Two Terrific Tuesdays: Can you spot the live ones?

I had been requesting Michael to take some time off to go to the zoo during the week.  We finally made a date!  After calculating the costs, we decided to splurge and pay the $86 for an annual zoo membership for five rather than the $50 it would cost to go one time for four (A is a few months shy still of paying).  This meant the trip was far more relaxed than at other times...knowing we could always go back anytime.

We hit the highlights on this trip.  The ever-popular elephants, cats, giraffes, and monkeys with a few "on-the-way" animals thrown in.  We wrapped up this trip with a bite to eat and some time in the Children's petting zoo/animal area.  Along the way we spotted lots of beautiful animals, some alive, some just close copies.  Can you spot the live ones?

The weather was overcast and warm-high 70s/80s and just perfect!  That is until the beautiful treed monkey walk literally rained pollen as if it were precipitation.  Michael knew his time was over!

We started our walk past the beautiful water feature front and center!

Next stop a brief visit with the very large kimodo dragon.

Finally, arrived at first destination: the elephants!

Ever seen an elephant kneeling?

 This elephant was giving himself a mud shower.  Very fun to watch!

 And love his knee patches :) and how he can hold all his weight on just one foot.  It really is true that elephants walk on their toes...

a sinister looking bird in the elephant area

Our second destination: the bears and large cats

the grizzly was asleep, as usual.

 the Andean bears were not so sluggish.  In fact, they put on quite the show.

 the cats did not get the memo we were coming, however.

On our way to the giraffes we glimpsed some other beauties:

 Ankole cattle

 Hmmm...

One of our favorites: the chimpanzees!

 This chimp had a stare down with David first...

 ...followed by Elizabeth.

 Here's two twins.

We also saw the scaly-skinned southern white rhinos

...and at last, the giraffes! (along with a zebra and ostrich thrown in the same natural habitat)

 sticking her tongue out at us

 love the long eyelashes

 what a cartoon expression!

 not the saggy baggy elephant, but close

 that long black tongue is something else!

Time for a lunch break. Then, Children's Zoo was the next stop.

a Gobbler

 I belive, one of the few captive bald eagles--this one was permanently injured and so is allowed to remain in captivity.  Rather regal looking, right?

 Check out the quills of this porcupine!  A bit scary!

 And we had to have one of Elizabeth and the hedgehog--since she is the original wearer of Mrs. Tiggywinkle on her back.  (see previous posts of her adorable backpack)

 a brown pelican--check out his stare below.

 Meerkat mansion--it was amazing to watch them digging.  They were exceptionally fast!  They would not remain prisoners-of-war too long.  Their tunnels would be done in no time flat! (and the zoo had to put lots of patches of chicken wire around to keep them in the exhibit!)

 The petting zoo showed my kids' different personalities.  Bizbeth was scared at first and only tentatively was willing to brush/rub the smallest goats.  Abigail showed no fear at all!

Our last stop was the monkeys.

We visited a few birds on the way:

the also-rather sinister looking shoebill stork

 I then decided he looked more like a cartoon character.

 lovely pink flamingos

 Anyone else know the song, "Kookaburra sits in the old oak tree.  Laugh Kookaburra, laugh at me..."?

Finally, our very quick trip through the monkey section.

 Schmidt’s Red-tailed Guenon

 And another favorite had to be rushed through...sorry Orangutan.  Hopefully next time...

 This orangutan was eating the paint that he had also used to paint a picture on the wall.  Hmmm... (are we really descended from these highly intelligent creatures! :) Hah! )

We had a lovely outing to the zoo!

still my baby

Abigail may be 21 months and no longer a "baby," but she is still so much the baby!  And to think that I had a 6 month old baby at this point when Elizabeth was this age!  Hah!

Abigail is starting to communicate a bit more but truly it is the kind of thing only a mother could understand...and not even me most of the time.  I think she has a decent vocabulary but it is still rather unclear most of the time unless you really understand it in context. 

Still only the 5 teeth plus 4 molars.  Poor dear is probably permanently missing at least 3 teeth! 

I am so constantly thankful for this cheerful little girl.  She is so easy-going and happy most of the time.  Except when she isn't...Then, she is actually very defiant (in a way neither other child is).  She pushes away after discipline and shows no signs of remorse.  We are praying for this defiance to be changed into Christ-likeness as she ages. 

She eats pretty well still.  She often has to be bribed with fruit snacks to finish her peas, but she will do it.  She often desires to feed herself but with mixed results.  And since she is the baby of the family, I most often just decide to feed her myself...lest we need a bath after every feeding!

She still has a shoe fetish and adores trying on all shoes--her size or otherwise.  The funny thing though is that she also equally likes to remove shoes at all times and all places.  In fact, she even attended our Walk for Life in 50degree cold temperatures without shoes because she refused to keep them on and pulled them off time and again after they were put back on. 

She and sister really wear the same size clothes so I just pull from one spot or another.  She is in all size 4 diapers too.  Shoes aren't that far behind.  She is probably in size 6-7 shoes. 

They both play with the same toys too.  I often find her playing with Elizabeth's little ponies or the kitchen stuff.  She adores interacting with her siblings but still plays far better side by side.  When they do play together she has become a bit of a bully at times.  She regularly is caught pulling Bizbeth's hair or pushing David.   She definitely can hold her own!

I was told that she had become a bit rambunctious in BSF recently.  That is a good way to describe her currently.  A bit of a handful!  But again, almost all is done with such cheerfulness and a big smile!