Children are incredibly boring until about age three when they get more interesting, but are still heavy going until say 12. God knows how parents put up with it - it must be something to do with instincts or humanity would have died out.

Until then you have to pretend to be interested in the little tyke's exploits and exclaim how much she has grown and so on.

Your friendship will never be the same but it is worth hanging on for a few years until she turns the corner.