Saturday at the Zoo

We're quickly closing in on the expiration of our annual zoo pass. We'll get another one sooner or later, but we tend to take a few months off before we renew, just to take a break. But, for now, we're trying to squeeze a few more zoo trips in before the end of October. Most recently, we headed out on Saturday afternoon. We dragged along Aunt Talina and Uncle David again, and we were all excited to see all the baby animals and to enjoy the unbelievably perfect weather.

The girls were enthralled by the baby giraffe and the teeny tiny elephant (admittedly, we were all fairly smitten by the adorable antics of the youngest zoo animals . . . there was a giant crowd-wide sigh of, "Awwwww," when the little elephant rolled over on the ball and landed flat on the ground. I took like a minute of video of the baby trying to get back on its feet . . . which goes to show you the power and draw of 'adorable baby animal', as I am someone who typically does not take pictures or video of scenery, the sights or of objects unless one of my kids in planted firmly in front of such a thing.)

Elllie loved the elephant and the giraffe, but I still think meerkats rank as her favorite. Or that little 'arabian wild cat' that was pacing back and forth along the glass of it's cage, as Ellie followed it, either with her eyes or sometimes her whole body. The whole reptile/small mammal house is by far the feature attraction of the zoo for our one year old. I had a whole slew of 'Ellie with her face smashed up against the glass' pictures . . . she would kneel, bend, reach, get up on her tip toes, just about anything to get the view she wanted. . . here are a few of the shots . . .Annie pretty excited about a pair of small tortoises.

Ellie trying to get her Dad's attention on something that is actually important, and not on the camera.

Greg, Ellie and me.
I noticed in this picture how Ellie's eyes seem to be pretty much a perfect mix of mine and Greg's eye colors . . . not as light as Greg's, but not as dark as mine. We still have not been able to determine what 'color' they actually are though . . . we're kinda sticking with 'hazel' for now, since it best encompasses Ellie's "what would you call that color?!" color.

My sister Talina and me. (I also refer to her as my mini-me . . . she's my clone, but like 30% smaller . . . she's shorter, thinner and her head is much tinier than mine. She's like a perfect replica, just in miniature.)

Uncle David and Annie (in her cute Halloween shirt).

Aunt Talina and disinterested Ellie.

Mommy and Ellie.

Ellie just standing around. In Dad's hands.

Ellie very excited at the zoo. "You mean they have wood chips here too?!"

My children measuring up to orangutans.

We were about to pass this on our way out of the zoo, when Annie suddenly stopped and shouted, "Mom! We need our pictures taken here too!" She cried on our way out that we hadn't stopped by the lion's head drinking fountain to get a drink and pictures there too. She's well trained.