Zoo Day Today

It was a beautiful day today: sunny, clear and about 65 degrees so a perfect day to take Frederick to the zoo in East Lansing. (The last time Frederick and I had a "Mommy/Frederick Zoo Day" a journalist from the Lansing newspaper asked for my opinion on the zoo and my reasons for preferring Lansing zoo to the Detroit zoo. I wonder if my wisdom ever made it into print?)

Theoretical River Otters

Where are the damn river otters? Supposedly six live together in this amazing set up, complete with waterfall, a river and a bubbling pond. But they are never there...

It's Because of Us That They Have to Say That

Many, many months ago (it was mother's day in 2006) we all went to the Potter zoo to have a good time. Little did we know when we set out on that fateful day what horror loomed before us. Potter Zoo is quite old, and one of the reptile/bird/tamarin buildings dates back to the 1930s. Unlike modern cages, the spaces for the animals are small, gloomy and sterile (the plastic vinery isn't fooling anyone, human or otherwise). However, as an antiquity the building has a certain charm. To get in, you must go through two sets of swinging doors, each of which is with large wrought iron screens. I have no idea how we managed to all collide into one another as we were trying to get out of the building, but doign so managed to cause one of the iron insets to fall out of the door frame and fall onto Frederick. He went crashing to the ground, while the rest of us went sprawling out of the building. The frame, which weighed at least 40 pounds, hit Frederick on the head, shoulder and the back of his leg. Needless to say, he screamed his head off--and so did the rest of us. It didn't take long for frantic zookeepers to arrive, ready to escort us to the snackbar for comforting burgers and fries. Thomas, Simon and I ate well, but Frederick wasn't so easily bought off. They then offered him ANYTHING HE WANTED from the ZOOvenier store. He took a small stuffed wolf, but STILL wasn't happy. And then came the legal forms--pages and pages of documents, all requiring our signatures. Finally, we got out of there and got home to take naps. (The documents still followed us--for weeks we received forms in the mail asking us to swear that we wouldn't bring legal action against the zoo. We didn't--perhaps we should have for the stress caused from trying to free ourselves from the hassle of their forms?)

Seventeen months later, the wrought iron insets are gone and cheap aluminum screens have been put in their place and this sign warns all who enter this strange little building of the unseen dangers that lurk inside.

More Alarmist Signs

What past event inspired the zoo keepers to put up this sign? Not only was the tail not sharp, but the giraffes were only slightly warm. Frederick searches for danger but finds none.

Heading Home

Here is Frederick in the car, getting ready to head home. After almost two hours of constant running, he was completely exhausted--which was the point.

A Tale of Two Teeth (not really)

I didn't use the flash to take this as, when I did, Thomas's face became a featureless blur. Now he just looks strange. But if you look very closely and squint slightly you can just make out the gap between two teeth on the lower right side (his left). He was thrilled when the tooth popped out a few days ago. [And here is Thomas's amazing experience in his own words: "I was over at Bryce's and Stacy asked me and Bryce to pick up some muffin bags when I said, "Can I eat one?" and Stacy said, "Sure," so I did and I thought it was good but I felt something hard and I thought, "Did I get a prize?" but it was my tooth so I said, "I lost a tooth!" and Bryce said, "Really?" and I said, "Yea!!""] Even more exciting is the fact that two more of his teeth are about to fall out--but WHEN?!?

Thomas, Lego League President

At the start of the school year, Thomas decided to found and run The Lego League, an afterschool organization for kids whose parents work and can't pick them up right when school ends. We donated a few small lego kits to the cause and it was succesful right from the start. Thomas also created a L.L. Constitution which the kids must follow if they are to be members. (Though Thomas did insist that each student was given a warning and a second chance. I thought such leniency was a grave mistake and the organization would soon dissolved into anarchy but so far that hasn't happened.) I can't remember all the Amendments (there are four or five) but I do remember these: "No one can laugh at, ridicule or insult anyone's Lego creation." Another is "All Lego creations must be disassembled after 24 hours" but equally important, "No one can disassemble another kid's lego creation without asking first." To raise funds for the purchase of yet more kits, Thomas ran a bake sale. He designed these signs announcing the (then) upcoming event. I baked 4 dozen cupcakes for the sale and very much hoped not all would sell so I could eat one after picking him up after school. It was not to be. Not a crumb remained--what a bunch of greedy little crappers! But on the upside, Thomas netted over $30--enough to buy a rather good Mars Mission set to add to the Lego League's collection. What other political offices are in Thomas's future?

Popcorn Piggie

Frederick has worked hard to earn the title "Popcorn Piggie." Everyday he and Simon make a giant bowl of popcorn and then, once situated in his comfie beanbag chair, Frederick does his mouth stretching exercises, packing every larger fistfuls of popcorn into his maw. And don't even think about taking popcorn without asking. (Though if you do ask Frederick is more than willing to mash a few pieces into your mouth.) These pictures are about a week old; no one will be wearing shorts again for many months. After freakishly hot weather last weekend, with temperatures near 90 with 90% humidity, we now have drizzling rain with temperatures at around 50. I prefer the cold not only because Frederick's autumnal allergies will improve (or so we hope--the poor kid is already taking a cocktail of eight different medications intended to help him breathe and sleep (and during the night at the same time))--but also so we can get the fireplace ablaze and Simon can get back to making homemade bread. [Look at those pictures again--does that look like a child who is barely 4 years old?!? His shoes are as long as my hand and when I carry him, his toes bounce against my shins. How much bigger will he get? Only time will tell.]