Missed opportunity, balloon party, and fallign off the floor

First of all, I wanted to share a missed opportunity that I witnessed today. The wife was meeting her mommy group at the local zoo (standard stomping grounds for the boys and I). I already have discussed (on earlier entries) the entire dynamic of "mommy groups" and how they are primarily for the moms and not the kids, so I'll leave that topic alone. It's weird, but when my wife is exposed to the "group dynamic", she really seems to change personalities. Just like all the other ladies, she sems more interested in chatting with the girls than being with the boys. (OUR boys). Today, I decided to tag along - the wife didnt' have work, our family pass gets us all in free, and I had nothing else better to do.

First notable thing was that, although normally a friendly outgoing group, the most that was said to me the entire outing was when a new member of the group looked back and saw that a "strange man" was folowing them - and she asked the girls who I was. She even said "Oh - I was wondering who thsi strange man following us was". Beyond that, I was pretty much on my own, except for my boys.

When we go to the zoo, I always take advantage of it as a learning experience. Mothers yell at their kids to "get away from those bugs", while Im calling mine over to show them the kewl insect I found. Just from talking about "bad bugs" and "good bugs", my 3 yr old knows how many wings a dragon fly has vs a butterfly. He knows the importance of spiders, that Orb Weavers make big BIG spiral webs, and that bats (although scarey at times) actually help us by eating mostiquitoes. Also, that the although the python and anacanda DO bite, they prefer to hug their food. Simple little things that act like building blocks.

Today, we walked by the lion's area. Previously, we had seen their ball in the water (moat that surrounds their area). As he gazed thru the plexiglass window, a girl from "our" group joined him. Logan was going on about how the zookeepers must have got the ball from the water - then he asked why is didn't sink. At this point, the girls mom approached, told the girl "Come on - there's nothing to see - there's no animals here", and made her leave. True - the lions were farther up, and not visable from that viewpoint, but we could still see their glassland area - their lake (moat) - plenty of things to see and talk about.

I went on to explain that the ball didn't sing because their was air inside of it. A rock had no air in it, so it sinks - but a ball will float.

Later that day, he had a balloon (non helium), and told me that "This bloon foat dad. Not in air, it not have speshal air - but it foat on water, like lions ball".

I thought "SWEET!!"

That mom really missed an oportunity today. Becaause there were no animals visable, standing their was pointless, and they had to move on. I, on the other hand, took the time to talk with my boy, and laid the ground work for bouyancy, comparitive measuring, rocks sink and balls float - and who knows what else. There are times when I think "I'm really overexplaining something". And Im sure at times I do. I try not to overburden his small mind with "stuff", but each time to give him another mental Lego to add on to what we already talked about.

BALLOON PARTY

When ballons fly away from us (and up to the sky), we tell the boys that they are on their way to a private "balloon party". We wave, wish them well, and are happy because they get to go to a party. It's much better than listening to cries of "I WANT MY BALLOOOOOON!!!"

FALLING:

Time to lay an old saying to rest. I've often said "You can't fall off the ground". But tonight, I was laying down, and as I tried to get up, my foot slipped out and I fell right back down. It wasn't off the ground very much - only an inch or so, but suddenly goign in a downward direction was a bit of a suprise to me. I guess you really CAN fall off the ground!