I am manufacturing some good times.

Whenever I get back from BC, I'm always equal parts stoked to have my own space and sad about all the SPACE I HAVE TO BE ALONE IN. Joel's been working afternoons/evenings/nights all week, which makes things WORSE because E goes to bed and I'm like, So...

So rather than mope around, I've been trying to do Fun Things With Eleanor. Turns out that you have to TEACH kids all kinds of stuff you'd never though you would.

Like how to play with playdough. I mean, OBVIOUSLY first she's all like, I eat it?

And I'm like, No eats. And she's like...I don't eat it?

And I'm like, No, you pinch bits off and roll them up and smoosh them back together. And she's like, This is pretty alright, I guess.

She got super into it eventually. And then the next day I filled a Rubbermaid with water because our deck is too small for a pool and we haven't got a yard. I threw in some measuring cups for funsies, and she was like, I drink it?

And I was like, No, and she was like, It's ok, I drink it.

And I was like, Look, you can pour it. And she was like, I'll be damned, I can!

And then she got really involved, and when it was time to clean up and come inside she kept going back to the deck window and going, Plash plash! Plash plash! So I had to empty out the Rubbermaid and bring it inside.

Because Joel's not home for dinner, we mostly have hardboiled eggs and then drink smoothies while we watch Beauty and the Beast.

I thought Eleanor'd be afraid of Beast, but she thinks he's the best joke. Beeeez! Rowr.

And then today we took a different route home from the store and found a new park. It has a playhouse.

And a riding squirrel.

And a slide.

And, most importantly, a swing.

We are having fun with our own two selves.