Yesterday, I took the kids to the zoo.  We had a really good day, and they behaved great.  I told them before we ever left that the only way this would work would be if they were good and obeyed when I told them to do something.  I also made it clear that any fighting or fit pitching would result in a drive back home.  Either they were just in a better than normal mood, because of the trip, or they believed me because until they started getting tired around hour 6 or so, they were as good as gold.

At Britt's requested we started out in Africa.  We've not been there the last two trips, and he was begging to feed the giraffes.  The first stop of note was the pelicans.  Both kids found them really interesting.  They would bow and parade around in front of us.  When I pulled out the camera, one honestly was posing.  They seemed so tame, I was almost tempted to touch one.  The funniest part though, was when 2 geese ran hissed, picked a fight and ran them out of the middle of their own exhibit   I mean they are probably 5 times the size of the geese, they literally stood up to my chin.  Next, Ruth fell in love with the hyena.  It kept pacing back and forth along the glass and then would sit down under a stump.  Ruth was running with it, and trying to talk to it.  Britt said they were bad (the boy has watched too much Lion King), and promptly asked to go see the Lions.  They were sitting way up on top of a hill, doing nothing.  But Britt proceded to yell to "Simba" how he liked his "mountain."

Finally we wound our way over to giraffes.  Out of the seven there, only one was out were we could see her.  I've already forgotten her name, but she is the matriarch of the herd, at 24 years old.  I paid a dollar to let the kids get a piece of lettuce to feed her.  They were trying to reach her, I had the stroller, and Rebecca, so I just snapped a bunch of pictures and luckily a few turned out.  She licked Britt with her tongue while getting his lettuce, so he didn't want to feed her any more.  Ruth on the other hand loved it.  I ended up having to pick her up so she could reach the giraffe, but she laughed and loved feeding her.  She even pet her nose a little after we ran out of lettuce.  We saw lots of geese throughout the day, 4 of whom were sitting on nest.  We even got to see one goose turning her eggs in Africa.  Of course, Britt then wanted to know when we could have chickens and ducks and geese and maybe a turkey again.

After that we headed over to the Indonesian Rainforest.  Britt was really interested in the new 15 ft long python they have.  Ruth and I, not so much.  They stopped to play in the explorers hut, and watching them attempt to navigate the hammock was really funny.  Poor Ruth's shirt finally came un tucked, and she was having pants problems getting in, Britt kept rolling out.  Finally I thought I need to video this.  After they finished I got our only group picture off the day, in the mirror there.  Next the kids watched the orangutans.
Britt was really tickled because the boy went and got a pink silkie blanket to carry around.  He was holding a bowl up in his other hand near his face so that it looked almost like he was sucking his thumb.  Britt told Ruth "That orange-tang sucks his thumb with his monkey like you!"  Next we rode the carousel  and the kids split a piece of pizza for lunch, while I fed Rebecca.  I can't get over how Britt eats pizza: all the meat off, then the cheese, then he finally ate the bread, but not the crust.  We then rode the carousel l again.  Someone offered to get a picture of all of us on the Peacock, but by the time I got Rebecca turned around, Britt decided no picture so oh well.  Ruth was disappointed that none of the monkeys and apes were back out over there, she really liked the gibbons apes the last two times we went.  We did stop and visit the lemurs though.  She held her monkey up and showed it to them, then she turned and told Monkey all about the lemurs.  She informed me that the liked each other now.

After that it was off to the kids favorite part of the zoo the sea lions, just like before.  Britt as you may recall is convinced that they wave to him and tell him hi as they swim by.  Ruth just says that she likes them "alot, alot"  We only stayed for 15 mins, but I promised them to come back and watch them feed the sea lions this time.  So Britt wanted to see the bats next, Ruth wanted to ride the train, and I wanted to get something to eat in Australia.  So, we did all of those, before heading back over to the sea lions.  Britt watched them, and talked to them for 20 mins, and then we watched them do tricks for their food for another 20 mins.  Then Britt sat talking to them about how much he liked them for another 10 mins.  We stayed there the longest.  Just about everywhere else, we went Britt or Ruth was ready to go on, after a short time.  They love those sea lions.  It worked out though, because Rebecca needed to eat again.  I wish I had thought to bring the milk I have frozen in a bottle from the house, but another mom ended up sitting down next to me, and nursing her's too.  It was a little amusing to be perched on the rocks of the flower bed together.

After that Ruth asked about the kangaroos (and she even said the whole word, pretty close), so we went back to Australia and did the walkabout.  At that point the kids were starting to get a little whiney with each other, so I thought I had better call it a day,  It had been a little over 6 hours, and no nap.  As we went to walk out, Britt asked to walk through the barn first, and since it's right by the exit, I told him ok.  I'm glad idea.  Aside from me laughing at him for insisting that the hairy, spotted pigs, were little cows, I got to enjoy them playing with the goats.  We didn't feed them since that cost money, but you could get a brush and pet them for free.  You should have seen them following the goats around.  It was funny.  One lady shared some of her food with Britt.  When they figured out he had food, 6 goats, were chasing him around.  He was hollaring, and came and put it ALL in my hand.  He didn't much like that.  It was all I could do to not laugh at him, and make him more upset.  When I told them it was time to go, Ruth went around kissing her "favorite goats."  Like the good Momma I am, I didn't tell her how nasty that was to stop, instead I took a picture.  They also found the pump and wanted to pump water, but weren't having any luck.  So I got it going, primped the pump, and then they took turns.  Britt kept it going a bit sporadically, and Ruth, well, she managed a trickle, and was happy.

They were asleep before we got back on the road and slept all the way back to Decatur, and the grocery store.  We had a great day.  And I should be about 10 pregnancy pounds lighter from all that walking, hauling, and pushing that double stroller up hill.