Put Me In the Zoo

Well, ever since we got home yesterday I feel like I'm in the zoo! Things are just a little bit crazy as we try to settle back into a normal routine around here. For one, I'm up to my eyeballs in housework, especially the dreaded post-vacation laundry. Also, Sophia seems to have amped up her mischievousness since we've been away and it's making everything difficult. I finally decided today to just corral her in the living room as best I could. I closed off the kitchen and our bedroom by closing the doors and I blocked the wide entry into the library, where there are tons of things for her to get into by putting her pack 'n play across it. It worked for a little while, but she soon remembered something that I forgot. She can open the door to my bedroom. Not a big deal, but our bedroom has two doors and the other one leads to the rest of the house which I'm trying to keep her out of! How does a barely two foot tall one year old open a door, you ask? Easy. She just pulls on the door stopper attached to the door until it opens. (The door is old and doesn't shut properly.) Ugh, evil little genius that one is! Kind of reminds me of another little toddler I once knew who could open up the pantry door with a golf club and help himself to the snacks!

Anyway, just like the laundry, I'm trying hard to get caught up on all the pictures from vacation. From the title of this post you can probably guess where this next set of pictures were taken: the zoo!


Sophia chasing around the peacock.


The kids posing with Mimi and Papa. (There were monkeys back there somewhere!)


Elijah really liked this donkey. (Donkey right?)


This giant turkey was strutting around with his feathers all puffed up like he was looking for a fight. It was kind of scary!


Sophia was making kissy faces at the donkey.


This picture is a little blurry, but this little prairie dog Elijah called "my friend". He stayed by Elijah the whole and even tried to follow him as we walked away!


As you can see Sophia didn't spend much time in her stroller.


She liked all the birds the best, since you could get so close to them.


Elijah and a black swan.


And last but not least, the obligitory goofy family shot!

Of course there were lots of other fun animals like tigers and a shy giraffe at the zoo, but I think you know what those animals look like! I think I've got enough vacation pics for one final post and that will be it from our long summer vacation.