Connie and the Trip to the Museum.
Jul. 1st, 2005 03:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly
Jenn and 'dul are packing, so I got the job of distracting Ana so she wouldn't know all her toys were gone.
Anyway, I showed up at 9 with food, because the toddler program today (music and dance) was supposed to start at 10.
Except it didn't. It started at 11. The person at the desk directed us to go to the duck pond, full of animals and we could feed them crackers. So she said.
Amazingly, I didn't get lost on my (barefoot!) walk to the picturesque duck pond to look at the picturesque ducks and pigeons. I carefully avoided the picturesque poop (another answer as to why the "but there could be glass" argument is stupid. I am fully capable of stepping around things) and went to edge of the picturesque green water. The overfed waterfowl refused to eat our crackers, so I stopped tossing them. Bread that's been soaking can harm birds.
After that, we headed back a ways, and almost did get lost, but it was all for the best... because I discovered a mulberry tree! It even had a sign attached identifying it as such. I'm still barefoot, of course, so my feet rapidly get stained purple as I pick berries (not really berries) and hand them to Ana or eat them myself. Ana was so cute, after she got the idea, she wanted to pick some herself. Unfortunately, she wasn't tall enough, so I picked her up and pointed out the dark ones she could pick. That's how my shirt got all stained, from her hands.
And we saw a squirrel, and did *not* chase it, but instead crouched down and watched it carefully and quietly. Ana is stunningly good with animals, for a toddler.
And now it's time for the toddler program. And Ana cries if I try to take her in. So we sit on the stairs. And she watches the kids, and she giggle, but she won't go in. And when a man comes by with a bright pet bird on his shoulder, she's so convinced I'm trying to carry her in that she refuses to be picked up to get a closer look. *shrugs*
Eventually, they refund our money because it's clear she's not going inside the toddler program, and we head into the museum proper. We have some fun with the large-size games, and in the exploratoreum, but then the big kids (comparatively speaking) show up. They should watch out for toddlers, but of course they forget, and it's no good reminding them after somebody gets knocked over. So I have my bright idea, and head down to the block harbor area, which is small, and often empty.
This was the best idea. It was quiet, so I could let her play by herself without hovering, and because all the blocks were put away out of order, I got to spend an entertaining few minutes sorting them out again. And I discovered these pull-along toys. There's three different sets: pets, zoo, farm. Ana loved them. She loved pulling them. She loved taking them apart. She loved putting them together. So I know what I have to buy. And they had a set of blocks that smelled just like school again. This, for some reason, made me nostalgic. Go figure.
And then another little girl came in, and Ana followed her around for a while, and then they left, and then we left and played outside. Poor Ana. She wanted to splash people, but she only ever could get herself wet.
And then we came home.
Or beggings, whatever.
I'm just looking at this, and I think Ana-dearest would like that.
And this train....
And this whole set...
And I'd like these. Well, I would.
And a Thai set of blocks?
And these blocks are just cool
As are these.
I need to stop buying toys for Ana and just buy them for myself, apparently.
Anyway, I showed up at 9 with food, because the toddler program today (music and dance) was supposed to start at 10.
Except it didn't. It started at 11. The person at the desk directed us to go to the duck pond, full of animals and we could feed them crackers. So she said.
Amazingly, I didn't get lost on my (barefoot!) walk to the picturesque duck pond to look at the picturesque ducks and pigeons. I carefully avoided the picturesque poop (another answer as to why the "but there could be glass" argument is stupid. I am fully capable of stepping around things) and went to edge of the picturesque green water. The overfed waterfowl refused to eat our crackers, so I stopped tossing them. Bread that's been soaking can harm birds.
After that, we headed back a ways, and almost did get lost, but it was all for the best... because I discovered a mulberry tree! It even had a sign attached identifying it as such. I'm still barefoot, of course, so my feet rapidly get stained purple as I pick berries (not really berries) and hand them to Ana or eat them myself. Ana was so cute, after she got the idea, she wanted to pick some herself. Unfortunately, she wasn't tall enough, so I picked her up and pointed out the dark ones she could pick. That's how my shirt got all stained, from her hands.
And we saw a squirrel, and did *not* chase it, but instead crouched down and watched it carefully and quietly. Ana is stunningly good with animals, for a toddler.
And now it's time for the toddler program. And Ana cries if I try to take her in. So we sit on the stairs. And she watches the kids, and she giggle, but she won't go in. And when a man comes by with a bright pet bird on his shoulder, she's so convinced I'm trying to carry her in that she refuses to be picked up to get a closer look. *shrugs*
Eventually, they refund our money because it's clear she's not going inside the toddler program, and we head into the museum proper. We have some fun with the large-size games, and in the exploratoreum, but then the big kids (comparatively speaking) show up. They should watch out for toddlers, but of course they forget, and it's no good reminding them after somebody gets knocked over. So I have my bright idea, and head down to the block harbor area, which is small, and often empty.
This was the best idea. It was quiet, so I could let her play by herself without hovering, and because all the blocks were put away out of order, I got to spend an entertaining few minutes sorting them out again. And I discovered these pull-along toys. There's three different sets: pets, zoo, farm. Ana loved them. She loved pulling them. She loved taking them apart. She loved putting them together. So I know what I have to buy. And they had a set of blocks that smelled just like school again. This, for some reason, made me nostalgic. Go figure.
And then another little girl came in, and Ana followed her around for a while, and then they left, and then we left and played outside. Poor Ana. She wanted to splash people, but she only ever could get herself wet.
And then we came home.
Or beggings, whatever.
I'm just looking at this, and I think Ana-dearest would like that.
And this train....
And this whole set...
And I'd like these. Well, I would.
And a Thai set of blocks?
And these blocks are just cool
As are these.
I need to stop buying toys for Ana and just buy them for myself, apparently.
