A Day at the Zoo

My second blog in one weekend! I'm on a roll. I titled it "A Day at the Zoo," but as usual, I ended up going completely off subject for most of the blog!

I am a little ashamed to say that we finally took our first trip to the zoo this weekend! I really wanted to go last summer, but we were having what I call "stroller issues" last summer. Our issues lasted from about 12 to 18 months, maybe a little longer. They involved arching of the back upon entry, with occasional kicking while attempting to put our "sweet little boy" in the stroller. And then a lot of whining once we were successful. The whining could make you want to physically injure yourself. So, I opted out of most long walk-type outings, like the zoo, last summer! You would've too!!

A little trick I learned from a friend who came from a family of 9 kids... give them a little pinch on the inner thigh when trying to "un-arch" their back when trying to get them into the car seat or stroller. I know, I know. It sounds cruel. I'm just looking for what works! That works! They don't realize you're doing it. They are just slightly, painfully, distracted from the back arching (and they are STRONG!) long enough for you to strap them in where they belong. Obviously it works because he doesn't try it anymore!! I only had to do it a few times, really. Kids are quick learners! Hopefully he doesn't start pinching me back. I honestly don't think he knows I'm doing it because he's usually in the middle of a fit!

Unfortunately, I had to bring out my old "trick" a few weeks ago in the food court of the mall after we had lunch. Brendan was going to go on the Merry Go Round ride after he ate, but he opted to throw his food on the floor (including the ketchup) because he didn't want to eat it. Sorry, no ride now, but hopefully he learned a lesson... don't embarrass your mother in the food court! So in the midst of telling him why he wasn't going to be able to go on the ride, my stroller is tipping backward (the lightweight umbrella strollers are the worst when trying to get an unwilling child in the stroller!) due to the "stiff as a board" syndrome I had to resort back to the pinch.

I'm pretty sure he didn't want to eat his lunch, because he'd much rather go on the Merry Go Round. I'm convinced a MAN, a cruel MAN put this ride in the MIDDLE of the food court. You should hear the screams and witness the meltdowns I've seen while trying to enjoy my lunch. It's fun when it's not your child! They should take teens on a field trip to the mall by me if they're looking to convince them to remain abstinent...

But I stuck to my guns, tried my best to ignore the protests, kept using the stroller through the issues, and I now have a little boy who ASKS to go for a walk in his stroller, and doesn't fight going in it anymore! Hurray for me! That's one battle I've won. Mom: 1, Brendan: almost undefeated.

Although the weather was completely "not going to the zoo weather" -- 95 and extremely humid! -- we still went and enjoyed ourselves. I'm just happy to be out and spending time with my family after my back kept me in bed for weeks! We met our friends at the zoo, along with their little boy who will also be 2 in June. We were only there a few hours, but we managed to see the polar bears, seals, camels, tigers, giraffes, kangaroos, monkeys, and fish. I'm going to say that Brendan's favorite was the monkey exhibit. He also surprisingly liked the aquarium, which I thought would be his least favorite. Those were probably my favorites, too, but only because those were in the air-conditioned buildings! Air conditioning never felt so good! Here are some pictures and a video from our day...

We felt so bad for the polar bears in the 95 degree heat! They were swimming a lot!

Trying to catch a butterfly on the tree behind him in the Butterfly Garden.

The squirt bottle kept us cool in this HOT weather and also doubled as entertainment for the boys. This picture is blurry, because Brendan is out of his stroller and pretty much doesn't stand still long enough for me to snap a picture!

"Doesn't this tram go ANY faster than this?!"

The zoo crew just before we left for the day... exhausted!

A video of Brendan visiting with the little monkeys.