Brandy Alexander Before I Count to Three

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Written By
• Aretha Abrams
• Illustrated By
• Henry Robinson

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Brandy Alexander Before I count to Three
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• I love my little daughter
• Shes 5 ½ years old.
• She looks like me and
• acts like I use to act
• so Ive been told.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• But Brandy is a challenge
• when she wont listen to
• what I say. The things I
• tell her for her own
• good, sometimes she just
• wont obey.

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Take Last Night for instance. Bedtime is when she
usually shows out. Whenever I tell her to stop
playing with her toys She just turns her head and
pouts.
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Brandy Alexander, you havent done
• anything I said. I told you to pick up your
• toys, stop playing and go to bed.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• I know, Brandy quickly replied. But Im
• having too much fun. Ill pick up my toys and
• go to bed right after Im done.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Look, little lady! Dont you disobey me! I
• want to see you in that bed before I count to
  three!

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• One! Her mother shouted, but Brandy
• continued to play. She didnt pay her mother
• any attention. She wanted her to just go
• away.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Two! Her mother said, as she held two
• fingers in the air. Brandy sat with her arms
• crossed, pretending not to care.

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"Three!" Her mom said quickly and with a great
leap of faith, Brandy jumped into bed and pulled
the covers over her face.
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Then there was this morning,
• she wanted pancakes instead of grits.
• When I told her to eat her pancakes
• of course she had a fit.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• I dont want grits! She cried. I want
• pancakes, sausage and eggs. I dont want
• grits. She said, folding her arms. Im going
• back to bed.

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"Brandy, sit down at the table and eat what's on
your plate." "I don't want grits," Brandy
cried. "I hate them...I hate them...I hate..."
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Watch your mouth young lady and do what
• you are told. Now, sit down and eat that food
• before your grits get cold.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• One! Her mother shouted, but Brandy
• stood her ground. She closed her eyes and
• turned her head and rolled her eyes around.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Two! Her mom said, as she held two
• fingers in the air. Brandy look at her mother
• pretending not to care.

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"Three!" Her mom said. And without any
doubt Brandy picked up her fork and quickly
stuffed some food in her mouth.
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• I took her to the park. Of course, she wanted
• to run and play. She took off running towards
• the Jungle Gym without any delay.

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She took off toward the swings. "Oh, Brandy!
Please sit down." She stood up on the swing and
started spinning around and around.
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Momma, I know how to do this. Im not
• gonna hurt myself.
• Brandy! Will you just do what I asked? I
• dont want you to hurt yourself.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Im just having fun. Brandy replied.
• Dont talk back to me. I want to see you
• sitting down before I count to three.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• One! Her mother said. Brandy would not
• sit down. She swing even higher in the air as
• her mother stumped her foot on the ground.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Two! Her mother shouted, holding two
• fingers in the air. Brandy looked at her
• mother pretending not to care.

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"Three!" Said, her mother. Brandy scambled to
get in the seat but slipped and fell just
happening to land on her feet.
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• That was nothing compared to what happened
• next. No one could have predicted it. It was
• something I didnt expect.

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I took Brandy with me down to the corner store. I
told her not to leave my side or go off to
explore.
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Brandy took off running
• and got all mixed up.
• She couldnt find me and
• didnt see me
• but I knew exactly where she was.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Momma, where are you?
• Momma, I know you didnt leave me!
• I want to see you face to face
• Before I count to three!

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• One! She said, loudly.
• She put one little finger in the air.
• If she would just turn around
• She would me standing here.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Two! She said, even louder.
• People stopped to turn around.
• I stood there right behind her
• And didnt make a sound.

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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Three! She yelled, even louder.
• With tears running down her face.
• I want my mommy! She cried.
• Ive been looking for her all over the place.

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"Why don't you try looking behind you." I said,
putting my hand on her back.
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Brandy AlexanderBefore I Count to Three

• Mommy! Mommy! Where were you?
• I thought you were gone.
• You know Id never leave you even
• Though what you did was wrong.

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That night, when it was time for bed, she went
up to her room. She put all her toys away and
cleaned and swept her room.
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"Mommy," she said, as I kissed her goodnight. "I
know I got in trouble because I didn't listen to
you. I promise I'll do whatever you want me to
do!"
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Brandy Alexander Before I count to Three