ZOO!

This morning brought warm temps paired with just enough cloud cover to keep Clement from turning into a puddle of sweat and growing overly tired.  Combine that with feeling a hair more rested than I have the last several months, and I decided that the little animal lover had been zoo-deprived long enough!  (Technically, he's been before a few times-- but he was too young to remember.)

Naturally, he loved it.  He's at the PERFECT age for it... He expressed unabated joy and delight over everything.  We got quite lucky:  at many of the enclosures we happened to be in the right place at the right time.  Saw some monkey training, the tortoise being fed, the tigers being fed, the parrots being fed (they give them food in containers and bags, which the birds have to open up), the kangaroo as it hopped around, a silly goat trying to climb into a tree, and super active bear cubs.

The peacocks and roosters were in full cacaphonic force, wandering along the paths, which were also shared with tractors delivering hay to animals.  Clement was fascinated for hours.  He kept asking eagerly, in the sweetest tone, "And what else??  And what else, Mom?" whenever we walked away from an exhibit.  

In FACT, I believe this marks the first time I've seen him struggle with choosing between food and another activity.  I'd packed and he'd already eaten a snack... but eventually it was time to go home for lunch, followed by getting Josephine from school.  The boy, who would normally disown family members in exchange for a meal, was actually torn.  He clearly liked the idea of going home and eating lunch, but he kept stopping and saying "I want stay at zoo."  Then walking, "Eat lunch."  Then stopping, "I want stay here."  While still clearly desiring lunch.  -- it was tough.  :)  But we made it home, ate, and have reminisced ever since.

"Mom, look at that deer.  He is SO SWEET."

yes, yes he is.

"He ate all of his meat!!!!  That's just like ME.  I like meat, too!"

He's the total opposite of his sister when it comes to having a camera on him.

It's a wonder he wasn't frowning and swatting it away.
(Which he did do, when I tried to get a better one.)

After we got back home, I asked Clement which animal at the zoo was his favorite.
"DINOSAURS."
(Note to self: find natural history museum.)

looking at a painting of a purple dragon
(photo taken as covertly as possible in order to capture smile.  hence, blurry)

"Mom, this train goes fast."

are times really desperate enough for these measures, Goat?

go ahead, climb the tree.
(you've got to wonder what the other goats think of this one.
Clearly the leaves aren't tasty enough for them to be vying for position.) 

"Leave, woman!  You're blowing my cover!" 

"And take that feisty redhead with you!!"

The zoo has acquired three 1 year old cubs since our last visit.
(and a small alligator, but it was underwater, so we didn't get to see it) 

FYI, this is where Clement was standing when the cub decided to stand up and vigorously shake all the water off his fur.
(In case you were wondering, bear bath water is NOT as cute as being splashed with water at a dolphin show.)

And as it happened, the bear had zero intentions of actually getting out of the tub.

If these are the cubs given to a zoo, I'd really like to see the ones shipped to a circus. 

Eyeing a school girl who was taunting him with her lunch (until I intervened, as the bear was reaching through and swatting.  And rather than deciding, "Oh, LOOK AT THOSE ENORMOUS CLAWS, maybe I should stop..." the girl proceeded to lean in and dangled her lunch CLOSER, easily within reach.  Apparently thinking her arm is quicker than that of an animal who deftly grabs fish from streams??  I spent one heartbeat looking for a teacher who might already be about to say something, before hopping over and pulling her back.  "Sugar, we're NOT doing that anymore."  Don't get me wrong-- I'm all for natural consequences, just not in the form of bear claw lacerations.  [May there always be someone present to spare my kids from extreme consequences of stupid behavior, as well.]) 

meanwhile, who let THIS crazy beast out of his cage??

Anyway, it was a fun day.  So enjoyable to see Clement relish each and every bit.  I'm a little nervous that my title of "stay at home mom" is in jeopardy of being morphed into "stay at zoo mom"...
Maybe they would grant us free admission if I agreed to wear a uniform and patrol the grounds enforcing "do not taunt the animal" rules?