Amelia's Australian birthday

Friday November 13, 2009 Today is my birthday. We went to Pet Porpoise Pool. For my birthday, Mommy and Mom let me swim with dolphins. Other kids were with me too. I got to pet a dolphin and she was pregnant. She already had a kid dolphin that was 4 years old, named Bella. The dolphin I was with was named Calamity. The trainer was in the pool with us and she asked us where the bellybutton was. I was the first one to answer. We got to throw a ball and Calamity would catch it. Then we got to put the ball on her nose and spin it and she balanced it. I got to brush her teeth. When I felt her belly, I felt the baby kicking. I also got to feed Calamity. And then I got my picture taken with her. I got kissed by 2 dolphins, Calamity and Buck. I got kissed by the same seal, Ellie, twice. Next we watched a show of dolphins and seals performing for us. The seals sang songs for us and showed us how they balance on their front legs. The dolphins did 2 back flips in the air and landed in the water. The 2 dolphins were Buck and Zippy. They were Dad and son. I got to feed big fish, a sea turtle and I saw a shark in the same tank. When the fish took the little fish out of my hand it scared me a bit. I fed blue penguins and pet Calamity and Bella again. I did not want to leave! It was the best birthday present ever!! Amelia We took a big risk parenting today, by allowing Amelia to be in the water with dolphin. It wasn’t having her in the water with the dolphin, but the fact that Bridget wasn’t doing it. She was some pissed off. "Amelia was stupid and the dolphin was stupid". Lots of stomping of feet and dirty looks. I think she is over it now because as the day progressed she also got to touch the dolphins. She was really nervous when she was going to be kissed by the dolphin and the seal. The pictures really show it. So the place was a very interactive Marineland. I highly recommend it. The kids got to do so much hands on stuff with the animals it was incredible. They would never be able to do such things at home. I love the risk management of the Southern Hemisphere. Topping off the afternoon by taking Amelia out for a birthday dinner. All she wants is fish and chips. So she will get them this time just not wrapped in newspaper. A nice dinner is in order for the parental units too! Moving south tomorrow to Forster for a couple of nights and then on to Sydney. After a while Crocodile Carolyn