Eleanor gets most of her socialization in short, concentrated doses.

One of the nice things about going home is the time Eleanor gets to spend with her baby-friends. She got lots of playtime with her cuzzie Hazel.

Like, a lot.

Like, an excellent lot

and has been pointing at a picture of Hazel on the shelf and going, 'Heez!'

And her boyfriend Felix came over and was all, Look how much walking I can do! And Eleanor was like, Look how much talking I can do! And then they swatted each other in the face and Kelly and I both felt better about our lives because, however diversely their other skill sets grow, 14-month-olds seem to be prime swatters.

And then my Very Pregnant Friend Robyn came over with her daughter Meredith, who is the first female toddler Eleanor has seen up close, and her tiny mind was blown.

Eleanor thought Meredith was just the fanciest thing, like she was some giant lovely doll, and she followed her around adoringly and kept looking over at us like, Are you seeing this? Why has it taken you so long to bring me one of these?

She loved Meredith's nose

and her dress covered in birdies

and kept giving her spontaneous hugs AND NOT ALSO BITING HER.

(I tend to discourage Eleanor hugging her friends because her hugs are affectionately bitey, but she didn't bite Meredith even once.)

And these are the best things about going home but they are also the hardest things, because if we lived in BC Eleanor would have SO MANY BESTIES (and a boyfriend). But spring is coming eventually, and then the doors will open and all the little people will emerge and we will all go to the park.