It's a zoo!

Patrick really has a great grasp of different animals and the noises that they makes, so I've been thinking for some time that we should go to the zoo to check out these animals for REAL. This was a good weekend to go since Patrick and I found ourselves with extra time on our hands while Joe is off hunting ducks and geese, plus the weather was beautiful and who knows how much longer that will last? So off we went this morning! We were some of the first to arrive, and throughout the day I made a mental list of things I did right and things to do better next time.


RIGHT: Arrive early. Better weather, better parking, better to not skip lunch (and definitely better than paying for lunch at the zoo!)
WRONG: Don't pack enough snacks. Lunch is a loooong ways away, and fruit snacks just don't cut the mustard.
RIGHT: Decide what you do and do not need before you go in, and empty your bag accordingly. We applied sunscreen before we left, so the bottle stayed in the car. It was already warming up, so the sweater did, too.
WRONG: Don't decide you don't need diapers. You DO.
ALSO WRONG: Don't bring the things you DO need in a purse. Bring a backpack, it's nice to have both hands free.
RIGHT: Knowing that walking is great exercise (and is great for wearing kids out for naps), and deciding Patrick should walk around the park himself instead of dragging my huge stroller around with me, or paying to rent one.
WRONG: Thinking this "walking" thing will pan out. I walked, he clung on to me like a spider monkey. It was all I could do to get him to get off me long enough to take a picture of him. My back huuuuuuurrrrrts!
RIGHT: Knowing when to get out. I'm all for getting your money's worth, but don't push it - you don't want to end the day with memories of overwrought toddler tantrums! So even though we missed the fish and snake exhibits, which I knew he would normally love, I knew neither of us would love it by the time 1:00 rolled around and those fruit snacks were long gone. Next time!

We saw some wonderful stuff, though - most of the animals were out and active! This grizzly bear was captured near where Joe is hunting this weekend.

HA! Just kidding! At least, I think I'm kidding...

A gorgeous cheetah. It is always surprising how beautiful all these animals are in real life, that's one big reason I wanted Patrick to see them - so he knows it's not just pretty pictures!

The bar height is perfect for kids... most kids. It was right in Patrick's way, but he managed.

THIS is what we really came to see! He smacked his lips (his elephant noise) the whole time we were watching them, and we were there a long time!

Mid lip-smack. Although I was the one carrying him, his was very good to point out each and every animal to me (and the strangers around us).

Monkeys. Although I always enjoyed monkeys the most, he was a lot more impressed by other animals, from elephants to giant elephant shrews (they looked like rats with elephant trunks - NOT impressive, if you ask me!)

If I ever have hemorrhoids this bad, kill me.

OK, kidding again. It's a female monkey whose butt swells when she's ready to mate. I definitely hope she's ready to mate, because this badonkadonk is about to explode!

For the cost of $2 I got a glorious 2 minutes of rest on the train ride. Patrick looks like he's taking a moment to absorb all the crazy things he's seen so far. Like that monkey - sheesh!

The one and only picture of us together, I felt bad stopping anyone to snap a pic of us - everyone had their hands even more full than I did! Apparently the Zoo is THE place to take your kids on a Saturday, and most people packed WRONG and brought everything but the kitchen sink.

We missed the hippos, who were not to be seen anywhere in their cage, but this hippo sculpture was even better. Patrick was dying to pet and kiss the animals (even that grizzly!) so before we left, he got his wish. Smoooooooooch!

Next time I think we'll still leave the stroller at home, but I'm taking Joe! He can carry Patrick a lot longer than I can. I'll be the one with the backpack :)