I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
We had a family trip to the zoo last weekend, the second time MOTS and I have been, and the first we've been since we became three.
I'm no fan of the zoo - any zoo. The last time there the big cats were pacing, the chimps were bored, and it was a shame to see them like that. The penguins seemed happy as Larry though. Anyway, this time was much better.
It was so cold last Saturday. And because it was St Andrew's day on Sunday their entrance fee was waived - hence we paid to go on Saturday because it would be less busy.
And so it was. There was hardly a crowd anywhere.
What hit the spot with the little guy then? Well, first up were the penguins. He's well into mimicking animals (and yes that includes Daddy), so walks like a penguin when we ask what they do. He was amazed watching them dive and swim, as was I - I'd forgotten just how fast they can swim.
We worked our way up the hill, the big cats have more room now, so much so that we only saw one Jaguar (we were assured by the information boards that this was indeed the John Prescott enclosure). A spot of lunch and he saw the soft play area just before we left. Shoes off, and heading over, Daddy caught sight of the "pay at the till" sign. Hmm, too long a queue for food, we're leaving anyway - let's put up with the screaming. And Junior wasn't too bad either.
Two notable visits after lunch, in no particular order. The penguin parade went rather well. With just enough people to justify a long parade - we were lucky enough to be at the start so had to move over to the end to block them in - they opened the gates. The penguins that come out do so purely on a voluntary basis, and they need at least two. About half a dozen came out, led by a rockhopper. They went down rather well, with an enthusiasm bettered only by the visit to the chimps.
Our family portrait...They have built a new chimp enclosure, opening in Spring this year. There's a large informational exhibition area, a first floor viewing platform overlooking three interconnecting rooms each with different light levels and equipment for them, and a large outdoor area with lots to climb on. A second exhibition area looking over one room that converts into a cinema is a really good space for visitors. None of the residents looked as unhappy as our last visit years ago, that's for sure. Anyway, Junior's new obsession became the "monkey". Armed with a £1.50 gift voucher MOTS got a small monkey from the shop on the way out, which is now part of "the family". Bed partners now have to include Puppy, Bear and now also Monkey.
Oh, and it's chapter 11 & 12 on The Jungle Book for the scene where Mowgli gets kidnapped and taken to King Louie's lair where the big beast demands the secret of man's red fire. Not that we've worn out that section of DVD yet, but it's coming!
And as I've touched upon it briefly here there's no pint in another post to say the same thing. I have my own little limpet at the moment. Everything Daddy does, so the boy wants to watch an then do himself. Which will come in really handy for toilet training, and I'm yet to worry about anything he's copying. I seem to have developed a heavier leg, having an extra 2 stone on one a lot of the time. MOTS is definitely taking a bit of demotion at the moment, the frequency of crying out "Mummy, Daddy" is on the slide in direct proportion to the increase in "Daddy, Mummy" or just "My Daddy". And when he's not settling down at bedtime and crying out like that it's really easy for me to ignore "Mummy, Daddy" and leave him, but it pulls away inside when it's one of the other two. I can still leave him, but it isn't as easy.
Our last visit to the big soft play place we go to said it all though. While he's becoming Daddy's little shadow he can drop me in an instant too. We were the only people there for a while, so he wanted me in the equipment with him. Fair enough, I love it in there (but won't do the top level, there's got to be sanctuary somewhere - that and I'm terrified by the prospect of the cargo net up to it). As soon as another two kids came in he left me stuck between two big cylinders and headed off after them. He is so into watching what anybody is doing, even if I get dropped now and again. But if I do I can always watch one of my DVDs. Oh hello son, you want what? "Monkey". Here we go, chapter 11...
