Zoo pics!

Well, I guess that I should name this post more than just zoo pictures, but I wanted to be able to find the trip to Omaha easily on the blog - so the rest of you will have to live with the "Zoo pics!" title. :)

Here's the weekend as it happened:

Friday after Andy got off of work we packed into the car and headed to Omaha. Nothing major happened Friday night - we checked into the hotel, met up with Grandma Le, Grandpa Dave, and "Rah-rah" (Aunt Sarah). Alex was quite the entertainment for the night - he really enjoyed having an audience to show off in front of!

Saturday morning we all got up and ate breakfast (the hotel had an awesome buffet - Alex LOVED the fresh fruit and sausage links). Then Grandpa Dave went down to Lincoln to help Great-Grandma with some computer problems that she was having, while the rest of us went to the zoo. We were there right when it opened (8:30) because we knew that we would need to leave around 1 or 2 - depending on when Alex needed to nap. We headed to the Rainforest, Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night, Gorilla Complex, and the Monkey House. By the time we had finished walking through those, Grandpa Dave called and he was back in town already. So, we met up with him and went around to the carousel and then waited in line for the train. We took the train back up towards the front and then waited (forever it seemed) in line for lunch. We ended up having a beautiful seat overlooking the rainforest. After lunch, we went to the Aquarium. Alex was done after that. Grandpa Dave and I took Alex back to the car while everyone else looked through the Butterfly Pavillion. There was a line, and Alex was getting quite tempermental, so we took him back to the car so he could have a little "chill" time before heading back to the hotel. He was asleep within 5 minutes - and even slept as I carried into the hotel, up the elevator, into the room, and laid him on the bed. He was WIPED OUT!! He slept a good two hours! OK, on to the pictures.....

Alex and "Rah-rah" on the waterfall bridge (it overlooks the hippos - Alex was mystified my them!) They took time-out for a wave!

Alex and Mommy looking at the macaws.

There were peacocks roaming all over, and every once in a while they would cross right in front of us. Alex loved to stop and look!

Another peacock......

This is hilarious - Alex was trying to walk like the peacock!! :) (Apparently he hasn't heard the saying "MONKEY see MONKEY do! - this is PEACOCK see, ALEX do!) :)

Outside of the Gorilla complex - they had these brass (?) gorillas outside - there were a ton of kids playing on them, Alex seemed to want to play - -

But when "Rah-rah" tried to put him on it, nope!!

Alex and Daddy looking close-up at a gorilla and it's baby!

Alex and Daddy waiting in line to ride the carousel - Daddy had to be the choice because it was "Not recommeded for pregnant women"!! Seriously, a carousel???

Alex chose a tiger - he loved it!!!

Alex, "Rah-rah", and Grandpa Dave all looking at the fish (it's hard to see, it's dark in there, but there is this big tube and all of the fish swim around in the same direction - it's pretty cool!)

Some pictures from the butterfly pavillion - this one is a blue morpho.

Daddy took this pictures - it's a mimick butterfly - when it spreads it's wings it makes the face of an owl to scare predators away.

And that's the end of the zoo trip - on to the rest of Saturday! My aunt and uncle had a 40th anniversary celebration, and it was madness! :) All of my cousins and their families were there (my sister, Elly, was the only one not to make it - 8 hours in the car one way is a little much for a "weekend trip" - especially with a 1-year-old!) Luckily, they had a TON for the kids to do! Alex spent most of his time on the swing. This was about 3 hours into it - Rah-rah and Daddy were getting the biggest giggles out of Alex!

This is an "action shot" that I am super proud of!! Look at the expression on Alex's face! :) This photo is the highlight of my photography career, so far. :)

A "cousins" picture - left to right - me, Rah-rah, Sonya (Janelle's 2nd), Colleen (Vicky's oldest - the party was at her home), Ben (Vicky's 2nd - the only boy on that side!), Angie (Janelle's 3rd), Ashley (Janelle's 5th), Jenny (Janelle's first), and Heather (Janelle's 4th). It was amazing that there were no kids, flying balls, or husbands chasing after kids in this picture - there are 13 kids among Janelle's brood, and Colleen has another 2. Alex was a little overwhelmed, there were more kids there than at his childcare place!!! :)

This was taken at the hotel this morning. Andy and I just had to look at each other and ask, "What is he thinking?" His poor little head has had quite a few hard knocks in the past week, and here he is adding a few of his own - - why!??!??!?!

We also decided to go to the pool this morning before we left. Friday night we walked around, and Alex had been asking to go to the pool since then. We made time for it this morning......and here's how close Alex got to the water.........

Immediately after this picture he grabbed his shirt and said, "All done."

We did manage to sit on the edge and dip our feet into the water, but that was it. After asking for it all weekend, I would have assumed that he would have been a little more enthusiastic!

And this was on the car ride home. We left around 10:30 (Alex was up at 6:30 this morning!!! Someone NEEDS to talk to him about sleeping in!), and he was shot! Just look at the "comfy position" he chose to sleep in!! (shoes and all!)

We had a great time! We are all exhausted, but I think that now that the Olympics are over, we can get to bed at a decent time now. Alex is already quite tempermental (it's 7:45), so his bedtime will be earlier tonight - mine will be too!

Have a great week everyone!!