Bea the Professional Model

These pictures are a little outdated now, since Beatrice is getting so big, but here are her first portraits. We finally made it over to Sears Portrait studio, and it was a pretty terrible experience. You know when you walk down the aisle at the mall and those hand-lotion kiosk salespeople try to grab you and cajole you into purchasing not one, but two expensive lotions guaranteed to revolutionize your skin? That is what it is like when you are at Sears photo studio.

After a whirlwind minute and a half photo session, the Sears' photo specialist sits you down and shows you about 500 photos of your child until you go googly-eyed looking at the computer screen. Then she presents you with about 250 different packages that you could buy and convinces you that you need at least four dozen wallet sized photos of your child in addition to all the portrait sizes you are getting, plus you really should get your child's picture turned into a canvas piece of art to hang on your wall. Of course. She continues to blabber on about extra special packages and deals and buy one get one free this and that until you just want to get out of there so badly that you spend wayyyyyy too much money on the pictures and are then wracked with guilt as you think about how many diapers that could have just bought.

But then three weeks later you get the pictures and just adore how cute your baby is, and all is forgiven with Sears. We will be heading back soon, I am sure.

Halloween

Beatrice had a great Halloween costume this year. Sayward made it, and it was also very appropriate for her new superpower: she can grab things that you thought were impossible to reach.

It has been an exciting and busy few months for the Harrison family, especially Beatrice. Sayward set up an impromptu photo studio in our house, and got a couple of snap shots. Two of the best are below. The first is Beatrice au naturale, with only a diaper and a ball to keep her company:



And this one of her as a ballerina:


Everyday Beatrice is enjoying the world around her more and more. One morning she got in bed with us and was amazed with cars on the street outside our house. We had to keep a hand on her since she was trying to bust through the screen.


Beatrice has also gotten pretty adventurous with her eating. Here is she is eating the new health food, the cheese puff. Don't tell our doctor...

Rock Star

Beatrice has been picking up some rock star habits...we are not quite sure what to think about all of this:

Bathing Bea-uty

Beatrice is not a huge fan of the beach at this stage of her life. We realized this a few weeks ago when we went to the beach for Labor Day weekend with the Harrison/McGarry clan.

First there is the sand. She is very suspicious of the sand. When she sees it, she gives it the stink eye, and when she finally works up enough courage to touch it, it goes straight into her mouth. That is not a surprise, because that is where everything goes these days.

Then, there is the ocean. Beatrice finds it a little cold for her taste and does not particularly prefer it when waves hit her.

And finally, the trifecta of beach nuisances...her little pink hat. Bea HATES wearing hats. She has recently developed the ability to snatch the hat off of her head and hold it over her shoulder, as far away from us as possible. Luckily, she doesn't know how to work velcro yet, so when we can get her to stop wiggling for a few seconds to velcro it, she is out of luck.

Labor Weekend

Here are two pictures of Beatrice with her Aunt Katie (looking very focused) and Aunt Jennifer over Labor Day weekend at the beach. I am not sure why she is giving that smug look in the second picture, but it might have something to do with the Eddie Munster hairdo she has.

School has started back up and we are getting busy. Beatrice has decided to add to the fun by starting to crawl extremely fast and to stand up on every stationary (or not so stationary) object she ca get her hands on.

Summer Travels

Beatrice visiting with her Great-Great-Grandfather!

Beatrice and her great-grandmother, Mom-Mom.

Beatrice loved Gramps' trains--especially the whistles.

Trying to get Beatrice and her cousing Jackson to sit still long enough for this picture was nearly impossible!

Conor and I in Maine for Matt's wedding.

On the way home, Beatrice got her first balloon while we were eating at a restaurant. She was very amazed and didn't even cry when it popped one minute later. :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beatrice just celebrated a major milestone--her first ROAD TRIP! After completing my comprehensive exams in August (a major milestone for me), Conor, Bea, and I took off on a nearly two week adventure. We had a wedding to go to in Maine, so along the way, we stopped in Reading, PA, so Beatrice could meet her great-grandparents and GREAT-GREAT-Grandfather! After PA, our next stop was NY, where Beatrice got to meet her cousin Jackson. From there, Conor and I left Beatrice with my dad and step-mom and went up to Maine for a fabulous weekend (our first away from sweet bea). Above are some highlights from the trip.