Ruby Turns, Ruby Twists

We drove north of NYC to check out some river towns this weekend -- nice -- and had a pull-over-at-toll-gate changing on the slow ride back. Ruby's increasingly grabby, a real multi-tasker. Sees one thing, grabs while looking at another. Crawling seems increasingly like a matter of days away, not weeks. Meanwhile she's often pretty giggly.

Ruby Eats

Ruby's slowly graduating from milk to solids -- beginning with little pieces of avocado and nectarine and occasionally watermelon. She's getting used to it. And apparently, see end of the following, wants to play the drums.

Sandy & Jerry in NYC

Lot's been happening -- too much to write about. Grandma and her new gentleman friend Jerry came up to NYC for some Ruby time. And also Jerry's New York debut. Best was the Saturday, where we all went with muffins to DUMBO to eat between the Brooklyn & Manhattan Bridges, then across Brooklyn to Coney Island to dance on the boardwalk, sit on the pier, have a hot dog at Coney's and nearly get everyone to go on the Cyclone rollercoaster.

Ruby's been studying eating for a while, and now eats bits of avocado. Plus she's rolling over and learning to be tickled. She looks bigger every day.

Bath Toys

Ruby's been loving water being poured and dripped around her during baths, usually conducted every other day. Now she's getting into the action -- grabbing cups, or trying to (mostly she pushed them away).

Ruby's First Parade

Ruby's first -- on July 4th in Philadelphia -- was a big hit. Here's a video of what happened:

Ruby Likes Philadelphia

Just back from our July 4th trip to Philadelphia -- and a forced excursion to the re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg (less of a hit with Mai in particular). Philadelphia was great. Stayed in the center near Rittenhouse Square, where we pretended to be posh locals staying at a nice 'boutique hotel' who upgraded us to the suite because we asked -- and because we had a whipsnap.

• On the 3rd, we went up the City Hall tower and met a Spanish couple from Valencia, then wandered around Antique Row and looked for lemonade. Later Ruby had her first experience with something called 'dinner,' actually sitting at a table as people ate meals after 5pm! We ended up befriending a local couple at the next table -- here for two years, with a five-year-old daughter. Robert: 'We're definitely not in New York.'
• On the 4th, we randomly bumped into the Spaniards, then heard the Philly mayor speak at Independence Hall, then got some lemonade and ice cream at a century-old-styled ice creamery where the parade stopped. No one knew that. We didn't either. Then realized we had the best seat in town. Ruby was thrilled by the spectacle, kicking and yelling like an over-sugared elf in 'Elf.' She particularly liked the drums. And one of the Bolivian dancers seeing her, broke from line to pose for a video. We had to pass on Sheryl Crow's free concert at the Museum of Art -- even in Philly, Ruby's asleep by 7pm.
• On the 5th, we drove to Gettysburg in time for a cavalry battle -- 'there is a lot of confusion on the field' said the re-enactment's MC -- and baked in the hot sun. A lot of beards in Gettysburg. And people in 'Little House on the Prairie' sun dresses or heavier wool uniforms walked around all the town's sites.

Ruby Teethes

Teething has begun, full force. Ruby is occasionally getting fussy, but generally finds all she needs in Sofie the giraffe. Pop spent the first days away since January 20 by going to Australia for work last week, but came back with three new books: one on a wombat, one on a possum ('the best piece of Australian literature... ever,' said the bookseller) and a bizarre one from 1910.