Just Another Day at the Zoo

When I asked Dylan what he wanted to do he excitedly said, San Diego Zoo! Life has been so crazy with work and school that we haven't had time to visit the animals he loves so much. So it was up early and off to San Diego for the day.

Dylan has been going to the San Diego Zoo since he was only 9 months old and he can tell you every nook and cranny of this place. If you get lost, he will tell you where to go. If you have a question about an animal, he will give you the answer.


After walking through the entrance it was business as usual ... first stop, the Reptile House. We have seen this Komodo Dragon at least 25 times, but he begged me to take a picture because it was "close up" and the Galapagos Turtles were just too cute. Mommy and baby ... but that baby was HUGE!

Next, he wanted to see the Polar Bears. Now, for those of you who have been to the San Diego Zoo, you know what a hike it is to get to those darn animals ... and if you are lucky, you will actually get to see them doing something other than sleeping. I have been begging Dylan to ride the Skyfari for years now and he keeps saying he is afraid because it is so high. Well, this time he decided to take a chance. Maybe it was the bribery that he would have to walk all the way up there, or maybe the thought of getting off right at the Polar Bear exhibit. Whatever it was, I was just happy I didn't have to walk there!

Guess what? He loved it!

...and the Polar Bear wasn't sleeping!

Ok, so Dylan is almost 8 years old ... but when you are at the San Diego Zoo it is tradition to climb on every statue and take a picture. The life-size book about how the Polar Bears came to live at the zoo was pretty cool too and Dylan stood there turning the pages and reading every word.

Now it was time to make our way down through the other exhibits. So many animals to see and so little time. Well, we had all day ... it was really a matter of how long our feet could walk.

There is a rock next to the River Otter exhibit that Dylan has been climbing on since he was 2 years old and he always insists on taking a picture here. He climbs up and strikes a pose. Such a goofball! One of these days I should line up all the pictures to see how much he has grown, but if I do that I will realize my little boy is growing up too fast!

Mommy and Baby Hippo

Yes, that orange blur is a Tiger!

They had just fed the Lions and now they are resting.

Today was an amazing day. I got to spend real quality time with Dylan with no agenda, no place to be, and tons of laughs. I watched him run and play, absorb more information about animals (if that's even possible), and best of all ... I got to hold his hand. It has been so long since Dylan has even wanted to hold my hand when I try to take his hand in mine. But today, today Dylan kept reaching for my hand. Best feeling ever!

My little chunky monkey is all grown up. Now he plays with the big boys. However, he will still hold my hand, at least for a little while.