Hangin’ out with Amy and Beatrice: hey Amy, this is for you!
So, the last time I saw Amy she was living with some skinhead in an abandoned building owned by a guy wanted for murder, and I was dating a lapsed Mormon, wearing more pink than was really good for me, and without any ambitions or interests at all. Here we are nearly 20 years later with more in common than not, in my opinion, and it’s wonderful finding that the girlhood sense of bestfriendness is strong enough to weather that much living. So anyway, I now find Amy in Cambridge, with a wacky job, a really nice guy, and a preposterously cute daughter.
Here’s Beatrice, age 3:
A: (sounding genuinely puzzled) What do you want to do?
B: I want to go to Harvard Square in a taxi.
A: Ok. And then we’ll go buy you some ham.
B:  Putting on sunglasses, a Disney Princess hat, and bringing a bag which turns out to be for collecting flowers from other people’s gardens…

We arrive in Harvard Square, which is not really what people would typically think of as a good place to play.
B (pointing at a colorful specimen of street-person): I want to do that.
A & Me:   Um.   Maybe when you’re older, sweetie.
B (climbing up on low wall, and with dramatic gestures, in a loud voice): Everybody likes me! Hellllllloooooo everybody!
And indeed, all of Harvard Square seems to be fond of Beatrice. This is followed by an afternoon of hide-and-seek in clothing racks in department stores, and then an epic adventure through the grocery store. I think Amy is an awesome mom, and Beatrice agrees!

The photo is by B: