The Leah Effect

A few days ago, I took Sophie to the zoo with her cousin Leah. Leah's school was out due to teacher in-service. We had a great time. We saw a leopard, lion, lots of birds, including a parrot that said "hello" and "mama." We also saw snakes and learned exactly why they make terrible pets. Most of the time people who get snakes from a pet store are getting one that's sick. Snakes need a delicate balance of light, water, and temperature. They hate being held and are moody. Many people who get snakes as pets end up calling the zoo to donate them and are refused due to over-crowding. I made sure Leah was listening loud and clear. She agreed after learning about snakes, that she doesn't want one for a pet.: )

Sophie baaaaaed at the sheep and wanted to put her little fingers in every cage we approached. Leah was a great helper in keeping Sophie's sweet fingers safe from harm. Sophie enjoyed following Leah around and being chased. These days, Leah can't sit still and talk to you, but rather rolls back and forth on her spine in a yoga pose. What's funny is that after hanging out with Leah for the afternoon, Sophie enjoys lying on her back and putting her feet up. I call this the Leah effect.