The Harris Family: zoo trip with Michelle, Lily, Ben

we were supposed to meet a group of moms at the zoo for the day, but the event was canceled b/c of rain. Michelle and i decided to go anyway.
this is only the third time i've ever been to a zoo. my first zoo visit was with Joel before we had kids, and it was at this exact zoo, Riverbanks, in Columbia.
then the second time was in Portland with Joel's parents, sister, niece, and aunt. we were living in WA then and i was pregnant with Ian and Zeke was around a year an a half. we drove down five hours to visit them all, spent the night, then we went to the zoo. that was so fun!

first, we headed for the aquarium building, b/c we'd both forgot our jackets, but not for the kids, since it was a little chilly and still rainy.

pointing and telling me about the fish

huge fish

Ian with huge fish

another huge, long fish

Lily and Zeke with an anaconda. the snake's head is way over to the right on a fake rock.

alligator

looking surprised

gotcha!

eel

Lily, Ben, Zeke

Ben, Ian, Zeke, long fish

Ian with the alligator

crocodile

Zeke, Ian, Ben, Lily

big crocodile

Ian with the crocodile's nose

two turtles fighting

Zeke thought it was pretty cool

after we finished looking at all the water-loving animals and left the aquarium, it had stopped raining, so we headed for a picnic area to have Publix subs, yum. then we went in to look at the koalas and to feed the Lorikeet and Lorries.

Zeke liked it at first, holding the nector cup, but then he started freaking out and was much better watching me feed the birds.

see he's starting to cry and i'm reaching out for the cup of nectar?

we went in a second time to feed the lorikeets

Ian loved it

after that, we got ice cream and it sprinkled lightly, then we went to see the mammals.
Zeke and Ian with the monkeys

swinging monkey in the background

i think Zeke was going, "oo-oo-ah-ah!"

Zeke watching the monkeys while Ian plays peekaboo

"peekaboo," he says

Zeke dancing

"why-wons!" Zeke says when he sees the lions

i like his face in this, hehe. he looks maybe worried or thinks he might fall off the fence.

peekaboo again

i see you!

now trying to play it with his hat. you can see the P in peekaboo on his lips

hyena

monkey

Ian pointing to the lioness

Zeke says, "neigh!" like a horse, lol.

every time Michelle tried to get a shot of Ben, he'd turn away, so once she went to the opposite side of the lion, he turned toward me, ah-hah! got you!