why I love the Oakland ZOO

Thursday Field Trips days are back on for us. I took about a 3 week break after my last trip to the Discovery Museum. Thank God Glenn and Megan decided to join us at the DM on their day off. What more could a mother of two young kids ask for? Friends (they are practically family) that call you up and say,  "We don't have to work today, can we come play with you and your kids?"It is a good thing they dedicated their morning to us, because otherwise I might be sitting her posting frantic messages about my missing son or daughter.

I started taking K and C to places for the day alone when Kate was 6 weeks. Easy back then. She would sleep in my ergo and if you were to spot us you would find me chasing after a 20 month old toddler that can run fast while nursing a little baby. 

Now things have changed. Kate wants to run and play like Charlie, but isn't quite ready to stay close to mom and won't follow directions. Charlie is better than ever about staying close and listening but is so damn fast and often gets distracted. So, Glenn and Megan Thank you for wanting to spend the day with my kids and Thank you for making our trip to dm fun and possible. Any time you want to come along with us you are more than welcome!

Two Thursdays ago (as apparent from my last entry) was very difficult, and when I woke up this past Thursday I was determined to have a better day. Rain was in the forecast but I felt rested, energized and ready for the world so I packed everyone up and we headed to the Oakland zoo.

I loved every second of it and Charlie was the best little guy I could ask for. He is such a wonderful person to be around, so curious, verbal, excited and sweet. 

This picture sums it all up. I have been waiting for a long time for this moment, where my kids are both old enough and close enough friends to admire something together. Charlie was showing Kate these incredible tiny rain forest frogs. It will only get better from here on out as our kids get older and older (of course I do miss the nursling stage and have recently started thinking about babies again ;0 )

There are alligators and they swam right up to the glass and hung out with Charlie. The whole time we were there Charlie didn't want to see the alligators. I really wanted to and throughout the morning I tried to tell him all the reasons it would be cool. Finally while on the train, he turned to me and said as sweetly and honestly as ever, Are they in cages and behind gates....? As soon as I said yes he decided he wanted to see them. Poor guy was afraid they could eat him, it hasn't been the same since he read a book with Amy where an alligator ate a goat (one of his favorite animals) As a side note since Charlie does not eat animals and since he is very sensitive it has been hard to get him to understand that animals eat other animals and that it is part of nature and life......bottom left hand corner is his friend the alli

At first Kate was unsure about riding it all by herself, she almost lost it when she heard the loud bell at the beginning...

But as soon as we starting moving she had a huge smile on her face.

This zoo has a little area for rides, when I told Charlie we could go on them, his face lit up and he said, "I'm so excited" His face says it all. I am ready for santa cruz boardwalk or gilroy gardens. He kept saying, I am big boy now, when I used to be baby I couldn't do this. I thought it was so special for him, and I got giddy just watching his happiness grow and grow with each ride.

Kate's happiness was not growing. At first she would walk around and wave to Charlie as he passed by, but after a few rides she was pissed. I took her out to run around  and she made up for not getting to go on the rides by standing in front of strangers dancing, or do one of her many silly walks. She got a lot of attention. Here she is crying and saying No NO No

It was no surprise that Charlie loved this ride. I was hoping the whole time that I tightened his seatbelt enough. He has never been on any rides before this trip, but he took to it immediately. Of course after seeing him charge on the sled down steep hills alone in the snow it is no surprise that he enjoyed this ride:

The carousals had seatbelts. Best idea. Now both kids could ride while I snapped pics. I can't tell you how hard it was at sf zoo to have two young kids on the carousal, one hand stretched to one kid, the other hand bracing the other kid all while feeling sick (I know I am a wimp, I get carsick even when I am the driver)

This is the first and last motorcycle that Charlie will ever ride:

They had not just one zebra but at least four, all looking happy in a woody area...

   

ELEPHANTS, they were so cute and looked so happy, wondering around. We got there just in time for their feeding. K and C sat there and watched them eat for over 20 minutes. The elephants had an open space shown in this picture and then a trail where they wandered off and we couldn't see them. I liked that they could have some privacy too.

 

As soon as we got there he grabbed a map opened it up and said, we got to check out the map. I don't think it gets any cuter. He periodically checked it as if he understood it. I really adore this kid.

This was the end of our 3 hour adventure. The Oakland zoo is nestled in hills, which is what made it so incredible. It was a workout for sure and at one point while hiking back to the car I turned around and found this:

 That boy in the middle of the trail is my son. Tuckered out. Both kids were asleep before we left the parking lot, and I arrived home feeling great about being a stay at home mom. This will for sure enter our weekly rotation.