Today was one of the first real spring-like days here in the Fort Knox/Louisville area. The high today was around 53 degrees. Nice! So, what does this family do when the weather gets nice? We go to the zoo!! Today was no different. Well, it was a little different -- in two ways. First, I packed lunch for everybody. It was so nice to have a break in the middle of the zoo to sit and talk with the kids. Plus, it was nice to have the lunch already made so we didn't have to pay the crazy zoo prices for food. Second, I let Bones walk. Yes, I was *that* mom -- you know the one -- I put a cute little monkey backpack on him with an extra long tail {ahem... leash}. It was so great though. He loves his "monk EE" and he got to walk. No fighting him into and out of the stroller. He got to see all of the animals. I knew where he was without having to pay 100% attention to him. It was nice to be able to interact with the big three since I wasn't always focused on "where's Sam?!?" Speaking of the big three... they were awe.some! Awesome, I say. It was just a great day all around.
So, here's some pictures of our day (with a little bit of -ism thrown in)
:-)
G and her favorite Flamingos -- she says "even though they stink" she still loves them
By special request from Rob: The kids on our rock.
Josh thought I meant I wanted to take their picture on any ol' rock... so he stopped here, puckered up and said take a picture here!
In the gorilla house. Josh didn't like how it smelled :-)
Bones, sporting his monk-ee backpack, compared to a full sized gorilla
Bubba compared to a full sized gorilla
G-money compared to a full sized gorilla. I may have to post again with a picture of her the first time we went to the Louisville Zoo... almost five years ago! She really has grown!!
Kicker compared to a full sized gorilla
The lions were OUT today! And very interested in the baby giraffe in the enclosure next door!
On the Ely statue. Josh was mad because I wouldn't take individual pictures on the statue (there was a line to take pictures here). Sam wouldn't stand still -- he was WAY more interested in going back to see the elephants.
Kicker and a gazelle in the background
Semi-Grace-ism:
G: Mom, look at the peacock.
Me: Wow. It is so close. (it was really like 5 feet away from us)
{we kept walking and then...}
G: His feathers are so long. Why don't they give him a haircut?
Me: A haircut? I'm pretty sure birds don't get haircuts.
G: Well, I don't mean haircuts. Why don't they give him a feathercut?
I guess he does need a feathercut :-)
So, I know that I'm biased, but I really have brilliant kids. Bub has learned so much in PreK. His class is studying the continents, specifically he's in the two weeks of Africa. What does this have to do with this picture? We were at the giraffe enclosure. He starts to tell me all sorts of interesting facts about the giraffe. He tells me that giraffes are so tall that they can't drink water from a pond like most animals. So, of course, I ask what he means. He does this {see picture} as he's telling me that they have to spread their front legs really far apart in order to drink.
Now, my rant of the day. You knew it was coming, right? I am not saying I am a perfect parent. I am not. Trust me, I know it. However, I try to be very honest with my kids. If they ask a question, I tell them the truth (age appropriate, as necessary). If I am not sure of the answer, I tell them that. Then I follow up when we get home -- I look for an answer and make sure they know it. So, why do other parents just tell their kids whatever. Even if it isn't the truth?
Today, we were at the tiger's enclosure. There was this lady talking to her -- maybe 3 year old.
Daughter says: Mommy, what is that?
Mom says: See him? It's Mufasa.
Now, I won't fault her for trying to put it in perspective for the little girl. I often will relate things back to movies {That's a meerkat. Like Timon in The Lion King, etc} But, Mufasa? Really. From the Lion King? LION. A lion does not equal a tiger. Maybe she was just dumb and really didn't know there is a difference.
I really wanted to interrupt her and let her know that the tiger wasn't a lion... or that Mufasa was a lion. But I didn't. I made sure my kids knew, though.
I know Rob understands how it gets away with me. One time, when we lived in NC, Rob and I took the kids to a Mexican restaurant in Wake Forest. The restaurant had a HUGE fish tank in the front. There was some random dad telling his kid all sorts of incorrect information. I really had to hold Rob back from telling the guy he was wrong. Why make something up? Tell the kid you don't know. I mean, it was obvious that he was making it up ("see that fish? That's a clown fish" -- it was a fresh water tank, there just happened to be an orange-ish brown fish in it). But his kid was looking at him like he was the all-knowing dad. Hope it didn't come back to bite him in the butt when the kid realizes daddy was WRONG.
Okay... off soap box :-)
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