hasn’t diminished the memories that were made during their infrequent visits.

Sometimes, my sons try to arrange their vacations so they can visit at the same time; other times, we’re not so lucky.

However, there was one year when they were able to arrange their vacations for the same week. The year was 2000 and my sons arranged a Thanksgiving holiday at my house in Florida.

At that time, our oldest grandson, Frank was two years old. Next in line was Stephanie. Steph was seven months old.

Frank’s parents are my son, Jim, and his wife Donna. Steph’s parents are my son, Ken, and his wife Joanne.

To say I was thrilled to have them all here at the same time is putting this emotion very mildly. I felt intoxicated with happiness.

As soon as Frank saw his baby cousin, his eyes shown with awe, curiosity, and delight. Every chance he got, he’d sit next to her and hold her little hand. He’d stroke her cheek and whisper, “Stephie, I love you.” He’d gently kiss the top of her head. He was always careful not to awaken Stephanie if he found her sleeping.

He was overjoyed if she’d be awake when he’d kiss her or hold her hand and she’d smile back. “Look, mommy,” he’d shout, “she’s smiling at me!” I can’t even explain the thrill he had when she’d look up at him and make her little baby sounds.

Frank was quick to ask if he could hold her and give her a bottle. Ken and Joanne said yes but we still watched him closely. He was so gentle and patient as he fed his baby cousin, and he sat still as he watched her drink every drop. When she was finished, he would wrap both arms around her and softly speak to her until she fell asleep. He wasn’t too happy when Joanne took her from his arms to burp or change her. Even then, he wanted to hold her – at least for a few more minutes. Once she had on a clean diaper, Joanne, then allowed Frank to hold her until he was sure she was asleep and wasn’t going to awaken if he moved. Then, he’d softly call to his aunt to come put his cousin in the portable crib.

Donna and Jim kept encouraging Frank to go in the pool with them and he kept hesitating, not wanting to leave Steph.

A few days later, Ken and Joanne decided to see if Steph liked the pool. She’d never been in deep water before. Even her bath water wasn’t deep. Ken inflated the small rubber tube he’d purchased. The tube was made specifically for babies to sit in and not slide out.

While Joanne was taking care of Stephanie, Frank was in the pool. He was enjoying every second of it. Jim and Donna had purchased the water wings hoping Frank wouldn’t need the rubber tube. They worked fine as they offered him the freedom a two-year old boy might want. His only problem was that he kept trying to swim toward the deeper end of the pool. It wasn’t easy convincing him he was still too young for that area.

Before leaving New York, Joanne had purchased an adorable pink bathing suit adorned with deeper pink embroidered flowers for Steph to wear. She carried Steph into the bedroom, put on a clean diaper, then placed the bathing suit on her.

When Joanne brought Steph out on the lanai, she looked adorable in her little bathing suit and pink sun hat – which she seemed to wear comfortably. Some babies don’t like hats and try to pull them off as soon as they’re placed on their heads. Not Steph. She loved her little sun hat.

As soon as Frank saw her, he screamed, “Stephie! Come in the pool!” Steph, naturally, didn’t look at Frank. She had no idea what was going on, she only knew that she was wearing a new hat. She kept patting her head and smiling.

Joanne, holding Steph tightly, walked down the steps of the pool, stopping on each step so Stephanie wouldn’t be shocked by the cool water. With the first step, Stephanie looked down, and gleefully kicked her feet. So far, so good.

Second step, she felt the water hit her knees. She giggled.

Third step, the water was just below her waist. Joanne still held on tightly. Then, with the last step. The water was now almost up to Steph’s chest. She never cried or made a fuss. She was giggling and kicking her feet as if she were born to be in the water.

She placed her in the small round tube but still held her little hands – just in case Steph made a fuss. She didn’t.

Frank did, though. He kept wanting his cousin to swim with him. No matter how we tried to explain she was too little to swim, he wasn’t happy with that answer. Finally, his Uncle Ken said he could pull Steph around the pool providing he was careful, went slowly and stayed away from the deep water. Frank promised he would be and grinned from ear-to-ear.

Stephanie, making her baby noises, was delighted.

Soon, it was time to exit the pool and have lunch. While Frank was hesitant at first, once we assured him that Steph was also coming out of the water, he agreed.

While they were enjoying the pool, my husband and I brought the portable playpen out on the lanai so Steph could nap after lunch in the warm shade and fresh air.

Joanne toweled off Steph and with a dry towel still wrapped around her wet swimsuit, lowered her into the playpen.

Frank wandered over, “Aunt Jo, can I help?”

“No, sweetie,” Joanne replied. “I have to get her wet suit off, so she doesn’t catch a cold.”

With that, Joanne pulled off the cool wet swimwear and soaked diaper. Joanne continued to dry Steph.

Frank stood with his eyes opened wide and his jaw slackened.

Within a few seconds, he ran over to his mother, screaming. Donna picked him up to comfort him. “Frank, what’s the matter?” she asked excitedly.

We were listening carefully to find out what scared this little boy until he said something that none of us expected. Using adult wisdom as to not embarrass Frank, we didn’t laugh aloud as we heard him ask his mother, “Mommy, what did they do with her peepee?”

So many years later, Frank and Steph are still close. They’re both working young adults. Frank is in human services and Steph? You guess it. She’s in marine sciences.