We went to the zoo today. I would like to say it was better than last time but I would be lying.
It started out great, freezing cold and beautiful out, there were only a few people so little to no competition for Nora to get a good view of the animals. There were a surprising amount of them out but then I noticed that keepers were out feeding them. That's how early we were.
We even got a chance to use the photo booth for once. The pics aren't that great but it was fun for Nora to study the camera and she tried to dismantle the button display. It was good times until some creepy dude outside the booth said, "I bet it's warm in there." I told him to go away and Nora yelled, "Stop it!" at him.
Then we decided to try and take the most direct route to the elephants as possible due to: 1.) me not dressing her warmly enough, 2.) her deciding that she wanted me to carry her and 3.) I was feeling excessively preg-lazy. We took a short cut past the large cats in hopes of seeing the leopards this time (or "lee-purs" according to Nora).
What we discovered was that cats are particularly amorous after feedings and don't like people to be around to witness their encounters.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0nvcdnrf161b07k/2013-10-29%2009.39.32.mp4
I didn't realize that the viewing tunnel (especially made for kids) would give my pint-size explorer a full view of the leopards doing it in what I'm sure they assumed was a private spot. Nora ducked inside the tunnel and shouted, "Uh-oh, kitties fighting! Mama, they cuddling!" By the time I could squeeze myself in there I caught a view of them doing it before the female angrily threw herself at the window. Her front paws squeaked down the glass in front of a delighted Nora who giggled and jumped. The male trotted off to a large stone and threw himself backward exposing his belly in defeat.
Our child hasn't managed to accomplish coitus interruptus on her parents but apparently she's quite adept at leopardus interruptus. Poor cats. Nora stared at them for less than a minute and then announced, "All done." How right you are, kid.
We saw the lions, orangutans, monkeys, and some insects. All were inspected for less than a minute before she would declare, "All done." Then she would remind me that we needed to see the elephants. She always runs up the path in excitement to see them.
There were three other girls about her age along with their mothers who had stopped to look at the elephants as well. Nora took an interest in them and started to follow them back down the path. I joked to one of the moms, "Toddler see, toddler do." She smiled and nodded.
Nora came back for me and pulled on my hand. The other girls were asking to go in the elephant enclosure to get a closer look. Nora looked up at me and asked, "Please?" I said ok and we followed after them. Once inside everyone made the obligatory dumb human attempt of mimicking an elephant's trumpet, I felt bad for the elephants. Nora leaned against the glass next to the eldest girl and tried to talk to her. The girl skipped away and went to stand with the other two girls. Nora looked a little downcast and came running towards me.
I understand that not everyone is going to like my kid.
I get that not every other person in the world finds her to be as adorable as we do and that some of her behavior might even be annoying to them.
But don't be mean to my kid. She's sweet, polite, and sensitive. I'm not.
Much like the elephant cow with her calf on the other side of the glass; I would rather poop on you and possibly stomp you to death than let you hurt my baby. You can stare at my big wrinkly ass all day long before I'll let you hurt her.
So when Nora decided to make a third attempt, much to my chagrin, I hung close by. She ran up to the group of girls and said, "Do you want to play?" The girl who had just snubbed her turned to her and briefly looked at her before saying, "No, go away." The other mothers simply stood there and said nothing, just stared at me, as their vile offspring giggled and turned their backs on Nora.
I didn't need to see her face to know that she was going to cry. I didn't need her to tell me how it felt because I'd been there before. She turned to look for me as I picked her up and held her close. I spoke softly to her as her chilly cheek rested against mine, "It's not you, honey. They're just mean."
She pulled away from me and looked back over my shoulder at the girls as I carried her away.
She firmly informed them, "You suck." I spun her away and looked at the other moms who I was convinced were going to let me have it. They stood with their mouths agape in OMG-mall-esque horror that someone would give their Gymboree-gits what for. I bit my lower lip, thought for a second, and merely shrugged and nodded at them.
Nora melted down in tears once we were out of the enclosure and it took a good half an hour of coaxing to get her to leave the zoo and head to the car. I was proud of her for trying to make friends, taking the chance, and learning to deal with the rejection. Who knew being 2 was so complicated?
