It's been another busy week for Ruby and family.

Ruby got to hang out with a bunch of wonderful guests, some who travelled in from the lower east side and others from the Hague/the Netherlands! Rob and I-Shien and Roberta all trekked in from Manhattan on the subway and hung out for a while with Ruby. Wendela, Marnix and almost two-year old Elise had to take a plane and were still full of energy despite the jetlag--a short walk around the block turned out to be a huge adventure for Elise and took a long time, as she discovered exciting posters in storefront windows, chatted away with other toddlers and showed off her good humor and running skills to anyone passing by. The fact that my dad fuelled them up with a huge amount of yummy homecooked mac and cheese helped keep everyone going.

And then yesterday we took Ruby for her first car ride to Elizabeth, New Jersey, where a group of longshore workers were meeting. I've worked with these longshore workers for years and wanted to see them as well as have them all meet their newest supporter and troublemaker. So we dressed Ruby up in her way too big "Troublemaker Union" t-shirt (thanks Simone!) and off we went. Ruby slept through their morning meeting, although occasionally contributing with her noisy dreaming. My friend Roland from Baltimore (who as it happens shares a birthday with Ruby), on the picture above, corrected me when I apologized for her loud dreams and said he loved her "singing".

Other than that we visited the doctor again for Ruby's one-month (!) check-up. She's growing beautifully according to her pediatrician. I found out that Ruby is at the peek of her fussiness as a one-month old newborn, although we have yet to really experience that. The only way we notice her fussiness is that she doesn't always do well going to sleep on her own and has a minor breakdown daily between 6 and 8pm, at which point all she wants is me, my little finger to suck on, frequent nursing and the sling. But we've never heard her cry for more than 10-15mins and she is totally mellow during her doc visists, her baths, her diaper changes, her car rides, generally everything. She's a great kid!

Finally, as you can see, despite the busy visits and activities, our cats are unfazed and have gone about their daily lives as usual since Ruby's arrival. Witness here our cat One, enjoying some sun next to the green tomatoes that David was ripening in the window.

-- Marsha