The morning started with typical chaos. Bridoodle found a brand new bed of ants beside our van this morning and she shrieked in fear as they climbed all over her feet and flip-flops. I’m sure our neighbors did not appreciate that kind of Saturday morning wake up call. Of course, I didn’t bother to think about them until well after I was finished ridding her little toes of the ferocious ants. We were both in panic mode. (She gets her drama from her mama.) I carried her gently back to the car and then I backed OVER the ant bed. Showed them. Ha!
We spent a few minutes in the van posing for pictures because the early morning light was so beautiful and today is the first day of our 7days Spring run. Yay!!! That means I’ll be posting a self portrait every day this week. Here’s my contribution for day 1 …
Did I mention that my Bridoodle is adorable? I can’t get enough of this face. Love it!
So we hopped, skipped and jumped over to the zoo. It was magical this morning – temperatures in the 70′s when we arrived. By the time we left it was so hot! Felt like summer.
We immediately found a restroom and I tried another attempt at a 7days self-portrait. This close-up of Bri’s hat might find its way into a future detective game. Keep your eyes peeled!
Speaking of her hat, she absolutely insisted on wearing it today. Isn’t that cute?
After awhile we got a map. Bri wanted her own, of course. She had so much fun looking at it – just like Curious George at the zoo.
We fell in love with the baby babboon. Bri said, “Mama, this monkey’s just like Curious George. Only he doesn’t have a man with a yellow hat. He just has a daddy.”
The next time we go to the zoo, I’m going to figure out a way to bring more lenses. I was dying for my zoom lens here. However, it was stashed in the trunk because I couldn’t fit it in the stroller. Next time, I will find a way!
I was really glad that I brought the stroller. We only used it twice but both times I was so glad that she could sit down. I would have been dealing with MELTDOWNS both times. Plus it was really nice to be able to give her a snack while we kept moving. And it was really nice to have my shoulders free of all the heavy stuff stashed inside the stroller.
Bri was delighted to learn that chimpanzees eat ChickfilA for breakfast.
We met some friends at the zoo and we all headed straight for the train when they arrived. It was at this point that I realized Bridoodle and I might be high maintenance chicks. Neither of my friends brought a stroller and their kids had no meltdowns. I felt a little awkward.
Bri chose to sit in the peacock car and we rode together. I sure hope she has this much fun at Disney World this summer. She was delighted to ride. I think the whole trip was worth it for this picture. It’s going in a frame pronto.
Then we headed over to the barn and Brid got to milk a cow. She was REALLY good at it too. I was impressed. Maybe she’ll be a dairy farmer one day.
The barn also had a place where we could feed the goats by hand. Bri was understandably fearful that they would snack on her hands. So most of the goat treats ended up on the ground. But they were very appreciative of the treats that they were able to get ahold of.
We sat down for a minute to take in the flowers and wait for our friends to catch up. Bri chattered away about all of the things she’d seen. One of the things I love to see in her these days are the complicated questions that seem to bubble out of her, “Mama – there aren’t any ants here, because we left them at home, right? And ants can’t smile for a picture because they can’t say cheese? I can say cheese. Cheeeeeeeese! Hello, Mr. Cow. Only that isn’t a Mr. Cow. That’s a Miss Cow. Because she can make milk. Right, mama?”
“Look Mama, just like my zebra hairbow!” The zebras shared a pasture with the ostriches (one of whom was doing a very complicated mating dance for a lady ostrich who was not interested – sitcom material, I’m telling ya) and also the GIRAFFES. We had the chance to feed the giraffes some salad and let me just stop here to say, if you get that opportunity you should definitely jump on it because it was the BEST part of our visit to the zoo.
Did you know that giraffes have PURPLE tongues? Me neither!
The last exhibit that we got to see before we jetted towards the exit was the elephant arena. Bri and I were hungry enough at this point to eat … well, an elephant. So we headed for the door to meet Aunt Missa and Unca Joss for lunch.
Here are some of the self-portraits that I took throughout the day that were runners up for my 7days photo. Because there’s always room for one more collage of pictures, right?
) I’m hidden fairly well this time.
