Blank Park Zoo

Friends of our from church invited us to the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines on Memorial Day. We went for the first time as a family last year on this weekend too, so it is becoming a tradition. Tyler was excited to see the animals and spent time with his friend Julianna, but mostly excited to ride the train at the zoo - which he talked about non-stop! Here are some of the pictures from our day at the zoo...

We checked out the new dinosaur exhibit. The kids were not so sure about the moving, growling dinosaurs but Tyler had fun tracing on with a paper & crayon.

The ostriches were really showing off and prancing around. This one was very friendly.

Feeding the giraffe was very cool!
Tyler even ate a lettuce leaf later at dinner just like the giraffe did.

I saw a few other very pregnant ladies surviving the 86 degree heat at the zoo. I was definitely ready to sit in the air conditioning when we got home!
Tyler could have sat here watching the monkeys all day if it weren't for the train whistle reminding him he still hadn't ridden the train yet. We even came home with a new stuffed monkey - he is sleeping with him as I post this.

Showing you all how he can roar like a lion...or a 2.5 year-old boy!

As soon as they popped their heads up, the prairie dog jumped down his hole!

Time out to play in the play area.

Feeding the fish

He wanted to feed the goats one piece of food at a time...then decided to try a piece for himself. We stopped to wash our hands and have a mommy approved snack break soon afterwards.

The train Tyler couldn't wait to ride.

And finally the wait was over and we were on the train.
"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, I'm ready," he said!

Here is my attempt at a self-taken family shot from the day. We saw a few more exhibits after this before going to a park for a picnic lunch, but I was too hot & tried to take any more pictures - plus the wind about blew our picnic away! It was a fun day, but mommy was the only one to take a nap on the way home this time!

Let's Go Play Outside

The weather has been great lately to play outside and I am trying to keep Tyler busy doing lots of fun things to focus some attention on him before the baby arrives - so we took a wagon ride to a school playground about 6 blocks from our house to play basketball, fly a kits, swing, and play on the equipment. Then we met my parents for dinner. Tyler seemed to enjoy the attention.

Tyler Tales

We took Tyler to my latest doctor appointment. He really liked taking the elevator down from the parking garage and after listening to the baby's heart beat he said it sounded like the choo choo train.

He has been watching a new Curious George DVD about gardening and recycling. Now he noticed the recycling symbol on plastic bottles and has been saying certain things "smells like compost" while he pinches his nose closed with his fingers.

My outgoing son knows no stranger. He has started introducing himself to anyone he sees when we are out around town. He waves and says, "Hi, I'm Tyler. I'm 2 and a half!"

We had a baptism at our church this past Sunday. Tyler was watching the baby closely since we have been talking a lot about babies at our house lately. We asked him to fold his hands and pray with us at the end of the baptism. He did, but as we said "Amen" he blurted out "That not right, it goes like this, Come Lord Jesus, be our guest.." We were laughing so hard it was hard to stay quiet and get him to stop saying the rest of the prayer we say before meals. Luckily it didn't seem to bother anyone around us. Adam leaned over and said, maybe we should teach him that there are other prayers.

Puddle Jumping

Tyler finally had a chance this week to try out his new rain coat and rubber boots on a warm rainy afternoon. He was excited to go puddle jumping after his nap, so we got him all dressed up - here is the clean before picture. We have a annoying dip in our driveway that always collects water when it rains. Tyler thinks it is there just for him to play with, however! He started by throwing rocks into the puddle from a sack of rocks he collected the last time he went creek stomping in Clarinda.

Then he was all excited to drive his trusty dump truck through the water as fast as he could - eventually getting his pants soaked and water in his boots, but he didn't seem to care.

Can you see all the flowers Adam and I planted? He took a day off of work on Thursday to help his pregnant wife get the bed weeded, 52 flowers planted, and mulch put down. It took all day and I needed all day Friday to sleep and recover!
I have decided that no matter where/when you play outside with boys - they always have to play in mud, it's like a magnetic force!

Here is my favorite picture - notice his muddy hands!

The next day the puddle was smaller and the sun was out. Tyler put his boots on to jump in what was left of the puddle when our neighbor girl brought over some toads they found in their garden. One of the toads escaped into the puddle and Tyler and Chloe had lots of fun chasing the poor toad from one side to the other before it escaped into our garage.

Birthday Day

I had a great 33rd birthday! My boys took me out for breakfast at a diner in town where Tyler could see the trains go through town. Then Adam said we could drive over and get my gift. It took us stopping at 4 stores to find it, but we finally found the porch glider swing that I wanted at Lowes in Ames and managed to squeeze the giant box into my Rav4.

Once we were home I made a picnic lunch while Tyler enjoyed the 90 degree heat and played in the backyard pool and Adam put all the pieces together for my present.
He didn't last long working with metal pieces on a black tailgate in the 90 degree hot sun! He moved into the shaded garage instead!

After several hours of swimming and playing, and helping build my gift, we were all hot, tired, and ready for a nap! Tyler and I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up, Tyler slipped off the couch but stayed asleep while I grabbed the camera to catch this photo. He is basically sleeping standing up with his head still on the couch!

We ended the day with a yummy DQ ice cream cake!

Indianola Visit

The first week of May we found a free day to drive down to visit my dear friend Mary Geiger in Indianola. Tyler loved played with her box full of grandkid toys and we had a chance to chat and catch up over lunch. Tyler and May bonded!
They even lit candles on mini cupcakes and sang me Happy Birthday!

Tyler was excited to help blow out the candles AND eat the cupcakes!

It was a fun day for visiting a great friend in my old college town - we need to do it more often!

Big Brother Class

We signed Tyler up for a big brother/big sister class at our hospital in Ames the first Monday in May. This class was for 2-4 year olds. The parents were supposed to drop off the kids and come back 45 minutes later for a presentation, but not all of their volunteers showed up, so most parents stayed to help. Tyler had just woken up from a nap and was hungry for dinner already, so he needed some extra encouragement, but we think he enjoyed the class and learned a few things.

Here he is coloring a bib for the baby that the volunteer ironed/transferred onto a cloth bib as a keepsake. He also got a big brother pin & sticker to wear.

The hospital volunteer did a great job being patient with 10 toddlers while they read a story, learned how to hold the baby, and each had a chance to put on and take off a diaper. Finally it was Tyler's favorite part - riding the elevator! We all trooped up to see the renovated birthways floor. The kids got to see what the rooms look like and peek at the babies in the nursery.

The class ran way over time, but they did get a snack and a certificate a the end and a sack of goodies to take home including a book to read and the bib.