They seemed okay. I told Daddy (who was at work) that I may be crazy to take them, but we were going to head out to the zoo for a little bit! I didn't tell the girls where we were going and they had a lot of fun with the anticipation and trying to figure it out on their own. Once we were about 5 minutes from there, L knew! They were screaming happy screams in the car once the surprise was out, "We were going to the zoo." They were happy and they were acting fine. I did bring our thermometer and the ibuprofen... I felt like I was making a bad decision taking them. We should have stayed home and gotten rest!! ( I know, I keep saying this!)
We went in and they were so excited! Excited because it had been about a month since we had been there (maybe a little longer), excited because I brought our wagon instead of the stroller. They normally walk at the zoo. But sometimes they get tired and want to ride. They sit to eat their snacks, and we take a lot of stuff!! M was pulling the wagon WHEN IT HAPPENED ... we were getting close to the giraffes. M was pulling the wagon and she was walking between L and myself and I saw it coming as I started to hear L scream the most awful blood curdling screams. I heard 3 other people scream as I jumped over the wagon to get her. A goose had been sitting on the fence by the giraffes AND WAS FLYING STRAIGHT TOWARD HER. Honking it scary honk as it was coming near her. She was scared and honestly I was too. I just knew it was going to get her! I knew we were about to end up at the hospital. I didn't have a lot of time to think as I leaped over our wagon. There wasn't time to move her. I got next to her and bent myself over her body (if that makes sense) and right as I did, it flew straight into me and kept right on going. As it hit me, it jerked my head a little, knocked my glasses off of my head and it's feet (as it went by) got tangled in my hair pulling some of my hair out of my ponytail. In the blink of an eye it was over. It was gone! All I could hear were girls crying. For a minute it seemed like we were the only ones there as I sat straight to the ground, in the middle of everything and pulled both of my screaming girls onto my lap. Close to me. Safe in my arms telling them everything was okay and that I wasn't going to let that goose get them.
I was talking in such a calm soothing voice as best as I could and I was holding back the tears! As I was telling them I wasn't going to let the goose get them, in my head, I just knew it was about to. When those things walk around, they are as tall as my girls are. I think it really would've hurt her. I don't think I'll ever forget that scream of L's that I honestly HOPE I NEVER HEAR AGAIN! Total fear!
People just stood and watched as I soothed my girls. No one came over to see if we were okay. Only one woman made a comment after we had collected ourselves and I was giving my girls a snack to try to move on with our day. As she walked by, she said, "I bet you wish you have a video of that." Honestly, only to show my husband! But other than that, really I don't! I can hear her screams in my mind and they were awful ... and I certainly didn't want either of them to see it again. In my nicest sarcastic voice I thanked her for asking if we were okay. As we made our way to the elephants a few geese flew in the sky, honking as they do and both girls began to get a little anxious. I assured them that they were fine and the geese were way up in the air (as I pointed to them). We decided to stay and carry on. For the next 20 minutes or so, M said over and over, "I don't like birds!" In my mind, I knew we shouldn't have came!!
They were having fun. No one would've ever guessed they were sick. They had their normal appetites (which have been coming and going, letting me know they were getting sick). Now just to defend myself a bit. Walking around the zoo, we're outside not really interacting with others, it's not like I took them to Chuck E Cheese where they would be directly touching things other kids would touch making others sick. If their nose runs, I'm right on it. Just sayin' ...
A little bit of time went by. They had been playing and laughing We made it half way through the zoo and M wanted me to hold her, she was hot! I took her temperature and she had a fever. She needed some ibuprofen, I gave it to her, it was time to leave. We walked up the big hill (to cut though to leave). It is an actual paved path, and about 50 feet to the left were 2 geese in the grass. I walked on the side of the geese, telling them once again that I wouldn't let it get them (as I hoped they didn't come near us)! M was better as she walked and held my hand... I was go glad we were leaving.
Both of the girls fell asleep before we left the parking lot, I felt horrible that I took them out; feeling like the worst mom of the year as I drove home! I knew it was going to be ugly when I woke them up to take them inside the house. It was nearing 5:00, they were tired, not feeling good, just wanting to either sleep or for me to hold them as I would take them out of the car. Daddy was working an odd shift that day AND they asked him to work late. So I was going to have to do baths and make dinner (normally Daddy makes dinner, I am very lucky!).
The time between waking them from the car and laying down for bed wasn't pretty! L talked about the goose while in the tub. Saying it wasn't funny, it wasn't fun, and she's so cute. She's 3 and she said, "I appreciate you not letting the bird get me Mommy". I love her!! She talked about it at dinner. (We do things a little backwards than most I think with the bath before dinner, but that's what works for us!) She had a hard time falling asleep. I laid with her for 2 hours! She held onto me like she never had before!
Early this morning (4 am ish) she yelled out in her sleep, "No mommy don't let it" She didn't finish what she was saying as I snuggled her even closer than she already was (at this moment so grateful that we co-sleep)! While I was making breakfast , there was a robin on our walkway right outside our window. I always point out the animals whenever I see them. They typically like to watch the birds and squirrels in the front yard! As I pointed it out, M responded with here normal, "where Mommy" and when she saw it, she started telling me over and over again that she doesn't like birds! We talked about it and let it be.
They are now sleeping, they don't feel good and needed a rest! My girls that don't nap! But I'm glad I was able to write this before too much time passed...
Have you and your little ones ever had any close calls with animals? What happened?
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