planarian?

This morning, I woke up around 8, and Mia didn't wake up till an hour later. While on my own, I had enjoyed my chai out on the back porch enjoying the view and a little bit of mist in the air. While my thoughts were wandering, I looked down and saw a very strange looking worm. It was rather long, with a flat head and a black stripe down his back. I'd never seen such and animal, so I pulled my feet up onto the chair and enjoyed the rest of my chai with this little creature. Once Mia was up and we were running, I totally forgot about the slimy guy. When Daryl got home tonight, I asked him to Google 'a long worm with a flat head and a black stripe down his back'. He was cute and said it was probably a little snake, but he indulged me, sure enough, we have a planarian. Here's a link: http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/land_planarians.htm , but I think this paragraph about their nutrition is most interesting.

Nutrition: Land planarians devour earthworms, slugs, insect larvae, and are cannibalistic. Prey are located by chemoreceptors located in a single ciliated pit under the head or in a ciliated ventral groove. Struggling prey are held to the substrate and entangled in slimy secretions from the planarian. The pharynx is protruded from the mouth and into the prey. Food is reduced to small particles prior to entering the gastrovascular cavity. The food particles are taken by epithelial cells in amoeboid fashion and formed into food vacuoles. Planaria store food in digestive epithelium and can survive many weeks shrinking slowly in size without feeding. They are capable of utilizing their own tissues such as reproductive tissue for food when reserves are exhausted. Because of their cannibalistic habit, land planarians may be their own worst enemy.

planarian

Enough with the biology...let's move on! We had a nice time at Music Together this morning. The class was a lot less full, so we all enjoyed it a lot more. Then off to Whole Foods for a little lunch and to pick up a contribution to the playdate potluck at Melissa and Gwen's. Mia picked up a little pre-made lunch 'box' of a PB&J sandwich, applesauce, apple juice and vanilla cookies all wrapped up in a little clamshell box that she carried to the check-out.

Blake Building

We had fun at the playdate. I forgot my camera, so I'm borrowing a couple of pics from Melissa :) Blake built his blocks up 11 high, which is pretty good for a toddler his age. Mia sucked on a flamingo beak again. Gwyneth brought both her mama and her daddy today. Gwen was everywhere and Livie really enjoyed knocking Blake's blocks down. He wasn't fazed at all...he got to build again! After a good play, Mia was ready for a nap.

Mia & Mama snuggling at the playdate

After a long one, we hopped over to our favorite Mexican restaurant in Cedar Park to pick up a family fajita dinner and delivered it to the Wilkinson's. They are the family that had (well, Rachelle did) quintuplets a couple of months ago. Mia and I are participating in their food tree. There are some rules when you go over so their immune systems won't be compromised. 1. No children (Mia stayed in the car...in the drive way, with the air on) 2. Shoes off at the door 3. Sanitize those hands at the door All worth it to help this amazing mama and her family. I met Ryder....a CUTIE!!! All the other's were asleep in their own swings (reminded me of Mia...that's the only place she could sleep for a while). Rachel's mom sweetly offered to watch Mia in the car so I could come in and chat with Rachelle (I remember being in a house with one baby, I couldn't imagine 5!), but I had to decline. Daryl had a tummy bug yesterday, and I would not bring any big bad germs anywhere close to those sweeties....next time :)

Mia still enjoys her family & friends in her photo album

At home, Mia asked for her tubbies (teletubbies), so that gave me some time to whip up some dinner before Daryl got home. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught Mia dancing and spinning with the Tubbies. A little later, she disappeared into the bathroom to 'clean' the sink and admire herself in the mirror :) When she drapped herself with the hand towel, she thought she was really pretty.

Mirror, Mirror

Tubby Dance