Singing and Dolphin Show

It has gotten cold here recently, so Nicholas and I went to the aquarium as an indoor activity. And I am so glad we got the membership. Otherwise I would feel guilty that we hardly looked at the exhibits at all today.

Apparently Wednesday mornings in October are "Tots and Tales," which is a short story and then kids' music and dancing. It is aimed at toddlers, but Nicholas had a blast. He couldn't sing along or do the movements, but I sang and moved his arms and legs in approximations of the instructions. He loved the songs and thought the toddlers dancing around were great fun. And he totally recognizes "If you're happy and you know it," which is his favorite song we do with him. As soon as the musician started it, Nicholas started grinning. I wish I could share pictures or a movie to show you how excited he was, but I couldn't hold him and help him dance and take pictures. This is the problem with outings with just one of us.

Then we went to the dolphin show. I wouldn't have bought tickets because I didn't think he would last for an hour in the aquarium and still have the patience to sit still for a show. But they give them out free to members if they have more left than they think they'll sell. So I took the ticket when it was offered as we entered, and figured that if we didn't go or had to leave a couple minutes into the show, we hadn't wasted any money. And my best-case scenario was that he would be patient enough to let me watch the show. But he loved it!

I underestimated him. I did not expect him to be so well behaved, let alone to get so much out of it. I guess I don't know what he took from it, but I do know that he followed the dolphins around the tank with his eyes, that his eyes practically bugged out of his head when the dolphins jumped, and that during the "finale" when the dolphins were jumping and the audience was clapping to the music, he was laughing and grinning and babbling. The sheer wonderment in his eyes as he watched melted my heart. I didn't expect wonderment because I wouldn't think he could know that watching dolphins is unusual and special. But he showed me.

I did manage to snap a couple pictures while we were sitting at the show, although at awkward angles.

Here he is before the show started, waiting patiently:

From Nicholas - Month 5

And here he is watching the dolphins in rapt attention:

From Nicholas - Month 5

Can you guess who is going back next Wednesday morning?