L is for Lion

 

 

The base has a special this month on New Orleans Zoo tickets and you know we can’t pass up a good deal!  So last week Samuel and I walked down to the ITT office and bought our BOGO tickets.  Then Saturday after Daddy got home from Bible Study we headed to the Big Easy!

 

Samuel was a little overwhelmed at first.  He just didn’t know where to look.  Should I watch the strange animals or the humdreds of strollers rolling by?  It was a tough decision.

But then he settled in to the whole zoo experience and had a ball.

 

  In Samuel’s world all large animals roar like lions.  Here he is demonstrating for you in front of the rhinos.

 

 

Watching the bears, I believe.

 

 

Thinking about what bears sound like.  He’s not sure if they roar like lions too or if we’re just pulling his leg. 

 

An alligator suns near the boat.

This bird would talk to you.  He said “Cracker” and “I talk a lot.”  He was a popular fellow.  He also did a little dance which Samuel tried to imitate.  I wish we had the video camera for that one.

 

Watching the talking bird.

 

 

He was fascinated with the ducks (which we see all the time at home).  He sat mesmerized until we finally rolled him away.

We weren’t sure what he would do at these little photo op boards.   Sometimes he freaks out when you try to get him to put himself in small spaces.  But Mike showed him how it worked and he was hooked!   We had to drag him away with much weeping and gnashing of teeth when some girls came along wanting there picture too.

 

His first carousel ride was a great success.  Unfortunately we didn’t get a single picture with both of us looking at the camera.  Oh, well!  (We need Uncle Matt’s mad photoshop headchopping skills!)

This guy gives some good hugs these days.  They’re even complete the “mmm…mmm.”  Come to see us and he’ll give one to you too!

 

Here we go, it’s starting to move!

We took a family picture in the mirror but the sun was in Samuel’s eyes.

Yikes.

And no trip is complete without a spin around the playground.

I really had no idea how good Samuel is at maneuvering his way around the playground until I saw some bigger kids still afraid of the slides or climbing the ladder.  I wish he had just a little bit of that fear.  My life would be much easier!

And our final stop of the day was the sea lion exhibit.  Samuel loved watching them swim around and around.  Every time they passed he would say, “where did he go?” 

 

Overall, our first zoo trip was a great success.  We’re looking forward to going back soon!

 

Last night we enjoyed dinner at our house with 3 families from church and today we had a relaxing day at home with a quick golf trip for Mike this morning.  We hope you all had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend as well!