We are completely broke and the van had more gas than the neon so we went down with Doug to work today and continued to the zoo. The trip started out perfect. I let Robin lead the way and he showed me that we can make really big tea with the wood chips, that if I climb the spider web and he runs away to the tunnel it makes me small like a spider, that the rope to stand behind at the gorilla exhibit only applies to adults.
We had a really good time at the gorillas. There's a mother gorilla with a baby who was born in October and the baby stays with the mother all the time. Today he walked/crawled away to go see Robin and the people who stand and take notes on the baby were so excite the baby walked three feet away from her. Dallas was really into the gorillas too until more kids came to see then he though they were there to watch him and he got all excited! We had hard boiled eggs for lunch while walking in the zoo. Let me tell you there are not enough garbage cans around that place to walk and eat. We stopped for a pose in the duck exhibit.
We ventured to the zoomasium so Dallas could get down and play too. Everyone was having a really good time. Dallas found the log tunnel thought it was so cool!
Shortly after this things went severely down hill. Robin wanted some toy on the curators desk. She stepped away and he took it. I explained that we can't take things with out asking and he needed to put it back and he yelled NO! and took off running. I had to leave Dallas in the toddler area alone and chase down Robin before he got too far into the big kids tunnel. I took away the toy and put it back where he grabbed it from and told him that Dallas and I really wanted to play and we had all stopped to watch the snort when he wanted to and we all went back to see the gorillas when he wanted to but it was his turn to be patient and try someone else idea. I can clearly see how radical unschooling would be so much easier with only one child. Maybe I just don't get it but I had to tell him no, it was Dallas' turn to have fun too. I held on to Robin until he stopped hitting me and he decided that he did want to go play in the under three area and we went back in.
There was a puppet show starting at 3:30 and so we left the toddler area and went to go see the stage. Robin didn't want to sit in the crowd so we went to the back where there were some puzzles to do and Robin and Dallas each had one to play with. Robin finished one and moved on to a different one and another kid, close in age, came up and started to play with the abandoned puzzle. Robin went over and tried to take it from him, he tried to push Robin way by sticking his hands on Robin's mouth and eyes and so, I guess the temptation was too much, robin grabbed his hand and bit it. His mother was understandable horrified. I felt to bad. I was actually nursing Robin at the time and couldn't get to the other side of the table to catch Robin. He knew he did wrong and started to run. When I caught up to him he fell to the floor and yelled "Mama be nice to me!" I said under the circumstances I think I'm being very reasonable (as I was dragging him to the bathroom (potty break before the car) I told him the little boy was really hurt and we never bite people. It was really mean to do and he needed to use words first. I pretty much freaked out and went into lecture mode. I asked him if he was sorry he made the little boy hurt and cry and he said yes. I asked him if he wanted to tell him he was sorry, he said yes. I pointed out the little boy who at the sight of Robin shrunk back into his mothers arms as if a dinosaur was back to finish him off. Robin didn't say anything, he just stared.
I put him in the stroller and we left. When we got outside he said "I don't want to go Mama." (in the most demanding voice possible) and I quietly told him I felt like crying. He started yelling at me "NO, Don't Cry." I told him I felt bad for the little boy that he still hurt (he was still crying when we left). He said he didn't want to leave, he wanted to walk, he wanted to play. I told him because he hurt someone he lost his choice today and we were leaving. I told him that he was in trouble, and that meant he didn't get to choose what were were doing now. Dallas was very tired and fell asleep when he first sat in the stroller.
By the time we made it to the car Robin had calmed down and was asking to go back and play with his friend more. That little boy was the only one he had played with.
I loaded the car and took Robin out last. I asked him what happened and he said his friend tried to shut his mouth so he bit him. I said "that must have been frustrating to have him try and shut your mouth" He said yes it was. I asked him if it made him feel better to bit him, he said no. I asked him if he would have liked to use words instead and he said yes. I said "you know what you could have said? You could have told him to get back. Next time tell him to get away if someone tries to hurt you, ok? He said ok and gave me a hug. As I was taking of his shoes he said "I love you Mama" I said "I love you to Robin, I love you always"
He has a temper. He has a hard time stopping himself right now. He's going through another developmental leap, I can tell by now. His vocabulary is booming but he can't find the words he wants to use as fast as he needs them when he is mad. I failed him. I didn't wait until he calmed down to talk about it. He felt threatened by the boy and I took the boys side because in my eyes the punishment didn't fit the crime. I can see Robin's side of it even though he started it. Robin only had a hold of the puzzle, the boy made it personal. Honestly if someone had shoved there hands on my face and near my mouth I might have bitten them too. It was too hard to stand by him when he really needed me. I feel terrible. I hope I didn't scar him for life. I want him to know he can count on me to be on his side. Thankfully he seems to have forgiven me.
Just now he came downstairs, he is suppose to be going to sleep with Doug and he asked me to pick him up. We turned towards the mirror and he said "Mama, we're cute."
