If I could talk to the animals.... just imagine it!

Oh we had the nicest time outside today. While Daddy mowed the lawn Ash and Mommy played and played and played... in a tame way so as not to cause problems with baby 2. Ash is starting to get the idea that she can play the same way outside that she does inside. For the last few months outside has been endless exploration moving quickly from one thing to another... and when your yard is as big as ours that is a lot of foot work. This time however while we were out we went from one play area to another exploring that area in depth and then actually playing. She asked to be put into the swing this time.... however balked once there. So we are perhaps a step closer but as I said we will not push that. With the recent ( and seeming interminable) rain it was wet and muddy in a lot of places so my child looked like a mud pie long before she was thinking that it was time to stop playing... and as I am a go ahead and get dirty kind of mom, I didn't dream of stopping her. Digging in the dirt plays a huge part in building up that immune system that she is still building, so I say let her rip. And Ash did. She is not a fan of dirty hands however so I spend a lot of our time outside helping her to get her hands clean again.
I have voiced a request and Dave agreed that within the next few weeks here we need to get me a big comfy lawn chair and Ash a wading pool, a swim suit, swimming diapers, and toys toys toys for said wading pool. As it has yet to reach 70 today not such a great day for it... but July and August are coming... and after the baby is born I can sit with said new child in shade and still manage to play with Ash. We have a great little activity bouncer for outside with mosquito netting that I got from my cousin that we never got to use for Ash... because by the time we could have used it she was sitting up, pulling up and otherwise moving towards toddlerhood and it would have been dangerous. I almost gave it away.... and then low and behold. Some times there is a plan that we just don't see right away.
While Daddy was mowing he took out a rabbit nest that was full of baby bunnies. I am sorry to say that only three of them made it out.... however Daddy was able to catch two of said three and we introduced Ash to the bunnies. I held one and Dave held one and Ash was enthralled. So much so that it was really hard on her when we let them go. We had considered keeping them, but they were old enough that they would never really have been tame... and as we were walking to the house with them we saw mommy bunny looking for them... We did the right thing and returned those bunnies to their mommy. It was absolutely awesome to watch my young daughter as she reached out and pointed out eyes and nose and ears, repeating over and over "gentle bunny gentle" and she pet them. She went back and forth from the one I held to the one that daddy held and was in heaven. I had not brought out the camera so there are not any photos of these moments... and it is as always Murphy's Law. I thought of the camera as I was close to the house... but Daddy was busy mowing and I didn't want to leave Ash to run and get it... and besides I reasoned there are only so many pictures that anybody wants to see of the same thing different outfit. I guess my lesson is learned.
This is not the first time that we have introduced Ashlynn to mother nature. Dave has a remarkable way with animals and has caught many that he has brought for her to meet. Some she has been allowed to touch others not so much. She has been up close and personal with a squirrel, a possum ( I was worried he would get bit for that one), and a baby raccoon. I have also caught a couple of snakes that we have introduced her to, and we got a preying mantis that she was not impressed by. We are both of the firm belief that this is a good thing for her, and we will continue such encounters as they present themselves. Every child is different, and so we were not expecting any one type of behavior out of her and even prepared if need be for a little fear. Instead we got fascination and curiosity and then anger and hurt when the experience was over before she was ready for it to be. We are thrilled that there was not a fear reaction! Fear would have been understandable and for some children the natural reaction and may be the reaction that our next daughter has... but with Ash it looks like we may just have a nature lover.
Several of the books that we have deal with the Zoo. And those are some of her favorites. She can correctly identify and name Elephants, giraffes, hippos, seals, bears, monkeys( her personal favorite), and Zebras. As well as the smaller counterparts of mouse, bunny rabbit, squirrels, frogs, snakes, and birdies ( and if you say parrot she will tell you that a parrot is a birdie) in the wild and sheep, cows, pigs, ponies, roosters ( though all chickens are roosters except baby chicks and all say cock-a doodle ( no doo), and goats. She can also make the sounds of all of the animals that make sounds.... except the elephant because mommy just can't come up with a good way to make an elephant trumpet sound. Animals animals animals... she loves them. It seems whether they are stuffed or alive. Dave and I have planned that the weekend after I am released post partum we will take her to the Zoo. Until then Mommy wouldn't be able to make the trip. However there is a nearby farm that we will visit soon that has goats and horses... and there is a peacock farm owned by a friend that we have discussed visiting... as well as a little place near us called The Children's farm. As you can see we are happy to encourage her love of animals!
So I don't have any pictures of today and I apologize for that.... it disappoints me too... but the pictures that are posted with this are less than a week old, and I hope that looking at recent photos of our future zoologist!