Lowry Park Zoo

This week Jen and I took Nicholas to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. We hadn't been there in a very long time even though we used to live near there. Larry and I took the kids when they were younger but as they grew up, zoos moved into the background of family activities. The zoo is wonderful now, but I remember how it was the first time we went there. The girls were very young, and there was a children's storybook area with fairy tale statues, a picnic area and walking paths. The animal section was primitive by today's standards. The animals were in cages or small enclosures.

Today the zoo is a first class establishment and often listed as one of the 10 best children's zoos in the country. Because we had a long drive we got there later in the morning. We were there all afternoon and saw a lot of it, but not all. The park is divided into geographic sections; Florida wildlife center, Africa Safari, Wallaroo Station, Asian Gardens and the Primate world. Unfortunately, we didn't see the Primate world which is often the most fun, but there was so much to look at we were worn out by the time we got to it.

It was a very hot day, but no rain which was nice. There were several places dedicated to kid interaction. The aviary had little popsicle sticks with birdseed stuck to them so kids could feed the birds.

A ramp led up to a platform where you could get up close and personal with the giraffes. Jen bought a cookie so Nicholas could feed the giraffe, but then one got up close and personal with her camera!

Kids can feed the fish in the koi pond or stroke the stingrays, but Nicholas kept a good distance from the goats! Smart kid! We watched the manatees eat the lettuce, but the real show was the turtles.

We watched a pair of them and wondered at the realtionship; parent and child maybe? The smaller one swam under the bigger one and constantly grabbed at its foot or underbelly, and occasionally its head. Finally the larger one would turn on the smaller one and nip it back.

The meerkats are so funny. One stood Sentry while the others played. I had to wonder what the sentry was thinking as he stood watching us and we watched them.

The highlight of the day may have been the final activity...playing in the fountains. There were 2 areas where kids could play in the water, but one was the obvious favorite. By mid-afternoon families camped out as if they were at the beach while the kids ran through the water. It was the perfect way for us to end the day.

After cooling off in the water, we headed for the car and the long drive home. It was a very quiet ride home!

Ahh.... Grand-Children!

This week the view from the nest is one of my favorite ones. I am spending time with my daughter and her family. I have 2 grandson's, both in the 2 1/2 to 3 year old range and all that entails from temper tantrums and defiance to singleminded activities, and busy adventures.

The mornings always go pretty well, and then come afternoon naps. Nicholas' opinion about naps is "NO! I want to PLAY!!!" (This is also his statement before breakfast, after breakfast, after lunch, during a diaper change, and following dinner.) Mom's thought is "Too bad. I need a break and you need quiet time." Mom wins...sort of. Most days Nicholas does not take a nap, but mom gets her quiet time.

The other day we spent the morning with 2 other mothers and their kids in a pool party, followed by lunch. The 3 kids are all within a few months of each other so there were 3 with the potential for melt-downs, a tug of war over toys, and vying for the leadership role. The kids played well for the most part and it was a nice morning but after swimming, I was sure Nicholas would be ready for a good nap.

Jen had an appointment so I stayed with him. I love baby monitors. Listening to it during his nap was a window into his world.

Naptime started well and I was sure he'd be asleep in just a few minutes. There were lots of yawns as he hugged his baby doll and lay in the crib. A few minutes later he started telling baby all about the morning. "I went swimming. I move my arms and legs. I went swimming..." Then he started rolling around. The voice was louder. "My turn!" "No, my turn!" "My turn, my turn, my turn!" He was obviously re-living playing with the other kids earlier in the day. As the 'nap' went on, his monologue covered pretty much everything that happened in the last 24 hours; playing cars, throwing the ball in the big basketball hoop, riding his bike, Miss Maggie in her bed... no topic was ignored. 1 hour into the nap he was jumping around in his crib, 30 minutes later rolling all around still chattering away. Watching him through the baby monitor I just had to chuckle. Quiet time? And yet he was. For an hour and a half he cheerfully stayed in his crib and carried out his running monologue, just as he has for the last 3 days.

His parents would like to move him into a 'big boy bed', but I can see the difficulty with a little boy who has such a good time during his naptime. It reminds me of one of the things I love about being a grandparent.... It's not my problem!