Another fun night with Pamela & Armand and Lila the Styler

At the Boat Basin. On 79th street - it overlooks the water. After dinner we walked back home along the west side highway bike/pedestrian path which is v beautiful. Ruby pushed her mini buggy (thank you Benjy for that buggy, cant leave the house without pink buggy and baby)

Ruby had fun. Lila thought it was hilarious. Armand and I just followed suit.

The neighbours

Are fabulous. Ruby spotted a floating Dora balloon next door and the music was pumping loud. So I put her on my shoulders to help her peep over the fence and start jiving.

The next thing I know we're invited next door to join what turned out to be a very hedonistic adult orientated 3 year old's birthday party. Sound systems, DJs, karaoke, marguerita bar and alot of parents and kids up for a party.

After my 3rd glass of pre-5pm wine Al had to drag me home. I did cook them a burnt-ish version of my apple cake last night to thank them for welcoming us - we had a great time. Very very cool neighbours to have.

And I think Ruby looks particularly cute in this one.

53 West 94th Street

We finally arrived at 94th street - our new apartment which we've signed on for 1 (or 2?) years. It's been a journey.

After just over 3 months in the midst of Time Square chaos we are very happy to escape to the green pastures of the UWS - and LUCKILY Al arrived with his visa the night before the move!

But since we didn't know until the day whether or not he was going to make it, Gillian & Tom had booked to come over and help Ruby and I move. So reinforcements arrived about an hour before Al did.

In any case it was a huge help having them here and we are incredibly grateful for the helping hands.

Here we are packing up at 1600 Broadway.

There were a few teething problems with the new apartment....after a hard days work for all four of us one of the many problems was that the toilet flooded. Having witnessed Gillian and Tom sweating and toiling away in the garden in the blazen sunshine for 4 hours and after shifting many many boxes - I felt bad that they would wake up in the night to find the guest services a little lacking.

They were unbelievably helpful despite all adversity - babysitting whilst Al and I did a Saturday night classic at Ikea and building much of the furniture also. Still, we found time for some walks around the new area.

But it's amazing to have Al home and be in the new flat, which we're still getting sorted.

But we're getting there

I went to Mexico with work for the weekend last weekend and Al had a football day with Ruby. Who's fast becoming the Gunners dream that Al's been training her for.

Ruby and Al hanging out with Lora and Thalia.

Been a while

It's been ages - so what have we been up to since Mohonk. Well there was Ruby's birthday on 8th April which was great. Al and I took the day off work, took her to Chelsea market and let her dive into a huge Elmo cupcake.

As we came towards the end of the green card process we went on a quick trip back to London to do the final stages - medical and interview at the embassy. It was great to spend some time with family and the friends we were able to catch up with. Ruby and I headed back to NYC last Sunday but Al is sadly stuck in London as the American embassy wait to receive the all clear from the dutch government that he didn't commit any crimes between the ages of 16 and 18. Ridiculous.

So Ruby and I have been living it up without daddy! well not quite - missing him ALOT but today (Saturday) was actually a really fun girls day out. We went to the butterfly exhibition at the museum of natural history and once Ruby got over the fear factor of being surrounded by them I think she enjoyed it. Probably not as much as me. We also checked out our new neighbourhood in the upper west side and peeked in on our flat, scoped out the nearest duane reade, nail bar, breakfast stop and entrance to central park. I'm very excited. I then took the strange decision to walk home with Ruby from 94th st back to Time Square. No flip flops are comfortable enough to take you 45 blocks. We stopped for a bite along the way then played on the terrace this afternoon where we met a little friend for Ruby.

I've also just arranged to go to see Jeff Daniels at City Winery on Monday night with a friend. He is apparently an avid blues writer. Interesting...

Anyway, Al I do really really miss you. Ruby and I can't wait to have you home.

Nobody puts baby in the corner

In true Dirty Dancing spirit we headed up to Mohonk Mountain House in the Catskills for a long easter weekend of family fun. This place was hilarious, we had a great time and enjoyed the spa bit alot, but there was definitely some wierd american stuff going on. I was waiting for the fat owner to come round the corner and say 'so I finally got you up here on my mountain' but alas he didn't.

It was very much a family fun place - as much (good) food as you can eat, lots of beautiful walks, hiking and scenery and activities galore. One of my favourite ones was something we didn't partake in ourselves but caught some final glimpses. Seems everyone had made their very own instruments during the session which culminated in this wonderful procession..

The weekend was seriously nice though. The place is surrounded by thousands of acres of woodland and is set upon a gorgeous lake. Ruby and Al had fun on the swings (maybe Al had more fun than Ruby) and she got quite attached to the Koi in the pond. Still can't stop saying hello koi.

We did lots of nice walks and it felt like a huge break to get out of our time square madness. Plus we were v lucky with the weather.

We did participate in a few of the activities though - including the bag-making session in anticipation of the crazy easter egg hunt organised (by age group very carefully) for Easter Sunday. I don't have any pictures of the actual hunt. I was making sure Ruby didn't get trampled on by hundreds of other children and at least picked up one chocolate while competitive dad Al was on the hunt for the top prize! He didn't get it.

Catching up

It's been fun catching up. With Ethan and Vanessa for instance. (Ethan is my cousin who is a true sufferer of the Wantman waddle. I have it a little, and you can see the beginnings of it in Ruby sadly - but poor Ethan. The force is particularly stong with him)

Ah and just like old times - dinner in the West Village with Armand and Pamela. Although no more all nighters for now as Al and I get tired around 10 and Pamela is 7 months pregnant.

But Ruby is happy...

And the M&M man keeps on flashing.

Potty!

We bought Ruby a special Elmo potty. Elmo's her new best friend - These guys that dress up as Elmo hang out in Time Square most days - no doubt employed by the toy companies so we end up buying things like Elmo pottys. As soon as she sees them from the window on high we have to run down to the street where she gets genuinely starstruck as we approach and literally can't believe it when they shake her hand. It's cute. Anyway - this potty says quite encouraging things to her about using him if she pushes his nose etc. And she's started being really interested. She sat on it today although all she could say was 'not working' coz nothing came out. It's very sweet.