The Aquarium in Corpus Christi reminds me of a mini Sea World except you have the treat of picking up hermit crabs (Mia's favorite and Talia's fear*) and petting sting rays (everyone's favorite but some how Talia gets more frustrated than fulfilled since she can rarely reach them). In any case, we are only a ten minute drive away which includes a drive over the coolest bridge in the world at least by my kids' standards and we have a year pass now so we see it often. . .everyday almost.
Here is the reason Talia is scared of the hermit crabs. After watching her siblings pick up several shells and seeing the tarantula looking crabs crawl out, she was reticent to try picking up one herself. I, being a great mom, convince her that it just comes out to "tickle" you which is the line the aquarium people were feeding all the curious kids and adults. I had not attempted to touch them myself since they looked disgusting, but I get freaked out by little tiny spiders. I finally convinced Talia to hold one. As I am taking the picture, she starts crying, not in fear, but in pain. Turns out said tickles can actually feel more like pinching and biting and their little leg barbs grasp their victims with all the intensity one upside-down crab can muster. Awesome. Way to build that relationship of trust. 
Luckily there were dolphins and turtles and all sorts of other animals to distract our sorrows. (including giant cartoon like turtles. . .Talia loves these dress up characters. Every time we go to Sea World, we have to find Shamu to hug and any other poor employee stuck in these ridiculously hot suits). 
It is hard to see in the picture, but the kids are standing in a circle shooting each other with water guns. Life really can't get better than this.
