So we got there and Melanie headed straight for the train. It takes you on a ten minute ride around the zoo. Perfect for a little father/daughter time and just enough time for me to duck into the gift shop to see if I will even allow Melanie to go in later knowing she will want something to remember her day by. Just wait and see what she got.......
After the train we were ready for our trip through the zoo. Much to Melanie NOT wanting to "I DO NOT like yucky snakes", we went to the Reptile House. She was willing to view the frogs until I read their names "Poisonous Dart Frogs" which immediately made her jump back still attached to my hand. Once I reattached the arm she had pulled off I took a moment to be impressed that she knew what poisonous meant. We quickly finished that little tour and moved on to the flamingos. Melanie's lesson for me here was, "Only tell your children the truth." Melanie loved the ones that were squawking away so of course I said those were the mommy flamingos which she answered me by saying, "Mom, I like the mommy flamingos best, they talk too much just like real mommies." Thanks for the subtle hint Mel, I'll work on that. :)
Next on the trail we came to the tourist rip off and photo opportunity "Zoo Jeep" Melanie cannot pass up an opportunity to drive any car so of course there she went and climbed right in. "Look mom, I'm driving with my family!" Dear aunts and uncles, you can decide which animal you are.
And then there was the monkey section. Melanie was fascinated by the orangutans. We stood there and watched them for quite a while as they played, ate, and just monkeyed around. This is where I learned another valuable lesson. "Not all moments need to be teaching moments." As we watched these furry orange guys, one started to pick his nose and then yep, you guessed it, he ate it. Melanie of course saw it and pointed it out to me. I thought to myself, what a great chance to point out how gross that is. So, I say to her, "Eww, isn't that gross and dirty, that could make him sick." Melanie's response, nice and loud, "Don't worry mommy I do that sometimes too and I'm okay." As people around us chuckled I replied, "Good to know Mel, please stop that because it is kinda gross." So to make me feel better the boy next to me who was about 5 or 6 says, "I do it sometimes too." His dad just smiled and looked at the ground.
After the monkeys we decided to head over to the giraffes because one of the things we wanted to do was the Giraffe Encounter where you get to feed the baby giraffe. This was the thing Melanie was the most excited about so we stand in line and wait, we get our giraffe food, and get cameras ready and.....the second that giraffe stuck out his long tongue to grab the food from Melanie she threw it at him and refused to get anywhere near him again. Lucky for the giraffe he was good at catching green roughage. Charles and I finished feeding him and moved on. Lesson learned, even cute baby giraffes have HUGE scary tongues that appear to be able to eat small children if they wanted to.
Well after seeing just about every animal we headed to the carousel which is absolutely beautiful with every animal at the zoo represented. I thought for sure Melanie would ride on the baby giraffe or the snow leopard or maybe even the anteater which she showed a great interest in as well, but no, my daughter demanded she ride on the ever so lovable Dung Beetle. That's right, she who hates the Reptile House, loves a giant bug that looks like a cockroach. Go figure. However, I LOVED her reason for picking it. It was one of two large animals that you could ride that had a bench in it and she wanted to sit with her daddy. I guess if you love your daddy enough you will ride on a large ugly bug. Which is probably why she was allowed to buy this at the Zoo Shop...........
........that's right a purple giraffe. Out of all the things I had found in the gift shop that I thought she would love: books, coloring books, puzzles, a realistic stuffed giraffe, my baby girl picked a purple giraffe. And did you know, "giraffes can be purple if they eat a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of grapes". Another lesson learned. :)
Last but not least, as much as I love her funny comments and everything we do together I still LOVE to watch her sleep.
She truly brings me countless memories and daily blessings. Happy New Year and may God bless you with many of your own countless memories and daily blessings. Lots of love from our home to yours and don't forget, don't feed those pets too many grapes, they just may turn purple. ;)
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