brave

after pictures i took the kids to the zoo.  i was looking forward to spending some time out in the sunshine.  i was just going to let mason skip his nap and hope that maddux fell asleep.  i was also hoping to get some more pictures of the kids but they were done with having their picture taken and were less free with their smiles.  mason did insist that i take his picture in the penguin though and was calling for madelyn to come and join him.  once i took his picture he was willing to move along.

as a reward for being so patient and listening carefully at jcp, i let the kids eat the ring pops they got for easter (i think they were from easter...).  i consider ring pops an outside only treat.  i was a little nervous because madelyn was eating a red one in her white dress and mason was eating a blue one - his first ever - and he isn't very good about containing his drool with hard candies.  but, whatever, pictures were over and that is what washing machines are for, right?  there were several people who commented on how brave i was to let her have a red one while she was wearing white.  i am happy to report that she did not get a single spot on her dress.  mason's shirt didn't fare as well...

first patient pose

leaning towards impatient

fake, unwilling smile (i asked her to sit and she held still for about half a second)

mason and his ring pop

i couldn't take them on the carousel, but the 'statue' one was almost just as good.

she even wanted her picture taken several times (although i think that had more to do with delaying mason's turn)

mason looks in pain, but this was his distracted 'smile' - he was even saying "cheese"

there were several things to do and animals to see that were new for us on this trip.  the touch tank was open for the first time (for us anyway).  mason held out his two fingers the entire time so that he wouldn't forget to be gentle.  i let them go on their own too because i didn't want to leave a sleeping maddux in the stroller on his own. (imagine them standing on a deck and me standing in the yard - i could touch mason if i had to.)



the other 'new' thing to do was to prepare (pretend) food for the animals in a zookeeper play kitchen.  the kids really had fun doing this and i was surprised at how well all of the kids there (maybe 8-10) were all sharing with each other.  madelyn was excited that there were "animals" too (aka rats and bugs).  i told her that those were food for some animals too.  she laughed and told me "no they aren't, mom." like it was the best joke i could have told her right then.  i just left it at that.
we ended up being there for about three hours.  maddux was starting to get a little fussy (the kid must have been starving at this point) and mason was starting to have a little more trouble being a good listener after not napping.  we had to pass through the last few exhibits a little quickly to get back to the car.

madelyn and mason both fell asleep in the car which made for a relaxing drive home for me.  it was a little odd that madelyn fell asleep but it had been a lot of time in the sun (for us apartment dwellers anyway).  mason usually looks just precious when he sleeps in the car, but by the time i got the car parked and could safely take a picture, he had gotten into this double chin and frown pose.

mason stayed asleep while i carried him upstairs and into bed.  madelyn woke up and came inside.  she chatted with me a little bit while i nursed maddux. what was more odd was that she snuggled up in a chair and went back to sleep.

it all became clear when she woke up from the nap crying and complaining of a sore throat.  i felt her head and went to the the thermometer.  her temp was almost 102.  now everything was making sense.  i gave her some motrin.  about an hour later she was up and playing, but you could see on her face that she wasn't feeling her best.  the prayer is for her to feel better quickly and for it not to spread to the others.

my day still wasn't done.  after inhaling my dinner i went out to run errands and grocery shop while matt stayed home with the kids.  i was exhausted by the time i finally got home and was able to put my feet up for a little bit before going to bed.  love.