Zoo

You know one of the perks of taking the kids to appointments with their amazing specialists with the cleft team at VCU in Richmond?   Sure, they are amazing.  Yes, they are efficient.  Absolutely, they are are great with communication.  But they are (kinda') close to the Richmond zoo, which, lack of pandas and elephants aside, is hands-down better than the National Zoo.  (We live in-between the two.)  But at the Richmond zoo, you can feed the giraffes.

So, after the kids spent 2 hours at VCU this morning, we spent a few hot hours enjoying the zoo.  It was great to see Joseph able to respond to what he was seeing this year.  It was great to see Abigail act confidently in when she knew and how she acted on the trip.  

Picture time!

Jos, in awe of the giraffes

Jos and Baba feeding a giraffe

That is my daughter's arm.  Her hand is inside the giraffe's maw.

Zebras.  If the kids get any cuter I might explode.

Me and my kiddos with my 2nd favorite zoo animal.
Giraffes win first prize.  (Beautiful, tall horses?  Can't be beat.
But these pre-historic relics come pretty close.)

After almost 2 hours in the almost 100 degree heat,
Larry got saddled with two hot, sweaty,
exhausted kids.  (We need to be strategic in
planning for our NYC trip later this summer!)

x

Tales from PA (part 3- going to a petting zoo)

My mom doesn't work Mondays and my dad took the day off so that we could all take the kids to a zoo.  I love zoos.  I have been to many zoos in my life and I love taking the kids to different zoos.  My favorite moment of this trip was when the male lion was feeling discontent about everyone watching him and he charged the viewing glass while letting out a thunderous roar, getting nose-to-nose behind the glass with Joseph.  Joseph held his ground though: he just roared his little roar right back!  I wish I had it on video!

Joseph getting up close and personal with a camel
when he really wanted to meet the zebra

Joseph was a little unsure about petting a joey!!

Joseph was also unsure about
this giant wooden tortoise statue.  

As usual, Abigail's favorite animal
was the giraffes.

Abigail even got to bottle feed
a baby giraffe!!

Joseph's favorite animals were
any of the primates.  He couldn't get enough
of them.  

Joseph REALLY liked the primates.
See- he is communicating with this one.

Abigail enjoyed petting the kangaroo
but the wallabys were softer.  

When not looking at primates,
Joseph passed the time by
looking at the person who was carrying him!

Hi!  

Pumpkin Patch and Animal Farm- Sunday Snapshots

Abigail was far more excited about petting and feeding the animals than she was about the pumpkins, but she did enjoy picking out a small one to take home.  

Her favorite part of the day, she said, was seeing Spiderman.  (On the "haunted" hayride, there were large displays of various monsters as well as super heros and comic book characters.  Spidey happened to be one of the last displays hanging from a tree.)

She also got a pony ride, if you can call it that, because it was only ONE time around a tiny circle and took about 40 seconds (for $3.50- meaning that horse could be making $315/hour!).  

This donkey was not actually eating her hand.