Although parenting is hard (and parenting a two-year-old can be extra challenging), it of course comes with many benefits. Today I had a great day, mommy style.

We got the chance to go to our local zoo, which is ranked nationally as one of the best zoos for children. When I went there as a child, it was cold and full of concrete-lined cages, but now it's a warm, open place, with spacious natural habitats. It's a treat to go there, and we were especially fortunate to tag along with a friend who had guest passes that got us in for free. This was actually our second recent visit, but today was pretty near perfect.

In his usual fashion, my son stated "NOT" when I told him we were heading to the zoo. "Just stay home," he says when we discuss many of our outings. But that's not an option, because he needs socialization and exercise that he doesn't get from staying at home all day. Plus he always has a great time when we go out. I think it's just a power thing, or maybe a dislike of change.

As I was getting ready, he came running into the bathroom and said "I want a cracker, and I want to pet his tongue!" It took me a moment to realize that he was referring to the way he fed the giraffe the last time we visited the zoo. Apparently that made quite an impression on him, which was good since one cracker cost two dollars.

He still wasn't 100 percent on board, which he demonstrated with his super pouty "Let's just go" when we talked about some of the animals we were seeing once we got there. But when left alone to examine them, he found lots of things to talk about. "Mama, look at that fish! And that one! That's a big, big fish. And there's a little tiny fish." If he can tell I WANT him to appreciate something, he rejects it. It's very interesting behavior, and one that I need to remember in the future.

So both moms got exercise while our kids rode in their strollers, looking at lots of neat animals and dodging large groups of children from various summer camps. We were mesmerized by manatees and fascinated while feeding fish. We fed the friendly giraffe and ate lunch next to rhinos who had an incredible ability to snort really loud. My son even made an effort to use the potty (read our potty training escapades here so that you can appreciate this). He had a great time playing in the kids water play area, even though there were five million children there, most of which were poorly supervised by their camp counselors (I'm amazed that kids don't get routinely hurt or kidnapped on camp fieldtrips). His newly developed ability to jump a few inches off the ground paired with his newly discovered like of splashing in puddles meshed nicely in the water area of the park.

After I got him all dried off and dressed in new clothes (he kept saying, "I all nice and clean now"), we headed off to get a snow cone. After a pointless long wait in a line that kept getting longer in the middle (kids were cutting in), we found a lonely snow cone vendor elsewhere in the park and sat down to enjoy the limey goodness of a giant cup of shaved ice. Because I helped him get the ice onto his spoon when the cup was overfilled and awkward, he fed me several spoonfuls when it became more manageable. We laughed when the sticky ice fell in his pantleg. He worried over it getting on the seat of his stroller. While we took turns using our matching spoons I realized that it was happening: my son was finally becoming someone whose company I could really enjoy.

It's great to be a mom.

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