Brookfield Zoo

Dorothy's school had a field trip to Brookfield Zoo today.  While the weather wasn't great, we still had a really good time.  I almost decided not to go early this morning, but I'm glad we did.  We had a bit of a later start than I would have liked, but we caught up to her class where they met up to see the orangutang they had collected money for to adopt.  For a trip to the zoo, we saw very few animals, but that was because the kids were so busy doing all the different activities offered.  Dorothy and another little girl spent a really long time in a bird area building nests, collecting (giant, plastic) eggs, and making up elaborate stories.

 These two are too adorable together and they were mostly inseparable the entire day.  When the moms were trying to get their attention, we always had to say both names because they were attached at the hip.

 We spent a nice long time in an indoor (it was cold and a little rainy) play area and "do your own face painting" is one of the activities.  Her little friend wanted to be a tiger, and I ended up making three girls into "tigers."  This is the extent of my face painting abilities: straight-ish lines that might look like a tiger if you use some serious imagination.

 There was no orange, so we have yellow, pink, and green tigers.  Once they were all painted up, there was much roaring.

 ROAR!!!  Cutest tigers ever!

 More roaring.

 A couple of days ago, Dorothy mentioned that she wanted to try riding an animal the next time she went on a carousal.  Until now, she has always been enthusiastic to ride the carousal, but always chose to sit on a bench.  She was really excited until right before it started up, then she got a little nervous.  Once it started though, she loved it, and only wants to ride on animals from now on.

 Just taking it all in.

 I always make the kids stop on the way out to take a picture with this lion.  They are always tired and ready to go and have very little interest in humoring me at that point.  At least this year she was interested in climbing on his back.

 An almost cutely posed photo!

 OK, mom.  I'm totally over this lion thing.  Enough.

As we were taking pictures some other friends from school came by on their way out, so they all piled on.  We ran out of room on the lion's back, so Dorothy got moved to the head.

It's rare for me to be in any pictures, so when another mom offered to take one of Dorothy and I, I said yes.  I'm trying to be better about remembering to in pictures from time to time, even if I am rocking the less than flattering head-band look due to rain.

We were both really tired after our zoo day, but she had such a great time she couldn't stop talking about it on the ride home (where she ate and ate and ate) and asked if we can go back again sometime.  Yes, honey, we will go back.