Generations of Love : A West Hills Family Celebrates the Birth of a Great-Great-Granddaughter

Mary Cano held 3-day-old Haley in her arms--nervously.

“I’m afraid I’ll drop the baby,” the 87-year-old woman said.

After all, it’s not every day that you set eyes on your great-great-granddaughter--or that five generations of women from one family gather under the same roof.

Cano, the family matriarch, was the last to arrive Sunday at the West Hills home of Hans and Terry Boysen, parents of the seven-pound infant. Supported at the elbows by family members on each side of her, she entered the living room with arms outstretched for her newest descendant and soon was cooing to the child in Spanish.

Haley looked up at the silver-haired woman and put her tiny fist in her mouth, a signal that Cano recognized well as babyspeak for “more milk.”

But there would be more cuddling before feeding time. The generations of women--all of whom live in West Hills--took turns with Haley, who came home from the hospital Friday. Terry Boysen, 26, passed the girl to her mother, Arlene Carletti, 49, and her grandmother, Norma Aviles, 68, vied for the baby’s attention.

After Aviles noted with pride that Haley had a remarkable international heritage, the women began listing the 3-day-old’s diverse bloodlines.

She’s part Irish, Scottish, Puerto Rican, German and Korean, they decided.

The child’s paternal grandmother dubbed her “Chop Suey” because of the mix.

“I want to be around to see Haley’s children,” Aviles said. But her husband, Joe, 72, smiled and shook his head.

“I don’t think I’ll make it,” he said.