We Joined the Zoo!

B has been talking about going to the zoo. We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo last month and I think it whetted her appetite. Plus, the Brookfield Zoo has a dinosaur exhibit that I thought she might like. And lately, she has been into dinosaurs. Reading about, watching, and playing with them.

The Brookfield Zoo isn't cheap. You can pay $12 to get in, and then pay for everything you do, or $24 and get into everything. Or, you can become a member. I chose a membership. And I am glad I did. We went Friday, and B asked to go back Monday. Good thing too. I forgot the camera Friday. Plus, we were both exhausted! I haven't been sleeping, and she hasn't been napping. And Brookfield is huge. Too much to see in one trip. Oh, I guess you could cram it all in, but it would be exhausting.

There was the Dinosaurs Alive exhibit as well

as dinos paced around the zoo. These are not

just statues, but animatronic. Moving and roaring.

This is a Ruyang Yellow River Dinosaur. We ate

our lunch on a bench, watching and listening to him.

We went through the exhibit on Friday. B loved

it and hated it. She was fascinated as well as

frightened. She asked to go through the exhibit

again on Monday, but changed her mind when we got

the the entrance and she heard them roaring.

Wish I knew what type of primate this is, but I don't.

My little river otter. This was a water conservation exhibit.

One of B's favorite species, the fish.

Happy to find out, we are pretty good

at protecting our water supply.

B the mermaid, helping to clean up the kingdom.

She wasn't happy about this picture. She told me I could

only take a photo of the lion.

We got to feel this dino. B also got her

picture taken by a "pro". He put it in a

frame and B is going to give it to Grandma

for her birthday.

Picture by a non-pro.

It got hot so we had a lemon shake-up. This too

was made by a pro. The girl who made it said

she is the best lemonade maker. And she wasn't lying.

I had to fight B to get a drink.

B was so good I told her she could pick out a new

toy. Did she pick a cuddly dinosaur? No, she wanted

a gooey, stretchy snake. But she loves it.

Ugh.

The last stop was popcorn. Again, B told me

to only take a photo of the popcorn. Not her.

After school today, when I asked what she wanted to do this afternoon, she said, "go to the zoo." I told her we can make it our Monday thing to do. It isn't too far and it is good for noth of us. Plus, we have only seen an 1/8 to 1/4 of the animals.