9. Delicious, delicious fingers...

8. Bea likes art

Beatrice really wanted to see the Richard Serra show at MoMA before it closed. She got her wish yesterday. I think she really liked it. (I certainly liked pushing her in/around it all.)

After the MoMA, we took a long-overdue trip to the Met. We had two diaper changes on daddy's desk and looked at lots of paintings. I wanted to show her some Rothko and Motherwell (how could a baby not like Motherwell?) but that bit of the museum was closed. She seemed happy enough with the Neo Rauch show and the rest of the 20th century painting. Seriously, she really studied things. She wouldn't get distracted by all of the people milling about; she would focus on whatever painting was in front of her. You could see her eyes flit back and forth across the canvases. It was almost more fun to watch her look at the art than to just look at the art. I took a little movie of her examining an Alex Katz. (Again, how could a baby not like an Alex Katz?)

7. Bea's big night out

My high school friend, Jeff, is getting married. He and his betrothed got engaged on Jeff's birthday, which also happens to be Bea's birthday. Last night there was an engagement celebration at the bar Rare View. It is a rooftop bar with views of both the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings. I was nervous about taking Bea out for the evening since her bedtime is somewhere between 7 and 8, but we decided to brave it. We made plans to meet Dale at the bar after work. It was a long trip down. (I had my second encounter with an out-of-order elevator in one of the few "accessible" subway stations. An outrage.) The bar is in a hotel, and has a separate entrance to an elevator, guarded by a beefy security guard. Bea and I strolled up to the elevator and Beefy asked if we were going to our room. "No, the rooftop bar." He looked at Bea and said, with a very straight face, "She's not 21."

What?

I thought he was joking and stared at him for a second. He hadn't said, "We don't allow children in the bar." He had said, "She's not 21." I asked if he were kidding. He was not kidding. I made him repeat it 2 or 3 times, because I really didn't believe him. I told him I had been in many bars with babies before and asked if he really thought the cops would bust them for having an infant in the bar. He held fast. I was stunned and annoyed (to say the least) and turned and left. I knew Dale was already on the subway on his way down and called and left him a message. He called me as soon as he was above ground. Needless to say, he was a little peeved. He asked if I had spoken to a manager. I told him I had not, and that I didn't feel like picking a fight with Beefy. I could tell some sort of Daddy mode had kicked in. When he arrived he had me repeat the story, told me he'd be right back, and strode into the hotel lobby. He ended up speaking to one of the bar's owners, who was very nice and explained that they were simply concerned about the welfare of the child. He asked if she would be running around. (Dale had already told him Bea is three months old.) Dale managed to keep a straight face and refrained from any sarcasm and assured him that no, she would not be running around. The owner spoke to Beefy. Beefy let us on the elevator. The views were spectacular and we ordered Bea her first martini.

We are off to Times Square today to pick up a fake ID so that this doesn't happen again. (Can one still get a fake ID in Times Square??)

6. Teething?

Apparently babies can develop teeth as early as three months. Bea is just about three months and she is definitely chewing on things (and drooling). Although I am still hoping actual teeth won't appear for a while yet...

5. Ladies who lunch

Today Beatrice and I met Chong-Lim for lunch at...the Shake Shack!! Unfortunately we were late (thank you, MTA) so Dad, who had trekked all the way down to meet us (sans cell phone, ahem), missed us. We ate a Shackburger for him.

Delicious, delicious root beer float...

4. A lazy Saturday morning

I might have figured out a way to get some reading done. If I put Bea in/on the gymini next to me on the couch then I can pat her tummy and rub her feet and she stays happy for quite a while and isn't bored.

However, with all this excitement dangling over her face, once she decides she has had enough, she has had enough! For Freddy there is never enough when it comes to toys (or catnip).

3. Bea "Live"!

We don't yet have a proper camcorder, but my litle digital camera does the trick. Here is Bea lounging around, looking at stuff at 3.5 weeks.



And here she is all smiles and tongue 4 weeks later.


Listening to that video actually makes her smile now! She loves the word poop. Who doesn't, really?

And here she is today, trying to find her thumb. Of course, she was "talking" before I turned on the camera. But she is a little camera-shy.

2. How are the cats holding up?

Sam has been a relaxed little weasle about Bea from the start. Our biggest problem with him is that he will jump up on our shoulders when we are leaning over Bea on her changing table or in her bed. This can be nerve-wracking. And he did try to stow away in her stroller as the grandmothers wheeled it out of the apartment on the way to the hospital on the day we brought Bea home!

Always the helpful weasle, Sam also tried out Bea's vibrating rocker, just to make sure it worked properly.

Initially Freddy was a nervous piglet. We tried to introduce him to Bea by bringing home a blanket that smelled like her before bringing home the real thing. He liked the blanket.

The real thing, however, chased him out of our bedroom for the first week! He has since adjusted and, like Sam, enjoys testing out Bea's various nests. Here he is in the pack 'n' play:

And curled up in the nursing pillow...

Both cats have now attempted to make friends with her in one way or another.

And one of Freddy's favorite activities (and Bea's!) is now bath time.

1. The first ten weeks

Well it seems it is time for Miss Beatrice to have her own web presence. So, inspired by the parents of her future first boyfriend (see Oliver in the "Friends of Beatrice" sidebar) who are doing the same for their own peanut, I've decided to start a blog. The following is a brief photo summary of Bea's first ten weeks.

May

June July (smiling now!)August