Birds of a Feather. . . Freak Me Out

I think it is safe to assume that most of us have done something for our kids that places us a bit outside of our comfort zone.

In all honesty, just showing up at kids birthday parties and talking to parents I don't know gives me a little bit (more) anxiety. I can't wait until they are all drop offs.

Anyway, I also think it is safe to assume that most of you know that I hate birds. I have mentioned it here a few times. I just don't like them. At all.There really isn't anything I find redeeming about them and the fact that people keep them in their homes as pets weirds me out.

So on Saturday when we met up with a girlfriend of mine and her family at the local Aquarium, I wasn't really expecting a full-on bird exhibit.

I paid $3 for a cup of nectar and for birds to land on me. On my arms and my shoulders and my head. My head! Although, I did tell the girl in there with the stick that maybe it would be in her best interest to remove the one off the top of my head before I had a literal freak out.

Granted, the birds were very colorful and vibrant up close, non-withstanding their creepy claws in my skin and hair. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.  But it was way outside the comfort zone.

Not sure how I ended up in there with the Little Lady and QT in there by myself, but I tried to show them that I wasn't afraid/freaked out/totally skeeved by winged creatures and tried to even say things like "Look at the beautiful feathers, see how they are drinking the nectar. . ." all in what was probably a voice in a much higher pitch than my regular speaking voice and probably conveyed not one lick of confidence.

Then of course someone got pooped on. There were signs that warned of this. The really chipper guy at the front of the exhibit also warned us about it as he told us to Purell before we got in there. Like, the birds should be worried about getting something from me?

I have to admit I was super psyched it wasn't me and it wasn't in my hair. Poor QT though!

Thank goodness the poo consisted of what I can only assume was mostly nectar and was obviously being drunk in high quantities by these birds. It also only got him on the foot, but it was reason enough for us to leave that bird enclosure and I am 100% sure I won't ever be going back.

Waiting for his feet to be de-poopified

Not sure what was worse for QT the bird poo or the sand he got on his foot when he briefly stepped into a sandbox area. I was having flashbacks of last summer, luckily, we spent some serious time in another sandbox yesterday afternoon and we have found that as long as he isn't wearing any shoes he can handle it.

I for one am looking forward to an amazing summer, that hopefully is pretty bird-free. Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend!