Patricia and Brent

Brent and Patricia have a good relationship and I love it. When he was born she posted a picture on Facebook of her holding him at the hospital with the title, "My grandson!" and her sisters in El Salvador all thought Brent was really her grandson. They all thought he was the son of her oldest boy, Alex. Now if you knew Alex, you would know that it would be next to impossible for him to have a son that looks like Brent, but nevertheless it made good chismando for her relatives in El Salvador. Alex will ask her every once in a while how his son is doing. It makes me laugh every time she tells me.

Patricia's "baby" Milton is sometimes a little jealous of Brent, but he is very sweet with him too. He told Patricia, before Brent was born, that we should name him Milton. Patricia told him that if he wanted the privilege of being the namesake then he would also have to cough up the funds to be the god-father as well. Milton decided it wasn't worth it. :)

Patricia started calling Brent "Tamalito" from the beginning because we wrapped him up tight in his blanket like a little tamale. It is such a cute nickname. Here is a picture of Patricia holding up the tamales we made together as well as the Tamalito.

Patricia as come up with more than one nickname for Brent and I love them all. She originally jokingly said she wanted us to name him Patrick after her. She now calls him Brenty, Tamalito, Chubino, Coqueto and few more I can't remember exactly how to say. 

When my youngest daughter Lucy was a baby, an acquaintance commented that she was like a "bon-bon" which is the Spanish word for marshmallow. She said she was, "chubby, white and sweet." Brent is a little bon-bon too.

I am thankful for Patricia's friendship, and the blessings that come from knowing her. I am also grateful to her, and all those who love my children; for the power their love has in shaping my children and their future in such beautiful ways. Recently, Lucy and I were making a list of kids she would like to play with during the summer, and she told me she wanted to add "Parisha" and "Julie Boolley" (another one of her adult "friends") to the list. I whole-heartedly agreed. What a gift to know how to play with a child, and to be worthy of the title "friend" to them. I'm sure Brent, if he could express it, would also put Patricia on his list of play pals -- and of the best kind of friends.