And Then There Were Three..

Actually, there are four now, in my friend Stacie's home: she, her husband, her newborn daughter, and a live-in nurse. But as of tomorrow, the nurse will be gone. And next week, her husband will return to work. And then Stacie and her daughter will be left to fend for themselves. But Stacie is prepared. She has taken meticulous notes, documenting her daughter's eating, sleeping, and pooping habits. Rachel's room has been painted a light mauve (weeks ago, so the fumes wouldn't bother the baby) and fully furnished. Her drawers are filled with clothes sized from newborn to 6-12 months. Stacie and Mike have stocked up on stuffed animals and soft blankets, Baby Einstein audio tapes and bottles of formula.
For now, Rachel spends most of her time sleeping--in a bassinet or in the lap of one of her parents. But Stacie has vowed not to turn on the TV in front of their daughter for the next 12 months, unless it's a sports game (her husband is an avid Mets fan). And she has pledged to make sure her daughter gets outside every day, no matter what the weather, once she is old enough to do so.
There is plenty to see outside. Their two-bedroom, two-bath apartment is located in a pre-war, Tudor style building on a tree-lined street in Brooklyn. They live a few blocks from the East River. And there is a nail salon, gourmet grocery store, upscale Japanese restaurant and lounge, and--of course--a Starbucks within easy walking distance.
But the apartment is large enough that Rachel will have plenty of space inside as well to explore once she starts crawling. I actually took a wrong turn on the way to the guest bathroom, when I visited them on Saturday, and ended up at the baby's room.
I loved everything about their apartment, except for one thing. It is exactly one hour and five minutes from my apartment by subway, even though we live in the same borough. (That's because I have to go into Manhattan and then back to Brooklyn via subway. If I had a car, it would take less than half that long to get there). But I have a feeling I'll be making the trip a lot, despite the distance.