Happy Halloween!

Beatrice didn't make it out for Trick or Treating this year. Maybe next year. Unfortunately she didn't even manage to stay up to see any of the other kids in costume. But she did help! She "organized" and "tested" all of the candy we handed out. I'm sure there is some parent out there forcing their kids to throw away their hard won Junior Mints because the box is soaking wet from being gummed by Beatrice.


Our neighbors certainly got into the festivities. Across the street Crazy Dave hosted his annual Haunted House. Beatrice, Sarah B, and I went during the day time - it was scary enough then! And the pirate ship house was on the news!


Except for some teething pains, Beatrice had a good day today. Sarah B had her "painting" with her carrot baby food.

And I just had to take pictures when Beatrice attacked her banana. She loved her bath in the sink.

And also- the other outfit Beatrice tested out for Halloween - topless dancer:
Finally, I had to include this picture of Beatrice's cousins - Eleanor and Anna dressed up as kitty cats for Halloween. So cute!

Teething Pains

Last night was rough, for all of us. Poor Beatrice cried every 20-40 minutes, whether she was asleep or awake. Her teeth are just driving her crazy. The two middle bottom ones have "popped" through, and it looks like there are at least two more on the bottom trying to come through. You can kind of see it in this photo. If you squint.

She also fell on Sunday and whacked her forehead such that she looks a bit like a Klingon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klingon) - the link is for those of you who aren't super-dorks. Luckily it's not too bad, but she does have a sizeable knot on her forehead. It's more noticeable in some photos, less so in others.

But other than that...constant pain, lack of sleep, repeat...we're fine and when we keep Bea distracted and on Motrin, we're having fun. Beatrice has started feeding herself. Or at least attempting to, holding the spoon herself, thank you very much.


We went to the Children's Costume Parade on State Street on Sunday. Beatrice was somewhat interested in the other kids and dogs in the parade. Her main interest though seemed to be the flashing crosswalk sign which she stared at for ages. I do wonder what goes through her head at times.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for our Beatrice.

11 months old!

Beatrice has had quite a month this last month. She learned to walk, she (finally!) got some teeth, she's had lots of visitors, and she is growing up and into her PERSONALITY. The girl's got it in spades. "Who me?"

Her favorite game is still peek-a-boo, but now she insists on initiating and squealing throughout. And there is usually an element of running. She's also discovered she can flip her tongue over, and so she does it constantly. Not for the camera, mind you. So I had to demonstrate (see photo). I got all excited because I thought, "Finally, a trait from me!" But no, Daddy can do it too.

I must admit, Beatrice is a very happy baby. Until she isn't, of course. Anytime Mommy or Daddy walks in the room and Beatrice hasn't seen us in a while (2min+), she claps and smiles. She smiles at strangers. Everyone in the grocery store is fair game. They usually say, "What a cute little boy!" (NB: she's still mostly bald)

We went to a number of grocery stores today. Lazy Acres for eggs (and apples after she put this one in her mouth), Gelson's for regular shopping, and Mesa Produce for...guess. On the way back from Gelson's we saw this dog wearing sunglasses in the back of a pick-up truck. So Californian. And on our walk to Mesa Produce we passed our neighbor who is turning his house (and boat!) into a ghost pirate ship. Oh and it rained today - hooray!

Beatrice is also quite bossy. If you lie down on the floor she will eventually come and push her butt in your face and sit on your head so that you'll move so she can sit there - and then give you a backwards look over her should that says, "Well, thank you very much." Unfortunately sharing is not a concept she wants to understand at this point. She is the smallest and baddest kid at MyGym. All the other moms there comment on her "enthusiasm" and "strength." She does like creating puppy piles with Mommy and Daddy (note the drool on Daddy).

Beatrice is also getting a bit clingy these days, especially to "Mah-mah-mah-mah-mmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" - lots of holding onto my legs and whining. The days after I go to LA for the day are especially tough. No guilt there! The photos below are from when I've tried to take pictures of her and she just walks over and sits on me. It's not enough we're in the same room, we have to be TOUCHING, preferably with me holding her. Luckily this trend lessens significantly with Daddy around.

One of my favorite times is being with Beatrice first thing in the morning. She's still a bit sleepy and gets so excited to play with her toys, which her Daddy has arranged in some new, fanciful way the night before. So every morning it's like Christmas. With a sleepy and cuddly Beatrice.

Luckily, overall, Beatrice is still our angel baby. She mainly oscillates between being incredibly happy to pensive thinking (illustrated with photos below), though she still has her moments, of course, as screaming-unhappy-baby.

What else have we noticed this month? She obviously has her Daddy's joints - she sits on her legs like him, and I've just discovered she leans on her wrist with her hand bent underneath her like he does. Ewwww. No pictures of that, thankfully. Beatrice is also enjoying playing on her own more and more. And I swear, at times, I can hear the wheels spinning inside that little head of hers.

But mostly we think she's perfect. Oh except that now that she's really walking...she won't hold still for Flat Bear photos!! The exception of course is in photos that demonstrate the need for professional carpet cleaning!

Halloween Party

Say hello to the Queen Bumble-Bee! Beatrice is enjoying her Halloween costume, which consists of black pants and her Queen Bee t-shirt. Everyone keeps asking where her wings and antennae are...she's not even 1 yet...this is it.

We went up to Ian and Laina's house tonight to their pumpkin carving party. Beatrice enjoyed seeing the dogs and other kids (Eric and Mara brought their 3 kids, Jackson "Harry Potter", Olivia "Princess-Witch", and Teddy "Pirate"). And the pinata!




She was pretty mad when we put the bunny ears on her though.


We were all supposed to come in costume. I claimed my costume was "Super-Mom-Able-To-Balance-Career-Motherhood-Etc." They let us slide. Not even the 20 minutes alone before the party was enough to give me the appearance of "Balanced"! Laina and Ian had fantastic costumes. Laina was a "Bunny-Witch-Vampire-Cat" and Ian was Moses, complete with Commandments (one of which was "Thou shalt not eat raw cookie dough"). Their dog, Macaroni, was dressed as a Vermonter.

It was a fun night, especially when Beatrice played Angel-Baby and went to sleep in her stroller in Ian and Laina's bedroom and let us stay out and party late night...till NINE O'CLOCK!