A Visit With the Butterflies

While spending the weekend in DC with Noni, Grandpa, Uncle Jon and Oma we took some time this morning to go to a butterfly exhibit. This is a big open aviary/greenhouse type building that is just filled with butterflies. Both the kids are fascinated with butterflies right now and were very excited about going to see them.




There were some important ground rules such as no running, no screaming and no touching the butterflies. These were difficult for Jeffrey to process. Once we got inside and saw the butterflies it was hopeless. He was so enchanted by them that he would scream with glee every time one flew by him. And if one was still enough he'd reach his finger out to "pet" it and shriek as soon as it would flutter its wings and fly away. And forget about not running. How can one not run after something that is so amazing. Even still he did manage to remain still enough for a few seconds at one point that a butterfly landed on his shoulder. This resulted in the loudest squeal of glee of the entire morning - and immediately terrified the butterfly off his shoulder.


Erin wanted very badly for a butterfly to come and sit with her. She would try and sit very still and put her hand out next to a nearby "flutterby". But any time one would get close to her she'd jerk her hand away and giggle. With the ones she saw flying through the air she would run after it clapping her hands together as if she could catch one in her grasp. She would stop often when she saw one on the ground or a nearby flower and get up very close to it as if she was inspecting every detail of their wings.



All in all the kids loved the trip. Much more exciting than when we took Erin almost 3 years ago. That time she was most excited about the stones in the paths. This time it was all about the butterflies.