Acting Senior Tutor Brings Newborn Girl to Adams

For the first time in about a decade, students having dinner in the Adams House dining hall may hear the sound of a baby crying.

Mark Bessire, Adams House's acting senior tutor, and his wife, Aimee, brought newborn baby Blakey Hawkins Conlin Bessire to her home in Adams House on Friday night.

"She's healthy as can be," Mark Bessire said.

Blakey, the couple's first child, weighing 8 lbs., 5 oz., and measuring 21 in., is the first resident baby in Adams House in more than 10 years, according to Mark Bessire. She was born last Wednesday afternoon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

At a baby shower held three weeks ago, a group of Adams House students gave the Bessires a baby jogger, and the House Committee gave Blakey a silver engraved baby rattle.

"Our house right now is so decked out with flowers from students in Adams House," Mark Bessire said.

Mark Bessire, 33, in addition to his responsibilities as senior tutor and new dad, also works in the fellows department at the Fogg Museum. Aimee Bessire, 32, is a graduate student in the fine arts department, and was working on her dissertation on African art up to three days before Blakey was born.

The couple curated an African art exhibitcurrently on display at the Fogg, and spent twoyears in a small village in Tanzania while Markwas on a Fulbright scholarship.

"Mark and Aimee are such a great part of AdamsHouse," said Steven R. Hill '98, an Adamsresident. "Everyone's been leaving flowers andfood."

Blakey has plans to become a big part of Adamshouse life, according to her father. "She'sbasically going to be the house mascot," MarkBessire said.

The House community has been excited to welcomethe baby to Adams.

"The baby is going to make a great addition tothe Adams House family," Hill said. "Everybodyuniformly loves [the Bessires], so I'm sure thebaby will be very welcomed here."

Otto Coontz, the senior tutor's assistant,digitally morphed the faces of Mark and AimeeBessire together in an attempt to predict how thenew baby would look, according to Aimee Bessire.The photo montage has been on display in the AdamsHouse lobby. "I heard it's pretty scary," shesaid.

The Adams House community had been eagerlyawaiting the baby's arrival after about 12 to 14hours of labor, according to Hill.

"It's so far been the most supportiveenvironment, from all the students in the house,to the dining hall staff," Aimee Bessire said."We've become such a part of a bigger familyhere...we can't wait to introduce her toeverybody."

"We have to get a high chair in the dininghall," Mark Bessire said

The couple curated an African art exhibitcurrently on display at the Fogg, and spent twoyears in a small village in Tanzania while Markwas on a Fulbright scholarship.

"Mark and Aimee are such a great part of AdamsHouse," said Steven R. Hill '98, an Adamsresident. "Everyone's been leaving flowers andfood."

Blakey has plans to become a big part of Adamshouse life, according to her father. "She'sbasically going to be the house mascot," MarkBessire said.

The House community has been excited to welcomethe baby to Adams.

"The baby is going to make a great addition tothe Adams House family," Hill said. "Everybodyuniformly loves [the Bessires], so I'm sure thebaby will be very welcomed here."

Otto Coontz, the senior tutor's assistant,digitally morphed the faces of Mark and AimeeBessire together in an attempt to predict how thenew baby would look, according to Aimee Bessire.The photo montage has been on display in the AdamsHouse lobby. "I heard it's pretty scary," shesaid.

The Adams House community had been eagerlyawaiting the baby's arrival after about 12 to 14hours of labor, according to Hill.

"It's so far been the most supportiveenvironment, from all the students in the house,to the dining hall staff," Aimee Bessire said."We've become such a part of a bigger familyhere...we can't wait to introduce her toeverybody."

"We have to get a high chair in the dininghall," Mark Bessire said