Has it been 24 hours yet since I mentioned the Planet Earth DVDs?
Once again, Ava was sitting on the couch this morning in front of the TV, slippers on(?), eating her eggs while she watched her new favorite portion of the program. It’s on the Ice Worlds section, which contains many, many super cute penguins. But there’s also a segment I’ve mentioned her previously that shows a hapless polar bear who becomes injured in a desperate attack on a walrus heard and goes on to starve to death. There’s a particular sequence in which the bear is curling up on the ground to rest following the attack that prompted Ava to say, “Oh, he’s going to sleep. That’s cute!” I probably should have let it go at that, but it seemed important at that instant to explain to Ava what was happening. I told her that the bear was injured, and that because he was hurt, he wouldn’t be able to get himself any food, and he would eventually die. She sat there for a minute, staring at the gorgeous sunset on the screen. Then, eyes brightening, “No! It’s OK. Because the mommy bear will go and catch a fish. And she will bring it to the daddy bear, and then he will have food!” I smiled at her and said, “Maybe. Maybe she will.”
If only Leah could get over Attenborough’s use of “orientate,” this would be the perfect piece of entertainment for the whole family.