When temperatures reach the mid-70s in the middle of a polar vortex-dominated winter, you go to the zoo, like everybody else. We did on Saturday, and, yep, everybody was there.
It was wonderful.
The weather was beautiful. Perfect, really. But the treasure of the day was Lily. Lily has been to the Nashville Zoo a few times already, but this was the first time she really had fun. She slept in her car seat in most previous trips. Not this time.
We put her at the head of the double-stroller, and she white-knuckled the tray in excitement. If she could speak, she might have said, "Look at this world ahead of me. Ain't it the grandest!" (Yes, I often envision my youngest as a 1920s flapper.)
Even though she was in the front of the stroller, she couldn't get front enough. She kept leaning forward, and she kept trying to get more forward.
When you're with two young kiddos like we were, you don't expect to see much of the zoo, especially when you're going at the 2-year-old's pace. We didn't see many animals at all. Lily didn't see any really, but she didn't care. Look at all those people! My God, the people! They were everywhere, and Lily look and gawked and smiled and blinked at every single one of those people.
We had several bathroom breaks. During one, Lily and I hung out at the edge of the path while the mass of humanity ebbed and waned in front of us. This was one of Lily's favorite moments. Actually, you could have removed me from the picture. If we left Lily there, in the stroller, just watching all the people, she'd be one happy baby. (Lily also quite enjoyed the tot mat at the playground, what with all those kids running around and all those adults sitting around the mat with their laps ready to be pulled up upon.)
But that wasn't Lily's favorite moment at the zoo.
Nope.
She wasn't sure what to think when I hoisted her up on the dolphin's back at the carousel. She grasped the silver pole in front of her and sat, once looking at me and taking a deep breath before the ride had started, "OK, Daddy, what's this all about? Can we go back and look at the people?"
Then the bell rang, and the ride started its slow twirl.
Smile.
Faster.
Giddy smile.
Faster still.
Yee-HAW! Giddy-up, little dolphin!
Baby kismet.
Lily grinned and babbled during the entire ride. The carousel's lights and sounds and colors washed her in magic.
I know where we're going once the last bite from the polar vortex passes (I hope).
Back to Lily's favorite place.
It was wonderful.
The weather was beautiful. Perfect, really. But the treasure of the day was Lily. Lily has been to the Nashville Zoo a few times already, but this was the first time she really had fun. She slept in her car seat in most previous trips. Not this time.
We put her at the head of the double-stroller, and she white-knuckled the tray in excitement. If she could speak, she might have said, "Look at this world ahead of me. Ain't it the grandest!" (Yes, I often envision my youngest as a 1920s flapper.)
Even though she was in the front of the stroller, she couldn't get front enough. She kept leaning forward, and she kept trying to get more forward.
When you're with two young kiddos like we were, you don't expect to see much of the zoo, especially when you're going at the 2-year-old's pace. We didn't see many animals at all. Lily didn't see any really, but she didn't care. Look at all those people! My God, the people! They were everywhere, and Lily look and gawked and smiled and blinked at every single one of those people.
We had several bathroom breaks. During one, Lily and I hung out at the edge of the path while the mass of humanity ebbed and waned in front of us. This was one of Lily's favorite moments. Actually, you could have removed me from the picture. If we left Lily there, in the stroller, just watching all the people, she'd be one happy baby. (Lily also quite enjoyed the tot mat at the playground, what with all those kids running around and all those adults sitting around the mat with their laps ready to be pulled up upon.)
But that wasn't Lily's favorite moment at the zoo.
Nope.
She wasn't sure what to think when I hoisted her up on the dolphin's back at the carousel. She grasped the silver pole in front of her and sat, once looking at me and taking a deep breath before the ride had started, "OK, Daddy, what's this all about? Can we go back and look at the people?"
Then the bell rang, and the ride started its slow twirl.
Smile.
Faster.
Giddy smile.
Faster still.
Yee-HAW! Giddy-up, little dolphin!
Baby kismet.
Lily grinned and babbled during the entire ride. The carousel's lights and sounds and colors washed her in magic.
I know where we're going once the last bite from the polar vortex passes (I hope).
Back to Lily's favorite place.
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