Zoology

Today was Gabby's second ever visit to the zoo.  Natalie, Mia, and Alex invited to join them at the zoo.  We arrived before 10:00 a.m. and it was already very busy because of it being Zoo Boo! Mia and Alex were excited, but Gabby didn't remember the zoo so she was oblivious.  We walked around the zoo for about 3 hours and probably only saw about 8 animals, because we waited in line to do different things and got really lucky and were able to watch special animal events.

The first animals we stopped to look at were the elephants.  There were three less than 10 feet away from us getting baths!  Gabby liked watching them so we stayed and watched them for a while.  The next animal we had a close encounter with was a chimpanzee.  For some reason there was one chimp who was literally sitting against the glass making faces and putting his hands on the glass.  So Mia and Alex sat there literally face to face with our friend Mr. Chimp.  Gabby was reluctant and asked me to hold her until we decided to tell him bye and then she asked to stand and look at him. He continued to make silly faces, I truly believe he thought he was the observer rather than the observee. 

As we were walking out of the "African Forest" we found the giraffes, which are Alex's favorite animal and it was feeding time.  We all bought lettuce (3 peices for $5) and waited in line, which was very difficult for the kids, but after a little waiting we had an amazing experience.  We hand fed the giraffes!! Gabby was stand- offish but I know she loved seeing the giraffes up close and personal.  Natalie and her kids fed each giraffe; however, Gabby and I encountered a greedy giraffe who tried to snatch on of my lettuce leafs before we were ready to feed them.  This starteled me and I gasped and jumped, as a result I think Gabby wasn't sure what to think of these massively tall beasts.  Gabby helped me feed all 3 peices of lettuce to our friend Greedy the Giraffe and the we told him bye bye and went on our way to our own human lunch. 

At lunch after waiting in a long line and the Alex giving his mommy a hard time we couldn't find a table! We sat down at a table and a man (who was at the end of the massively long line by the way), informed us that was his wagon there and we couldn't sit at his table. So two mommies, not so happy, 3 kids, running around like they belong at the zoo, and no where to eat our lunch every table inside and outside that we could find was full.  What were we thinking trying to feed our children at a table? This one man and his one child who just got into line were far more deserving of a table for 4 than the 5 of us!  Natalie kept her cool and went outside scavenging for more tables and she found the coolest ones!  Actually it was quite hot outside, but we ate our lunch with the rhinos! The little ones loved it and Natalie and I were able to recompose before continuing on our trek of promised fun. 

After the kids partially eating thier lunch and a wardrobe change for Gabby, we rode the carosal which, Gabby was scared of and she made me hold her throughout the ride, but she did not cry.  Our final animals were the cats, the lions and tigers just for Gabrielle.  When we walked towards the lions they were all lazily lounging around.  But our three kids magnatism seemed to work on the lions.  One of the females came up to us and was as close as the glass would allow us to come with his face smushing the glass.  The lion paced back and forth right where we were standing so long that the kids got bored and we had to move on to the lions.  The children carried whatever little energy field they had with them and the tiger did the exact same thing.  He would walk by our kids, swim in the water and then lap back around over and over again.  The kids were now tired of the heat so we decided to leave.

We ended our day by riding the train, which all of the kids loved. When we asked Mia what her favorite part was at the zoo, she informed us that getting to eat suckers and candy was the best part, of course! 

Three children can wear 2 moms out!  But the fun doesn't end there....Gabby cried the entire way home.  Oh how a fun day can be so exhausting on a mom! But I would do it all over again, because Gabby and I made great memories with her friends today while learning a lot!

Animals we visited: some monkeys, chimpanzees, elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, ostriches, and rhinosarous