It is thought that some fast-flying butterflies can travel up to 30mph. If that is true, I believe Julia travels at a rate of 60mph. We went to
Meijer Gardens today. They've got the butterflies fluttering about there now and I thought it would be a fun way to put away the
missin' daddy blues.
For some goofy reason, I thought Julia would be just f-i-n-e without a stroller. She would just be so enamored of the beautiful butterflies that she would just stroll calmly around. Wrong. She was just thrilled that someone was allowing her to be free from her restraints and off she went. Carrying her wasn't her idea of fun and I agreed because...I, of course, had an 8 pound camera around my neck and a 10 pound backpack on.
I just must have been a wonderful example of what all moms strive to be when I grabbed her by the hand and dragged her along side me. That didn't last long because she would just go limp like a 'possum, and drop to the ground. Once I was
gullible enough to let go, she made her escape just full of glee and running
amok only stopping to point and yell at the butterflies if they dared fly anywhere within her aerospace.
The Gardens' personnel would stop and look at her with amusement...one even attempted to talk to her about those pesky butterflies. She shot that one a smug look and took off into a tunnel to have a seat in a puddle of waterfall spray. But she had no intention of having a seat when I got the bright idea to take a picture in the
perty place.
Lauren stood by a stubborn blue butterfly for 15 minutes. We only know it was blue because we saw it land. That thing refused to open it's black exterior wings and show it's inside true color, but Lauren just sat and patiently waited to see her favorite color.
yup...it's blue in there
I must have lapped her 6 times chasing Julia and by the final pass, Lauren had determined the sluggish butterfly was near death and we needed to go. She even grabbed Julia.
We passed through the cactus display and the taste of spring room, where the kids had fun pretending to be caterpillars.
Below is the most amazing picture of Lauren (my new favorite). It was taken upon her insistence and I'm so glad she did. But...I did have to put Julia in a scissor lock by my legs in order to get the shot
(that's why Lauren looks so amused). When she squirmed free, she made a beeline for a very breakable pot of none-too-cheap orchids. I pried the pot and pile of dirt from her hands and we moved in the direction of the exit.
We older girls laughed all the way to the car about
ol' Julia terrorizing
Meijer Gardens.
Then she moved on to "showing" him how to draw with a water pen so that "he can learn".
She willingly let him try once by my count and then he just took the pen back by force (thankfully, she allowed it).
Lauren gladly read him any and every book. He was just up from a nap, so he sat and listened to every one.
Julia was a little shy at first, but then they shared some common interests (having a snack and drinkypoo) Then, she was comfortable enough to snatch his sippy cup and give hers in return. When he made an attempt at getting his back, she was not as gracious as Sarah and simply took hers too.
She later said "C'mon Bant!" and gave Brandt a lesson in climbing stairs...something he was not doing until then. My apologies to his mom and dad!!!
Posts
