Napless in napattle
Due to the extremely unseasonal and gorgeous weather, we went to the zoo today. Walked actually. I normally would have taken the bus, but I haven't tried to take the beast of a stroller on the bus yet, and didn't want the maiden voyage to be by myself.
So we walked, and even at a pretty fast clip, it took a LOOOONG time. It's a little over two miles to the zoo from our place. Driving takes 5 minutes, and I can run there and back in 40 minutes. But walking is just so slow.
But we got there, and Amalia had conked out, just as planned. What was not in the plans was some school's field trip with all the LOUD second or third graders running around screaming. I know I shouldn't complain, seriously, it was their field trip, and they were excited, but come on, the entire underwater seal observatory doesn't need to hear that you've found the seals.
So Amalia wakes up, but is still keeping it together. We walk around some more, children's zoo, penguins, rhinos, and then to the meerkats, Domingo's special request.
The meerkats are housed in the "African experience" house. It's pretty cool. There are a few colobus monkeys, pygmy crocodiles, hippos, and lots of fish. The meerkat/aardvark area is definitely the smelliest part of the exhibit, but Domi really likes them. Today there were two zoo keepers inside the exhibit and Domingo was like, I'm going down there to touch the meerkats. It was a little confusing because at the children's section he got to touch a turtle, so he assumed everything is up for grabs so to speak. While Domingo was getting upset that he could not climb down into the exhibit Amalia was starting to melt down. So I picked her up and that calmed her down, but I was relying 100% on Domingo not running off. Thankfully he didn't. Finally got Amalia back to sleep and then I had to convince Domingo to leave these guys:
The only way was to tempt him with a different statue. Seriously, what child goes to the zoo just to play with the bronze statues? Then, the old bait and switch, once outside we ate some lunch and then looked at the lions again, and started back home.
Unfortunately, Domingo fell asleep on the way home, and Amalia was freaking out. So we had to stop for a nurse break and by the time we got home and I was trying to get everyone situated, Domingo woke up. I was on the verge of getting him back to sleep but Amalia was just too chatty. Amalia was happily babbling, but was so tired it quickly escalated to fussing and then full on crying. I finally got her to sleep but now Domingo is up and crabby. Normally an hour nap for Domingo is really really short. He usually sleeps between 2 and 3 hours in the afternoon, and it is a much needed respite for both of us. Today's one hour nap wouldn't have been so bad except that due to DST he was up at 1:00. Usually the time he's going to sleep. Now there are 5 long hours before Papa gets home. Let's hope everyone is still here when he gets here.
So we walked, and even at a pretty fast clip, it took a LOOOONG time. It's a little over two miles to the zoo from our place. Driving takes 5 minutes, and I can run there and back in 40 minutes. But walking is just so slow.
But we got there, and Amalia had conked out, just as planned. What was not in the plans was some school's field trip with all the LOUD second or third graders running around screaming. I know I shouldn't complain, seriously, it was their field trip, and they were excited, but come on, the entire underwater seal observatory doesn't need to hear that you've found the seals.
So Amalia wakes up, but is still keeping it together. We walk around some more, children's zoo, penguins, rhinos, and then to the meerkats, Domingo's special request.
The meerkats are housed in the "African experience" house. It's pretty cool. There are a few colobus monkeys, pygmy crocodiles, hippos, and lots of fish. The meerkat/aardvark area is definitely the smelliest part of the exhibit, but Domi really likes them. Today there were two zoo keepers inside the exhibit and Domingo was like, I'm going down there to touch the meerkats. It was a little confusing because at the children's section he got to touch a turtle, so he assumed everything is up for grabs so to speak. While Domingo was getting upset that he could not climb down into the exhibit Amalia was starting to melt down. So I picked her up and that calmed her down, but I was relying 100% on Domingo not running off. Thankfully he didn't. Finally got Amalia back to sleep and then I had to convince Domingo to leave these guys:
The only way was to tempt him with a different statue. Seriously, what child goes to the zoo just to play with the bronze statues? Then, the old bait and switch, once outside we ate some lunch and then looked at the lions again, and started back home.
Unfortunately, Domingo fell asleep on the way home, and Amalia was freaking out. So we had to stop for a nurse break and by the time we got home and I was trying to get everyone situated, Domingo woke up. I was on the verge of getting him back to sleep but Amalia was just too chatty. Amalia was happily babbling, but was so tired it quickly escalated to fussing and then full on crying. I finally got her to sleep but now Domingo is up and crabby. Normally an hour nap for Domingo is really really short. He usually sleeps between 2 and 3 hours in the afternoon, and it is a much needed respite for both of us. Today's one hour nap wouldn't have been so bad except that due to DST he was up at 1:00. Usually the time he's going to sleep. Now there are 5 long hours before Papa gets home. Let's hope everyone is still here when he gets here.
posted by Alice at
11:45 AM
1 Comments:
just had a memory of young tia jennifer going to Lincoln Park Zoo (from my aptmt at 525 w. fullerton), and only having eyes for the pigeons--no interest in a giraffe or anything--just pigeons! She was about 7 mos., I think! tia s.
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