Les Bonnes Choses

The family visited the Brookfield Zoo yesterday afternoon, squeezing every last bit of utility out of our membership before our it expired. I'm sure we've gotten our money's worth out of it. It's been a good teaching tool for Jude, and Asher adores animals, though he seems most fascinated with the squirrels, robins and chickadees that roam the park (and most urban yards) freely.

Still, this is the first visit we've made to the park since Asher started talking. For the first time, he's been able to express his thoughts on the zoo. Take for example the following conversations:

At the rhinoceros house
Me: What's the rhinoceros doing?
Asher: Walking!
Me: Why is he walking?
Asher: Poop!
Me: He's walking for poop?
Asher: Yah!

At the wild horses
Me: What are the horses doing?
Asher: Walking!
Me: Why?
Asher: Poop!
Me: The horses are walking for poop?
Asher: Yah!

At the aardvark house
Me: Asher, the aardvark is walking!
Asher: Poop!
Me: Of course. The aardvark is walking for poop.

I know, I know. I have no idea. But I do note that the aardvark had just pooped, so maybe there's something about toilet training that cuts an important connection we have with animals. Maybe toddlers in diapers are like little animal whisperers, in their own gastrointestinal way.