1st Grader Funny

So both kids had field trips this week. PJ to a play then the park for lunch and Elie to a state park where they hiked, ate and went to little workshops. We were driving on the way home and I was doing my usual enthusiastic "grilling" of their day's experiences. I always ask PJ first because I know he'll be too buried in his current book to give me much detail. He responded today with more than his usual "It was good." so I was happy about that. Elie on the other hand...whew...We can spend the entire drive home listening to her tell about her day in great detail including conversations.

With great excitement Elie told me how they went on a hike and got to see a couple animals while walking around.
"And then we walked on the trail and got to see a garden snake mom!"
"From an instructor?" I replied.
"No mom. It was on the ground! It was really creepy."
"I bet!"
"We stayed on the trail. It's okay mom. Nobody got bitten. And then a we got to pet an alligator!"
"You pet an alligator? A real one on the ground?!"
"Nooo. A teacher at the park was holding it."
I responded with an"Aah."
"And then Mom I even saw a hippopotamus in the tree!"
"...A what?"
Elie simply repeated, "A hippopotamus."
I slowly questioned her with, "And what was the hippopotamus doing?"
"It was hanging upside-down by it's tail like they all do. It was trying to sleep."
(An audible click came from inside my brain)
"OOOH!" I said. "A opossum!"
"Yeah Mom. That's what I meant."