Saturday

Elena knows where just about everything can be found in my house.  Last night we were making a fort, aka new home for today's Build A Bear rabbit, and she stood over the whole operation calling out things we needed: "You know those big black and white checked pillows in the closet?  You know that blanket....?" etc.  By midnight, we had a well-designed and colorful home for Swirly, though we didn't know Swirly until we had her built.

We made a deal: she'd go with me to look at new iPhones and I'd let her get one animal at her favorite store.

Yesterday we sang along to Keb Mo's "Old Me Better" about ten times in the car--we love that song.  It gave me a chance to tell her about Cajun people.  It also gave me a chance to sing loud--something I only do with people under seven.

On the way out  of Castroville I saw a big yard filled with concrete pipes, round and rectangular.  Nobody was there, so I did a U-Turn.  "I see a good place to do some pictures!" I said.

Whatever harebrained idea either of us has, the other loves  it!  With Elena, I get to be a kid again!

She woke me up at 2:00 to tell me, "Yenna!  I've decided I really love sleepovers!"

We went back to bed for a few hours, then she woke me at 8:00 to show me a bruise on her leg, one she got when a wooden swing hit her.

"Daddy says you must be having a really good time if you get a bruise," she said.  "I bet he got that from you."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Cause you both say things fancy.  Like if there are a lot of words for one thing, like blue and sad, you always say it a cool way.  You're like Fancy Nancy in the book."

So here we are, Elena with her stuffed rabbit and me with my new iPhone, she watching a movie about mermaids and princesses, me waking up from a nap.