Great Big World : The Zoo and The Aquarium

About a week ago we went to the zoo. I covered Jack in sunscreen, tried to get him to wear his hat, and packed lots of snacks and water. It was so much fun we stayed all day long.

Jack was pretty straight faced about the lions, giraffes and zebras. He cracked a few smiles for the elephants and crocodiles. He really was not even terribly impressed by the train ride. I chalked it up to him not feeling great, and maybe being a bit young. But then we saw the bats.

Jack's whole face lit up. The bats were being fed. I had never seen a bat eat. To be honest I have never paid much attention to the bats. Partly because they are kind of gross looking but mostly because they are in with the birds. But there they were, hanging upside down feasting a way, stretching their wings. Jack went crazy. He was flapping his arms, kicking his legs and making enthusiastic ohhs and ahhs. He seriously wanted to get in that cage. He cried when we left. 

The way he gravitated to something so random, something I never would have steered him towards, makes me very very happy. He decided he liked those bats all on his own. My little weirdo. Learning his likes is a constant adventure and often surprising. 

It was only a few days after the zoo that we took Jack to the aquarium. To Parker's delight Jack was quite smitten with the penguins. We must have gone at the perfect time because it was not crowded and the penguins were all swimming. We sat in front of the glass watching the penguins zoom by for a long long time. Both of my boys smiling ear to ear. Jack also enjoyed the otters. He was not the biggest fan of the sharks. He wasn't afraid they just didn't capture his interest for long.

Jack was just as interested in the people as he was in the creatures. He loves people watching. He really loves watching little kids. He enjoys all of the excitement, the hustle. He embraces the crowds and the chaos. Which I find very courageous for someone his size. 

With Jack every little thing is an adventure. Those bright eyes light up with curiosity and wonder for a single blade of grass. There is a great big world to explore and we have barely scratched the surface. Watching Jack discover the world and his place in it, is one of my greatest joys.