Sharks

The NY Aquarium is included in our Wildlife Conservation Society membership. Lucky for us, because Jacob LOVES this place. It's in Brooklyn, and when we lived there I took Emily all the time, she was also obsessed with ocean life, but her favorites were whales - especially Beluga's, which they had there at the time. It's not a bad drive from here, and so I try to get him there once a month.

We hadn't been since the Christmas break, and he had been asking & asking to go but there was a catch, he wanted his BFF Colin to come too. Last Friday our schedules matched up, and we picked Colin up from pre-school and headed down there. My big plan for the aquarium & zoos, is to go later in the day - that way all the school field trips are eating lunch, and then leave not long after we get there, and I don't fear losing my kids in the chaotic masses.

This day was perfect, there were 2 school buses in the lot - but we never saw any kids, so they must have been heading out while we were in the entrance area (where there are a couple of eels that Jacob loves.)
Of course, we headed right to the sharks. Then on to the other exhibits. Jane is finally tall enough to reach the viewing areas - just.

Colin.

Waiting to see the demonstration of ocean waves in caves.

Jacob is more attentive at the aquarium, than anywhere else.

Winter in NY lasts SO long. It really won't be warm here until mid May. Sigh.
Anytime I can get my kids outside in the cold weather months to stretch their legs, is a good day. When we are somewhere like this and there's not a crowd, it's wonderful to give them free reign, and watch them run.

The 3 of them ran in a circle like this for maybe 10 or 15 minutes. So cute.

After we had seen everything else, we went back to the sharks. Jake can never get enough looking at sharks. He frequently talks about when he gets big he's going to go diving with them!

My kids are sure this is Crush (from Finding Nemo.)

Jane and Colin ran around in here, while Jacob stood mesmerized.

Then they got a big cookie each (Colin chose the octopus, my 2 wanted the fish) and went to watch the seal show.

Jane (being Jane) scraped of the frosting with her teeth, and threw the rest away.

Osborn the seal.

I don't think Colin shares Jacob's love for all things aquatic - and maybe all the talk of sharks had made him nervous. We were right in the front row of seats, and he was a little bit worried that the seal was going to bite him. Here he is telling me that he could see it's teeth, and he wasn't really happy about "those long things" (whiskers) either!

Once the show got going, he was really excited and stopped being worried. Once the music started all 3 kids were bopping, and clapping and laughing at the seal.

It started to rain just as the seal show was ending, so we made a mad dash for the car, and hit the road home. Traffic was heavy so it took a little while, but all 3 kids fell asleep and the ride was peaceful. Such a great day.

As we were leaving Jacob asked "Mom, you love sharks?" I grew up in Australia, and spent the better part of my youth at the beach, where I actively tried to avoid them, and always swam between the flags. After seeing the movie Jaws as a teenager, I couldn't sleep for weeks because I was convinced a giant Great White was going to appear in our family pool. I have a long history of being terrified of sharks.

I love my son, and I love the pure joy this interest brings him.
I replied honestly "Yes Jacob, I do."