Off to the Zoo

It’s spring now, right?

We’re gonna say it’s spring. Colorado will object and probably send a huge snowstorm just to spite me, but it’s warm today and I want to believe in miracles.

That’s why all my windows are open.

Since it is most definitely spring, I took some time out of the whirlwind of my job to go to the zoo with my sister and her one year old.

Have you ever noticed that the zoo is way more fun with a small child? Don’t get me wrong, I love the zoo. I am all about going to the zoo solo or on a date. But when you bring a toddler, you get to see things a little differently. For one thing, you spend a whole lot of time down on his level. For another, it becomes socially acceptable to practice as many animal noises as you can possibly remember in every single exhibit.

We spend a lot of time roaring at the lions.

It was great fun.

He also knew what a zebra says, which was very impressive to me, since I’m pretty sure I didn’t find that one out until I was at least ten.

He’s a smart little guy.

Colorado Springs has been updating their zoo exhibits recently, and although a whole section of the zoo was blocked off for construction, there was at least one new exhibit that I had never been inside. The penguin/hippo/pelican/warthog house.

It sounds a little weird.

I promise it made perfect sense once you got inside. Even though most of those animals don’t live anywhere near each other.

The hippos in-particular were a great favorite, because, since they’re in a pool and spend most of their time underwater, it was always a surprise when—and where—they popped up. So we played hide-and-seek with the world’s deadliest large land animal. My nephew was very into it. Every time the hippo’s head went under the water, he would act very surprised and ask where it went.

My sister and I spent a lot of time laughing that particular trip.

Now that spring is OFFICIALLY here and definitely won’t lapse back into winter and trap us all inside again, I’m hoping to get outside to the zoo and a few other places more often. Especially with my nephew.

Do you have any special outings planned now that the weather is warmer? Tell me about them in the comments!