Bonding over Butterflies

Since we've been making a lot of trips to Sioux Falls lately, we decided to make a point of taking the boys to the Sertoma Butterfly House. There is no better place to go in the winter than a butterfly house. Stepping into the humid exotic-plant-filled room with the sounds of running water and the feel of mist and dripping condensation is about as close as you can come to a tropical rain forest in South Dakota. Misha loved it - especially when this little zebra butterfly chose HIM to perch on.


Sebastian loved all the new things to look at.


Family shot. Misha kept track of our butterfly identification sheet and he referred to it often, just like a little scientist.


Sebastian grins next to a South American "owl eye" blue morpho butterfly. The inside is a beautiful iridescent blue, though you would never know it once they land. The last time we came, we thought the "blue" butterfly and the "owl eye" were two separate kinds for quite some time.


Misha peeks out from a plant that I would love to have in my skylit living room some day. Note the little butterfly in the thick stems above Misha's head.


The blue morpho again.

Sebastian and me.

Misha and Josh take an up-close look at butterflies drinking juices from fruit slices.


Misha and that blue morpho.


Making friends.

On the bridge.


The Pink-Flecked Shadow butterfly. If that sounds suspiciously made up, it's because it is. Unfortunately I don't know what kind this is, but it's beautiful. It is amazing how many exotic butterflies there are.


The Paper Kite. (Really!)


I don't know what this is either. To get an idea of how many orange and black butterflies there are, type it into Google. Amazing.


The Dead Leaf butterfly. We would have passed right by it had not a butterfly employee pointed it out to us.

A video clip of the world of butterflies:




Butterfly watching made us hungry, so we went out for Italian at Spezia.

Josh and Misha looking classy in their vests.


Misha doesn't look quite convinced that his napkin is as stylish as his parents claim.


Our preschooler enjoying his spaghetti and meatballs. Too cute!


We also stopped at the mall to get some treats. (Because apparently the enormous piece of taramisu we devoured wasn't quite enough.) Misha and Sebastian were like kids in a candy store!


Misha and I enjoying our malts. Don't worry, this is from a previous trip!


The Barns and Noble experience is the perfect way to end a day trip to Sioux Falls. Trains for the kids, books and coffee for the parents.


Misha making some valentines. I cut out a bunch of hearts and he went to town!


Me and my smiley boys.

"So they won't share their pizza with me? Fine, I'll just sit on the box and eat the coupons."


The happy walker.


Slurp.

Seb in the tent.

Checking out the new pop-up board game we got for Misha!


Our adorable four-year-old ... all too soon to be five!


Lunch time with Mommy.


A guitar lesson from Daddy.


Drawing with big brother.


Dad and Seb playing in the tent.

Misha thinks it great that Sebastian can walk well enough to toddle around after him like a puppy. Sebastian truly gravitates to Misha like to no one else. When Misha comes home from school, Sebastian starts bopping and chirping at the baby gate as soon as he hears his brother's voice, waiting for him to come up the stairs. Whatever Misha is doing is, of course, what Sebby wants to do too. Though this is sometimes annoying for Misha (especially when he has his blocks or Legos going full force), we have tried to explain that Sebastian wants to be just like him. And when it comes down to it, Misha likes having an admirer.

In this clip, Misha is encouraging Sebastian to walk to him. He's more excited than Sebastian!