You're All A Bunch of Animals!

Laura, the baby, and I were in San Antonio recently. The flights home went as amazingly well as the flights down, which was an unexpected blessing. I truly thought it would be a couple-hour-long scream fest of epic proportions and I was wrong.

Yay, wrong!

One of the family trips we took while we were there was to the San Antonio Zoo, where we enjoyed a full day of wandering from area to area, looking at animals and taking pictures. Lois was absolutely thrilled:

Meh.

This trip actually made me realize that before I had a child I looked at people at places like the zoo with very young children as being foolish. Why would you bring such a young child to a zoo? It's not like they're going to remember!

It was foolish of me. I forgot something that non-parents don't seem to remember: Parents need to have fun too and sometimes that means the baby goes out to things that are too old for them.

Parents are people too. Before I was a parent I didn't realize that. 

I see you.

My favorite stop was at the butterfly house in the zoo. It was a couple bucks extra for the three of us to enter but it was well worth it. I would have easily paid double the $1.50 ticket price just to see the reaction from Laura.

Did I not mention that Laura is afraid of bugs, and the term "bugs" includes beautiful butterflies?

Now, I wasn't going to include this here but she say's I'm allowed to tell you all that she "squeaked*" when a butterfly would act as though it might land on her.**

"Daddy, can I keep it?"

The only thing in the zoo that actually got the baby's attention were the butterflies. She smiled and cooed at them as they zoomed around, reached for them when I held her nearby (but was careful not to allow her to grab them) and laughed when they almost landed on her face.

It was so sweet and wonderful to watch. I wanted to stay in there longer and watch her while taking photos but it was over 90F in the greenhouse and momma and I aren't big fans of the heat.

(If you click on this photo to enlarge it you can see a butterfly in the background flying by - I didn't see it at the time but I think it's pretty cool.)

SO excited.

Lois was very excited by the rest of the zoo, as you can see in the picture here.

Honestly, it was a wonderful day for mommy and me. We really enjoyed the quiet time while she napped and we walked. The animals were amazing, she was in a good mood when she was awake, and the weather was gorgeous.

So, I understand and I apologize. To all of those parents I saw with their "too young" children at the zoos, at the parks, and anywhere else? I'm sorry - I forgot to think of you as human beings and only though of you as "parents."

A lucky moment.

It's a mistake I'm sure I'll see other people make. Some might even say something; I've been told there are people out there rude enough to do so. I'll smile, nod, and remember that our girl was with us as we enjoyed the day together.

*Read this as "squealed at the top of her lungs while jumping at least 8 feet in a random direction.***

**Read this as "was within 5 feet of her or appeared to be looking at her from across the room."

***EDIT: Laura has protested me saying that she "jumped at least 8 feet in a random direction" and I agree with her. She TRIED to jump that far, but probably only got about 5 feet or so. If it were up to her she would have jumped through the wall of the greenhouse to get away.^

^I am actually very proud of her. She went in, knowing that she was scared of these creatures but faced her fear and went in anyway. I pick on her but I don't think I could have done it if I had her level of fear.