Play dates, and more play dates

Yesterday morning we started off just Estelle and I in a park we had never been too. Of course this other little boy's pulltoy was much more interesting than the stroller I had brought with us for her. However, that was a hit with him.

Here's what you had to love about socialist France. All the playgrounds are basically the same. Same springy horses, same structures with ladders and slides. So these photos you all see that all look the same are in fact different parks!

Back home at lunch, she needed her cherry rain boots to take a run on her bike around the apt.

Park #2 of the day: we met up with Lucie and Noelle. Lucie and Noelle were born the same day. Again, everyone else's toys are always more fun.

Park #3 of the day: let's meet up with Elliot again. Different park. And who is this little blond cutie getting in on the action? Her name was Leyna. We liked her.
Note the red box in Estelle's grubby little fist. Estelle was fascinated by Elliot's raisins. I've tried raisins on her and got The Grimace. But when they are Elliot's raisins, they suddenly become attractive.

Today's rainy play date was with Mael. His parents have been gone a long time with him, sailing a old wooden sailboat from Dubai to Hurghuda through the Red Sea. This has been a long project for them and Mael's dad renovated the whole boat and got together a team to sail and sponsors for the money. Pretty damn interesting stuff.
Next summer they will bring it from Hurghuda thru the Mediterranean and into France, probably to Toulon. We will get a free looksee since I did the translating for some of their stuff. Check my list of Favorite links at the top of this page and you can link to their boat site - The Nizwa. There is an English version of the site - but I didn't translate that part so don't hold me responsible for the mistakes!
So today Estelle and Mael rolled around on their funky furniture from Dubai.

And lastly - the best rainy-day playdate there is - Daddy and some Duplo blocks after bathtime.