The one thing that our zoo has going for it, is the sea lions. Magically, two new sea lions appeared between the time of our last zoo visit and today. That made two magical things for today’s tally–because for the first time in about six months, the sun came out to say hello and warmed up the air to past sixty degrees. It’s funny how a day like today would send my Floridian in-laws running inside to bundle up in their one sweater that they own (ha ha!). But on a day like today, everyone on my street was outside between the hours of four and five. Raking, cleaning, catching up, tossing a baseball with a sibling. Soaking it all in before it leaves us by nightfall. This is the beginning of the end! The last piles of ugly snow still threaten though–they mock me and laugh in my face. I know what they are saying. . . You think this is spring? Ha! Just wait until you wake up in the morning and there is a fresh new layer of snow covering everything in sight! I just know it. There is a conspiracy happening right this moment.
I am going off on a tangent here, aren’t I? So, my point was that our zoo actually is awful. If you read
this post last month, you will recall that there are really only four animals at our zoo. Well, there are a few more, but between construction and animals headed south for the winter, there really aren’t all that many. Plus, the ones that are actually at the zoo year round stay well hidden. The polar bears are experts at hide and seek. The cougar is equally as good. The wolves have been MIA for months now. But the one exhibit that disappoints me the least every time we go are the sea lions. And now, with the addition of the two younger, more entertaining sea lions, it’s even better.
It was very interesting going to the zoo today. Brayden is sick. We went through about forty tissues while we walked around. He whined a lot. But because of the boogers. And because he was all out of energy and couldn’t do all the walking. Not because he wasn’t having fun–he actually seemed happy, for as much as a boogery-germy boy could be.
I know many of you are tsk-tsking me for taking a sick boy outside and romping around the zoo. But on the first spring day of the year, it’s hard to stay inside. Plus, I’m sure the fresh air was good for him. And I was totally sick of letting him watch tv. So it was a win-win, right?
We got to watch the zoo workers feed the sea lions too, which was mesmerizing for both boys. To me, it was gross. . . watching them grab a dead squid by the head and whip around the legs while they chomped them down. Ewww. And ewww. Carter couldn’t peel his eyes away from the animals, since this whole “watching a real live animal” thing is so new to him. And Brayden was happy to sit down for awhile, and watch something of some entertainment.
And in case you were curious, yes, I did wear my flip flops. And my capris. Hello, sunshine 🙂 Here are my feet in all their happiness.
Then the unspeakable happened. We started walking again. Carter got sidetracked and started heading the other way. So I had a one-sided conversation with him, that mostly consisted of beckoning lingo.
Carter? Come this way. C’mon Carter. Car-car (which is James and Brayden’s pet name for him). Let’s go this way. C’mon CJ.
Say what? CJ? Did that really come out of my mouth? Blah. Blah. When we named him Carter Joshua, we vowed we would never call him that. But I did it. I broke the vow. Ah well. Life goes on.
And on a side note, he’s been called Chase about three times in the past two weeks. It’s not my fault that our last name is now a first name too. And also, I guess we did give him a name that could be a last name. AND on a third note, maybe it wasn’t helpful that both his first and last name begin with the same letter. I hope he doesn’t get that his whole life. If he does, I apologize in advance Carter. . . we didn’t mean to make your life more complicated!
Happy Spring everyone!
newborn, child and family photographer
rochester new york