Animals animals animals!

So we took the boys to Maymont today. If you have never been, and you are hanging around Richmond, I recommend it thoroughly. Its worth the drive from here, that's for sure. They have a fabulous indoor, air conditioned nature center with live fish and animals, including otters! The boys were fascinated with the catfish. I think Joey could have spent the day staring at the fish and turtles (the Baltimore Aquarium trip we're planning ought to be a smash hit!). Then we took them over to the Children's Farm there- ou can feed the goats, and there are lots of other animals to see. Absolutely lovely!

The best part- that seems a weird way to put this, but anyway- was that when Joey did melt down, nobody looked at us like we were freaks, or bad parents, or anything. Everybody was SO nice, and SO sympathetic. I'm not just talking abotu people who worked there- the visitors, even older people who were talking a stroll, were all smiling and trying to be polite and nice. I was grateful. Joey was doing fine one minute, and not fine the next, and I've gotten used to the dirty looks we usually get- but they still are unpleasant. It was so much nicer to have folks understand we were working our way to the car, trying to calm him down, trying to keep the day from being a complete mess. thank you to all those people. ou made our lives SO much nicer!