Zoo Trip continued

Thanks for your patience...



We stopped by the play area in the Family Farm when Jake exclaimed "PARK!" and ran towards it. Funny how toddlers quickly become decision-makers. Jake didn't go any further than this first step on the play structure (my, things change quickly - now he barells up to the tallest slide he can find!).

In honor of Count von Count (Jake's second, or occasionally first favorite Sesame character), we stopped by to visit the bats. One, ah ah ah ah..

We walked by the bears, who were taking a little snooze.

We saw a very handsome (and noisy) key-cock (which is Jake for peacock).

Jake didn't think much of the camels, but it was a neat picture

We stopped by to see the rhino, and Jake was thoroughly excited - mainly because one of this favorite videos, dubbed "Shape Show" (a Baby Einstein flick) prominently features a puppet rhinoceros.

And the elephants! These were for sure the highlight of the day. They were both out eating, drinking, and playing with tree branches. Jake was so excited to see the "effants" and made elephant noises the whole time we were there.

We heard a mysterious "choo-choo" noise as we walked the park, and found the little train that circles the Zoo complex. Given that Jake has a love affair with too-too twains, we decided to take a ride.

We waited a little while (thankfully not too long) to board the twain. Jake made up a little song comprised mainly of the lyrics "Time ta GO!" and started dancing around (can you tell he was excited?). I got a shot of him dancing while I re-enacted the song (pardon my so-called singing). PS. He does in fact reach down my shirt at one point, BUT he's looking for my St. Luke and Miraculous Medals which I almost always wear (he tends to play with them when I hold him or carry him, esp when he's tired; he also refers to them as "Body o Cwist" - confuses them with the hosts at Mass).

And here he is on the train, looking awestruck (and a little terrified). When the train started his eyes got as big as saucers!

He is not actually sleeping in this shot, though we were about 30 minutes past naptime. He sat on my lap during the ride, and had a blast waving at the people and the animals.After lunch we stopped back by the Family Farm area, and happened upon some chicks!

He was so excited about the chicks! He kept telling us how cute they were and going "Awww! Baby chicks!" At this point we were well over an hour and a half past naptime, but you'd never have known it. He was so well-behaved and happy the entire day.

This was I think the most perfect zoo trip we could have asked for. The weather was perfect. All the animals were out and easy for Jake to see. He was so engaged in looking at everything. There wasn't a single melt-down or freak-out, even when we kept the poor kiddo out way past his naptime. We all had such a blast, and we're so lucky to have such a great zoo nearby. More importantly, we're so lucky to have a great kid who is so into the world around him and learns so quickly. What a blast!!