The morning started as a house divided, with mom and brother getting a haircut with aunt Megan. Eleanor and dad head to the children’s museum for some rigorous fruit sorting-

Ella was surprisingly cooperative while donning her smock for water play

It took a while, but she finally got to take her turn pushing around one of the carts. Now she was on a mission.

Driving tractors like a pro

Desmond and mom joined us, where Des was quick to overcome his fear of walking over netted surfaces (this part of the playground and zoo hasn’t traditionally been his favorite)

Sign now reads, “Days without arm-stuck incidents: 0”

Des is getting old/tall/strong enough to play with the big-kid gizmos

Meanwhile, sister doesn’t quite have the weight to actuate much of the gadgetry

Balls + columns of air = magic!

The seasonal winter display included a “sledding ramp” (think air hockey table) and snowball-throwing zone

Eleanor, the Fearless Climber

…and carousel chicken rodeo wrangler

Desmond predictably opted for the train ride, though auditioning a new seat rather than his familiar caboose spot

Eagerly waving to brother, “Hello! Good-bye! … “Hello! Good-bye!”

A nice weekend lunch out, Des gives the Ethiopian restaurant “two pieces of injera up!” Or maybe it was just getting to eat with his hands?

After naps, it was both warm and windy- prime kite flying weather (for early March anyway)

Eleanor joyfully exercising her newfound freedom of running through fields

Not shown: mom’s large box kite proved too much to navigate in the high winds. Comedy ensued.

We weren’t the only ones with the kite idea-

Eleanor showing great restraint with not eating the play-doh. That did not last long.