LILA THE LAMBIE

Kinley and I had our very first zoo adventure of 2014 this week and we had so much fun that a whole post is in the works about it. Kin's favorite part of our trip was, hands down, the petting zoo part.

I feel like I need to tell you that I am generally terrified of wild animals, which is why I like the zoo. I can see them, but they can't get me, ya know? I was walking in one of the metro parks by my parent's house with a friend my senior year of high school and we rounded a bend in the trail, and there, staring at us in complete silence, were about 25 deer. I didn't know whether to cry or pee. Who knows what would happen if I saw, say, a wolf or something that is legitimately terrifying. I guess I just don't like the fact that I have no idea what they are gonna do...ram me? Bite me? Start talking, like a Disney movie? 

Obviously I don't want SuperBaby to have the same ridiculous fear, so I faced mine and took her into the petting zoo. They only have Pygmy goats and sheep, no deer or wolves, thank The Lord. I went over to the nearest goat, and gave him a pat and said, "Look at this sweet goat, Kin! You wanna pet him?" And she did. And she laughed and ran around petting every goat she could catch. Needless to say, I was so proud, of both of us! Haha

She didn't stop at goats either, she also got to pet a couple of sheep. The zookeeper told me, while Kinley was being so brave, that one of the sheep Kinley was petting was named Dawn and she was pregnant and her little lamb bun was gonna be coming out of the oven very soon. 

SuperBaby and I gave Dawn lots of extra love when we heard that, 'cause I remember how rough the last month of pregnancy is, and I'm sure it's worse when little kids are pulling your wool and poking your nose holes all day.

I've been thinking a lot about poor Dawn, and decided we should make an art project in her honor.

So, I came up with this cotton ball lamb and Kinley was all too happy to help me put it together. Well, that's not true. Our first attempt was not happy--as soon as Kinley got one gluey cotton ball stuck to her finger, she slid off the bench and refused to come back. But today's attempt was much happier, and she put up with a few more gluey cotton balls before getting ticked.

You've probably already got everything you need for this project laying around the house. Here's your list of stuff to round up:

One sheet of white construction paper

One sheet of black construction paper

One scrap of pink construction paper

Lamb pattern

White school glue

Cotton balls

Scrap of ribbon long enough to make a bow

Glue stick

Pencil

Blue marker

Hot glue gun + glue stick (to stick the bow on if you don't have time to wait for the white glue to dry)

Print out the lamb pattern, if you need it, and cut out and trace the body and eyes on the white paper, legs and head on the black, and nose on the pink. Cut them all out and get ready for the fun part.

First, we tackled the cotton ball part. I put the body in front of Kinley, and gave her a little plate with white glue squirted on it, and showed her how to dip the cotton balls in the glue and then squish them on her paper. She really liked the squish part, at least until her fingers got gluey.

Body: check. Next up, lamb face. I hurried up and colored our lamb's eyes blue while Kinley was busy squishing her cotton balls, so when she was done I just put glue stick all over the backs of both eyeballs and the lamb nose and let her stick them wherever she wanted. For the little wool hair, I just stretched out a cotton ball and squirted white glue where I wanted it to go and showed Kinley where to stick it, and surprisingly she cooperated. She generally likes to do things her way. :)

Once she finished up her lambie face, I let her slide off the bench and go play with her tunnel, and I finished up by gluing on her lamb's legs and head and ribbon bow. I just used the white glue I already had out to glue on the bow and Kin wasn't anxious to touch it so I just left it on the table until it was dry, but if your kiddo doesn't have the patience to wait before showing off the cutie lamb, just use hot glue for this part.

So, here's Lila...

I made my own lamb while Kinley was napping, so we now have Momma Dawn and Baby Lila...and if you are reading this, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, that's our vote for the baby's name. :)

I was so happy I decided to put my fears aside and take my baby girl into the petting zoo. She spent the entire time we were in there running around giggling and touching and waving at real life animals, and her happiness was contagious. Even I, her scaredy-pants momma, enjoyed touching those cute little goats and sheep (they really feel like scratchy sweaters.) Moral of the story: Don't be afraid to try new things. They might be fun, or at least inspire you to make fun crafts. ;)

Hang in there, Dawn! We will think of ya every time we see our lambs hanging in the Kitchen Cabinet Gallery.