zoo boo

Yesterday was Blake's first trip to the zoo. He got more out of it than I expected; frankly I thought that the day would be for the Boy & I only. But we found out that Sprout, though he doesn't get the point of looking at something small across a barrier, does like looking at things that move. He liked the butterflies in the Indo-Malaysian pavilion and also dug the fishes in Darwin's Dream Pond. (Two of Delirium's familiars, if I'm not mistaken.) Both of these displays were bright, colourful & full of constant motion. He also flirted outrageously with nearby patrons, sending strangers into swoons at his angelic eyes. Heh. He's a popular boy, that one.

the sprout & I are intent on butterflies, despite the distracting silver video camera

a very blurry photo of us watching the fishies

explorababy!

The Boy & I also had a very good time. It was much easier for me to walk this time, as I was merely pushing an overloaded stroller rather than carrying one beneath my skin. We missed a few animals because of crowds too thick for the stroller; not to mention simple obliviousness. (Elephants? Huh? I know - I'm the only person you've ever heard of who could fail to spot a freaking elephant. It happens.) My favourites were the warthogs, the ugly cudchewers of the animal kingdom. (They nurse standing up!) We also saw:

• the alpha male orangutan angrily chase a smaller orang around the enclosure. They went around & around until the alpha stopped hooting, slowed down, and finally gave up entirely. You can just imagine his human analogue retreating, winded, to a porch as the neighborhood kids race away. Lousy kids.
• two jaguars getting into it. I think they're declawed because they weren't doing much to one another.
• a giraffe eating grass. These are just the coolest animals ever and everything they deign to do is magic.
• a polar bear swimming around its tank, balletic underwater & the sun making rainbows in fur. Ever since I read "The Golden Compass" I've secretly wanted to have a polar bear for my best friend. Shh! Don't tell anyone or everyone in the whole sixth grade will know.
• a spider monkey nurse her clingy little baby. Jeez, and I thought Blake had some separation issues. Those two little monkeys were happy as clams - although no one asked the mama to keep their enclosure clean or launder fur or go back to work in the circus after a few months. Ah, the burdens of superiority.

I had a bit of a moment at the spider monkey's cage. Blake was fussing, so I stopped to nurse. He continued to fuss, pulling his "I don't know what the hell I want!" routine which is so charming I can't stand it. I mean, it's one thing to sit patiently at home while he pulls at my clothes & pinches my skin until the breast is offered, then pulls away seconds later like I've offered him poison & arches his back like he's about to dive out of my lap, then screeches indignantly & claws at my arm when I dare to pull my shirt down. It's entirely another thing when he does it in public. I'm not embarrassed to feed him; I just want to spend a little time with my shirt down. Anyway, he pitched a fit in front of the cage, and I ended up depositing him back into his stroller. "Here! Either nurse or don't nurse, but stop pinching me!"

My heart filled with shame almost immediately. Without knowing how, I'd become a mom who yells at the zoo.

Fortunately, none of the Original Six were around to see me disgrace myself. Although we'd all come out to support the fight against cystic fibrosis, we were only able to all get together at the start & at lunch time. The Boy & I walked with Shelley & Lisanne & Dex for a while, but we lost them when we needed to change Blake's diaper. Still, it was a fabulous day and they made me proud to be associated with them.

no! I don't want to go!!

We returned home in the same state we always leave the zoo: sunburnt, exhausted & more than a little thirsty. Preacher unwittingly chose this time to call and ask me to be a groomsman; excellent timing all around.

I am so incredibly honoured by this that I can't put it into words. Poet's defection from Team Groom, while sad for all of us, paved the way for my elevation. And does this mean that I get to dance with a bridesmaid? Only time will tell. And then I'll tell you!

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- Rocketbride's adventure of 5/31/2004 07:48:00 p.m.