Going to the Zoo

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Morgan is becoming quite adept at pretending. Earlier today, we pretended to drink the bath water, for example. We pretend quite a few things daily.

This evening she was talking to her Dad about the raisins that she needed to feed her animals at the zoo. We talked about what animals she will feed the raisin to and then she suggested that we actually go to the zoo. So, while I'm prepping my "I'm making plans and we'll be going to the zoo next week" speech, her dad immediately says "Let's get in the car and you drive us to the zoo, Morgan."

To which her reply was "No Daddy, we need the van." So, we changed how we were sitting on the chaise lounge (now it is a van).

She drove us to the zoo, told us what we were seeing as we went. We saw koala bears eating eucalyptus leaves, giraffes with 7 bones in their necks, turtles with hard shells (as opposed to the ones with soft shells), dolphins, monkeys - who eat raisins, as well as others that my Pear Cider brain can't think of at the moment. Sometimes we were the animals, sometimes, she was the animal.

She drove us between each animal area and asked us where we wanted to go/what we wanted to see next. When we told her we were tired and hungry, she said she'd drive us to the aquarium to eat "chicken fries." All in all it was a great fun-filled evening of "going to the zoo."

I was already planning on taking her soon; now I really have to get moving on that plan. We're members so it really only costs gas money to get there. Last year we used the heck out of our membership. We only have to go two times for it to be "worth it." We went to the Louisville zoo at least 4 times, and the Cincinnati Zoo at least 3 times (half off there). So, we for sure got our money's worth out of it. I think we'll probably go every couple of weeks this summer. It is a nice long day of interesting stuff for her to do.

She has been watching some National Geographic video that we got from Mike's sister Laura. She loves it - maybe we should get a membership at the Aquarium as well. Anyway, the video talks about the difference between fish and dolphins/whales. It discusses humans and dolphins being mammals and that fish aren't mammals. Morgan is really trying to figure this mammal/human thing out. Several times a day she talks about that she is a human and that she is a mammal. She knows that dolphins and whales are mammals, but she is still a little confused about the other animals in her life. She's not convinced that Hyena and Lester are mammals - she knows they're animals. She's just not convinced that they are mammals, but not humans.

Really, even though at times I just want to wring her neck (she is 2 and a half, you know) I really enjoy being with her and watching her explore her world. OK, I don't necessarily enjoy watching her explore her world by testing my limits and biting her sister, but in general I do enjoy her.