Today, instead of our regular school schedule, the girls and I spent the entire day on science-related projects, all inspired by a MOMS Club trip to the zoo. While we didn't see any other moms we know until we were about to leave, the day was packed full of nifty new things.
Let me back up. First, Katka came over with the boy she nannies, Lake, who just turned one year old. Ilsa was green the whole time, jealous of whatever Lake touched. She played with their toy piano for almost 20 minutes straight just so Lake would leave it alone. Very interesting! Juliette couldn't have cared less. She was too busy drawing a very awesome diplodocus on the easel.
We all left the house at 10:30, with Katka returning Lake to her apartment and the girls and I heading to the zoo. We were supposed to meet the other moms just inside the entrance, but no one else was there. After strolling around nearby exhibits - the ape house and the lion cubs - without spotting anyone we knew, I decided we were on our own.
The chimps gave the girls a start. When the zookeeper let them into the outside enclosure, we could hear them yelling in the corridor adjoining the inside facility. The males, in particular, felt the need to assert themselves as they burst into the new territory, and their screams echoed along the corridor. The girls were not expecting that! I thought it was great, but they were on the fence between interested and totally freaked.
Next, we saw the lions. The young cubs are about 18 months old and roughly half the size of grown lions. One was sitting contently with her head next to the floor-to-ceiling observation glass, so I got to study her close-up. I could have stayed there all day, looking at her so closely, but the girls were about as interested in her after five minutes as they would have been looking at a picture from a book. Oh well.
Around the corner, the mother and father lion lived in their own enclosure... right across the walk from a the tapir! I have never seen lions on the hunt before, but these two full-grown, awesome, intimidating animals were desperate to get at that tapir. They were completely frustrated by the fences and wild with the need to eat the romping tapir. They couldn't have cared less about the humans standing between them and the "water elephant," as Juliette called it. They just wanted to POUNCE. Fun standing on end. Crouching. Grunting. It was incredible to watch. Again, I could have observed that all day, but the girls moved on to jumping in puddles.
We stayed for approximately two hours before moving to the playground that adjoins the zoo. However, a bus load of sixth graders (12-year-olds) made the playground a treacherous place. Instead, we ventured to a large nearby pond and crossed two good sized foot-bridges to observe ducks and geese, by which time it was nearing 2pm. Naps were a bust, I thought. No way we could return home and have them nap without completely ruining bedtime. I decided to go for broke and keep them up... all day! Gasp!
We went by Target with the intention of finding a kite, some colored folders for a MOMS Club project tomorrow, and a fish. Yes, a fish. I read in a book of science activities for kids that keeping a fish was a simple, effective way of introducing them to various observational skills. True enough! Plus, our apartment complex forbids any pets except fish, so this is the only way we can keep a little critter to look after. Target, however, had no fish.
While at Target, I bought hard-soled swimming shoes for the girls so that visits to the lake will prove a more sure-footed and less painful. It's early, yes, but I did not want to wait until warm weather before realizing that all the summer gear is sold. We also picked up some seeds and potting soil to try our hand at growing flowers (more science!) and a pop-up tent for playing in the backyard. As it turns out, the tent is exactly the size of the free space we have in the living room, so it has become an indoor / outdoor device.
We then traveled to a little privately-owned aquarium shop I saw next to Aldi where a nice young man showed me the least expensive, easiest-to-care-for fish in the store. That's for us! Juliette insisted on a goldfish, a la Elmo's fish Dorothy, over any of the more colorful fish, to which I agreed under the condition that she NOT name it Dorothy. Juliette named her "Tulip" instead, which I thought was just perfect.
Upon returning home, we ate Wendy's, played in the tent outside, planted the seeds, repotted my spider plant, put Tulip in her new home, fed her, and the girls had a bath. I'm pooped. Juliette and Ilsa may be able to do without naps, but I'm not sure about me!
Let me back up. First, Katka came over with the boy she nannies, Lake, who just turned one year old. Ilsa was green the whole time, jealous of whatever Lake touched. She played with their toy piano for almost 20 minutes straight just so Lake would leave it alone. Very interesting! Juliette couldn't have cared less. She was too busy drawing a very awesome diplodocus on the easel.
We all left the house at 10:30, with Katka returning Lake to her apartment and the girls and I heading to the zoo. We were supposed to meet the other moms just inside the entrance, but no one else was there. After strolling around nearby exhibits - the ape house and the lion cubs - without spotting anyone we knew, I decided we were on our own.
The chimps gave the girls a start. When the zookeeper let them into the outside enclosure, we could hear them yelling in the corridor adjoining the inside facility. The males, in particular, felt the need to assert themselves as they burst into the new territory, and their screams echoed along the corridor. The girls were not expecting that! I thought it was great, but they were on the fence between interested and totally freaked.
Next, we saw the lions. The young cubs are about 18 months old and roughly half the size of grown lions. One was sitting contently with her head next to the floor-to-ceiling observation glass, so I got to study her close-up. I could have stayed there all day, looking at her so closely, but the girls were about as interested in her after five minutes as they would have been looking at a picture from a book. Oh well.
Around the corner, the mother and father lion lived in their own enclosure... right across the walk from a the tapir! I have never seen lions on the hunt before, but these two full-grown, awesome, intimidating animals were desperate to get at that tapir. They were completely frustrated by the fences and wild with the need to eat the romping tapir. They couldn't have cared less about the humans standing between them and the "water elephant," as Juliette called it. They just wanted to POUNCE. Fun standing on end. Crouching. Grunting. It was incredible to watch. Again, I could have observed that all day, but the girls moved on to jumping in puddles.
We stayed for approximately two hours before moving to the playground that adjoins the zoo. However, a bus load of sixth graders (12-year-olds) made the playground a treacherous place. Instead, we ventured to a large nearby pond and crossed two good sized foot-bridges to observe ducks and geese, by which time it was nearing 2pm. Naps were a bust, I thought. No way we could return home and have them nap without completely ruining bedtime. I decided to go for broke and keep them up... all day! Gasp!
We went by Target with the intention of finding a kite, some colored folders for a MOMS Club project tomorrow, and a fish. Yes, a fish. I read in a book of science activities for kids that keeping a fish was a simple, effective way of introducing them to various observational skills. True enough! Plus, our apartment complex forbids any pets except fish, so this is the only way we can keep a little critter to look after. Target, however, had no fish.
While at Target, I bought hard-soled swimming shoes for the girls so that visits to the lake will prove a more sure-footed and less painful. It's early, yes, but I did not want to wait until warm weather before realizing that all the summer gear is sold. We also picked up some seeds and potting soil to try our hand at growing flowers (more science!) and a pop-up tent for playing in the backyard. As it turns out, the tent is exactly the size of the free space we have in the living room, so it has become an indoor / outdoor device.
We then traveled to a little privately-owned aquarium shop I saw next to Aldi where a nice young man showed me the least expensive, easiest-to-care-for fish in the store. That's for us! Juliette insisted on a goldfish, a la Elmo's fish Dorothy, over any of the more colorful fish, to which I agreed under the condition that she NOT name it Dorothy. Juliette named her "Tulip" instead, which I thought was just perfect. Upon returning home, we ate Wendy's, played in the tent outside, planted the seeds, repotted my spider plant, put Tulip in her new home, fed her, and the girls had a bath. I'm pooped. Juliette and Ilsa may be able to do without naps, but I'm not sure about me!
6 comments:
Do you have a glass bowl or an actual mini-aquarium? Lily had fish (Phoebe, Hugh, Blue-fish, and I can't remember the other one; she also had a frog... Kermit) and they kept getting their tales stuck in the filter. Oh, and Kermit got his leg stuck (that was the most gross thing I have ever had to do...get a frog, which is still alive, unstuck out of a filter...we ended up ripping his leg off... eww eww eww). I would stick with a glass bowl if I were you.
Plastic bowl! And she's a fighting fish, apparently, so we'll just have the one for now. I offered to let Ilsa pick one out as well, but she said she didn't want one. Fair enough. So we just have Tulip.
Kids can sometimes come up with the neatest names. I loved when Lily came up with Phoebe and Hugh (she probably spelled it Feebee and Hu). Tulip is a great name for a fish. ;-)
What a good idea! I'm sure Ben would love a fish. I'm not sure I'm up for one, though. I had an aquarium when I was younger, and it gave me the creeps--the big silver fish started killing the other fish, and the whole thing got dirty. In fact, I sometimes still have dreams about fish I've neglected--they're always starving and living in filthy water.
Hmmm.... Maybe I have issues about being a caretaker for a small creature.
Gruesome stories: fish eating each others (I know I know, this is part of the natural chain) and a poor frog getting stuck in the filter. Ouch! :o (
Changing subject, today my ex-team at work got me a Habitat voucher, and on the way home I decided to pop there. I was about to buy a huge clear glass fish bowl! What a coincidence! Isn't it? But I didn't. Because I am not three years old any longer and I expected Lofty's opposition (a fish is not supposed to live in a bowl, bla bla bla …). Instead, I got a glass vase for flowers to be in tune with, and encourage, the novel Spring, which in UK is slow to come. Still not as ethical as getting a plant, but you can’t have feelings of guilt for everything, can you?
The idea of planting seeds is brilliant and it seems to be a trend of this season. I have already read the same idea in two different blogs!
I love Phoebe (like the enfant terrible of Chanel’s house!). And Tulip (like the Black Tulip, a cartoon I used to watch as a child!).
* Chloe' -- I meant Chloe', not Chanel, silly me!!
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