Zoo Day!

We have a new tradition that we are excited to keep. :) Going to the Zoo for Mr. Husband's birthday! We started last year, when Adelaide was a little, cute baby and it was a great day (see the memories here), and we definitely wanted to go this year again - Mr. Husband happens to be a Zoo lover, nice and warm start of September is perfect time for going to the Zoo, and Adelaide seems especially interested in animals right now. Also, a great place for walking.

Expectations were high (we hadn't decided to go or not, as there is much to do at home, but she loved watching the dog yesterday so much, that I decided we must go), but the reality was a bit different.. :D

No, it wasn't bad, not at all, it was nice. We managed to see some animals.. Even Adelaide could see some (it's still hard for her to see if they are far and not moving), some of her favorites.









Sadly the favorites of last time - raccoons - where sleeping both times we passed them. :) But here is she is excited about chimpanzees:


But in reality it was more like this.. :D

She loved to walk, especially in the beginning, before her nap-time.



I already wrote about the importance of little toddler walking in my last post. Adelaide walked most of the time herself. Then she took a nap in the stroller, fell asleep quickly, as we took a longer detour. After the nap she walked some more, but then she seemed tired of it all (as we all), so we just headed to the exit.
Needles to say, that there were no other little ones, in her age, that would walk on their own. Even some 3-year-old's were sitting in strollers. I get it, that they can get tired and need a rest.. but still.

The walking, of course, looks like this. :)


It was problematic to keep up a course and actually get to the animals.. As the distances are quite big. She cared more about the flowers, about picking up acorns, hands full..



And then proudly carrying them.


She also likes pushing her stroller..



..reading the map..


..and sitting to rest with her almost-in-3rd-trimester-Mommy.


Lets say - honestly - it is not easy to be the good parent, who follows the child (as it should be), who understands, that the child is doing what he has to do - if he has to walk slowly, look at the flowers and pick up acorns, we should respect that. Not say - come!, stop that!, go faster!, go slower!, sit calmly! and so on and on (all of these and even a lot weirder things heard today from parents telling to their children). It is us - parents - who have decided we must come to the zoo and look at all these animals.
The thing is, as I observed today, there isn't that big point of it all for children less than 3 years old (and it makes sense, knowing of the development phases) (and it doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't go with younger children, just do it in a more children-friendly way), some 3-year-old's were already more interested and curious about the animals. And even those and older ones, they still should be allowed to see the animals in their own rhythm.

If only we as parents could be more patient and just sit and wait, as she picks those acorns, not pull her, shove in the stroller and strap up, just to do, what we have decided we must do. In the end, for who are we doing it all?


We also had a little picnic (sadly we are not very happy with the food available at the Zoo).



And then, one of the nicest parts (makes sense) for Adelaide - we had arrived at the Children's Zoo. There were surprisingly few animals, pretty much only many rabbits, mostly in cages, some guinea pigs, rats, hamsters and chicken, but the only fun part were the goats, that you could actually touch. :)





It was funny, when she started making the sounds that goats did. :) She has learned all her animal sounds from actual animals (cat, dog and birds), she never has repeated the ones we say.

All in all, it was a fun day. :)


Comments

  1. You got her a buggy!!!

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    Replies
    1. Oh yes, we basically got it for our trip, a cheap one ;) But it's not bad.

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