On Wednesday Ruby and I had a playdate! We joined Michelle (mom), Millie (3 year-old) and Posie (11 month-old) for a picnic in Prospect Park (Michelle and Millie are in the background, playing with chalk). I met Michelle and kids a while ago, when one of us sparked up a conversation in Joyce's Bakeshop. Then we would bump into each other from time to time, while out and about, in the neighborhood. And then turns out that they also members of the Prospect Heights (the name of this neighborhood) Babysitting Co-op, which we are considering joining. We also share the same playground. Seemed like a playdate was just beckoning, especially as it gives Ruby and Posie a similar-aged playmate.

And when there are no friends around, there is always the kitchen sink to amuse oneself no?!

Some Ruby trivia:

* A second bottom tooth pierced through her gum on Tuesday. She had a bad day, but seemed totally back to herself the next day.

* Ruby remembers parts of the books I read her. When she's not busy holding on to my finger to use it as a pointer, she's waiting for particular pages where she knows stuff. My favorite is when I read to her about a gorilla thumping its chest; she'll grab my hand and use it to thump my chest.

* She is finally putting things back. Nope, we haven't quite managed to train her to tidy out the dish rack yet, but she'll tentatively and maybe even begrudgingly put a block back in the block box. And she is starting to give us stuff. Today she insisted we share in her fun with a plastic bottle. Both developmental milestones I believe.

* Ruby still obsesses over dogs when we're outside. Jumps up and down in the ergo or tries to stand up in the stroller. Points. For a while she also loved seeing birds, but seems like she's moved on to bigger things: planes. Giggles her head off when I run around with my arms stretched out like plane after we've spotted one. And to help you put it in context, I think Laguardia (I'm assuming that's where most of the planes that fly over our area are headed) processes about one plane every three minutes. She also likes buses and the street cleaning vans.

* She's 11 months next week! Time flies. We're looking forward to her birthday because that means her papie will be here, visiting from France. And it means a short trip up to Massachusetts, to see her (Gr)amma.