Elizabliss

Elizabeth Lauren Alexander, my firstborn, had her birthday two weeks ago on May 15.  Don't we all remember that special moment when our children enter the world and we have great plans for them?  I remember looking at that bald head and thinking it would so wonderful dream if she could grow up to be a doctor and have hair.  I got both my wishes!

I thought that during our semester in New York I would be spending countless hours with Beth  but her schedule turned out to be much busier than we both expected.  Beth was spending long hours in the lab at New York Presbyterian Hospital working on her research in bacterial staph infections in order to get more data to back up her NIH grant application.  In addition she was spending Tuesday and Thursday evenings with her running club, a wonderful group of men and women from around the city who have become great friends.  Of course the club was practicing for events which would occur on weekends, such as the half-marathon race pictured above, which meant that she wouldn't have time to come to Brooklyn on the weekends either.  Finally she was traveling to New Jersey, or Riple was coming to Manhattan, for part of the weekend.  All of these endeavors worked out well for her as she was named Fellow of the Year and she raised over $500 for GHESKIO in Haiti with sponsorships from her run. 

So it was a special treat when I talked Beth into playing hooky for a day and spending Friday with me.  We had long talks over morning coffee and an outdoor lunch.  We went shopping at Talbot's, Banana Republic, Eileen Fisher.  We explored Tiffany's where she tried on a $12,000 Phillipe Patek watch and I tried on several $5000 Jean Schlumberger rings and the saleslady recognized her as a doctor who lives on 69th street (small world!). Shopping is so much more fun with someone who'll go back to the rack and get the next size for you as Beth did for me OR who'll offer to buy that cute dress as I did for Beth.  Four times she said "I'm so happy" or "I'm having so much fun"  so I knew that taking time off on a beautiful summer day was a treat for her also.  At the end of the day she came down to Brooklyn Heights and Greg was able to join in the lovefest and we took her to dinner at Jack the Horse, followed by a cigar walk on the Promenade.  The evening was capped off by the best fireworks we've seen from the Eagle's Eyrie centered in the harbor at Ellis Island.  I don't know what the official occasion was, but I decided they were in honor of Elizabliss!

Everyone else calls my daughter Elizabeth except for the immediate family who call her Beth. We asked about her preference and she cherishes the family nickname.    There was a family wedding on Greg's side of the family two weeks ago and I noted that the bride was Lauren Elizabeth, the groom's cousin was Lauren, and Lauren's daughter is Elizabeth.   Greg proudly noted that our Elizabeth Lauren was the first in the family.  I neglected to take a picture yesterday so I'll close with the picture that is the wallpaper for my iPhone and a reminder that I began this semester with another wonderful Elizabliss event at the New Year's Eve premiere of Carmen.