Who ever thought that children have a short attention span has never played “Re-enact Goldilocks & the Three Bears” with Sophie.

Sophie not only has an attention span longer than mine, she also has a really lovely curiosity. This weekend was our first visit to the zoo when Sophie was old enough to ask questions. Thanks to her questions, we both learned a great deal:

pandas poop up to 40 times a day in the wild

panda poop is pear-shaped

at the San Diego Zoo, panda poop is turned into paper for sale in the gift-shop. We didn’t buy any. We did, however, buy a sparkly pink purse holding two stuffed pandas with matching heart necklaces. It is difficult to express how delighted Sophie is with this tchotchke.

The elephant with the crooked, shortened, bandaged tail had been bitten by another elephant.

The other elephant broke his tusk while biting that tail.

The vet came to look at both elephants and they’re both going to get better soon.

Now, in addition to nearly endless re-enactments of Goldilocks, we also have a new game of Panda Poop, and a new song to sing, again and again, to the tune of “Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed:”

Two little elephants biting on the tail One got hurt and gave a yell Mama called the doctor and the doctor yelled, ‘No more elephants biting on the tail…”

In contrast, Ben spent the weekend at an extra-long mountain-bike race in Prescott, Arizona. After “seeing Jesus” on a particular arduous hill, he and his buddies went off to explore the dive-bars of Prescott, all night. Hearing their stories now, I’m really not sure which one of us had a better weekend.