Where do you go to see the Moose? At the zoo, of course

Mama Moose and I have been plotting a get-together for ages. Last week she came up with the suggestion that we meet at the Philly Zoo. What fantastic timing she had; with Mamaw and Dadaw in town we were given something fun, new, and touristy to do, and we also had two extra pairs of hands for the inevitable baby rodeo that ensued. Plus, Isaac and Connor (who is two weeks older than Isaac) are now old enough to enjoy a trip to a big zoo, to take delight in spying all the animals in real life that they are used to seeing every day in books. And for the mamas, it was equally neat to spy the characters in real life whom they are used to seeing every day in blogs.

Mamaw and Dadaw had a fabulous time. It was easy to, with Isaac so excited. "There's a rhinoceros! There's a elephant! Mamaw, WHAT'S THAT?!???" Jacob was even easy-going, and let Dadaw hold him for most of our long, winding walk. Mamaw and Dadaw also seriously enjoyed Connor's company. It was like having an extra grandboy along to spoil.


I've read Mama Moose's blog about her Connor for about a year and a half now. It's funny how you instantly feel comfortable encountering these blog-subjects even though you've never really met them before. Mama Moose and I gabbed effortlessly, like we'd known each other for, well, a year and a half. And Connor is everything she says he is and more. He is just a doll, and when he got tired would patiently wait in his stroller for his buddy Isaac as Isaac ran, hummingbird-like, from one exhibit to the next. And man, can he put back some ice cream. Mama Moose, can he share some of his toddler appetite with Isaac?

But why am I still talking? You want to see pictures. You can view all the pictures I took as a slideshow here. For the lazy, here's a parade of highlights.

It's...a...RHINOCEROS!



Isaac and Connor: "The lions take a nap."



Jakey eats Big Brother's hot dog bun for lunch. Check out those toofers and you see why Dada now calls him "Can Opener":


Feeding the ducks. See what I mean about two extra pairs of hands?


Big red tractor = little boy magnet:



Jacob is ecstatic to have a safe place to stretch his lard-limbs:



Isaac was addicted to these face-cutout thingys. He ran to every one he could find and stood in it, or, in this case, insisted Mamaw hoist him up so I could take a picture:


Dadaw and Jacob, just before Jakey hits the hay on Dadaw's shoulder:


Little boy magnet #2 -- climbable statues. As Isaac puts it, "I hanging like a monkey":



Getting as tired as the polar bear after walking practically the whole zoo by himself (no joke! Smart-boy Connor had retired to his stroller looooong before):


Aaaaaand the obligatory group photo:


Thanks to Mama and Connor Moose -- we had a blast! But thanks most of all to Mamaw and Dadaw, whose extreme zeal for walking with, entertaining, and carrying little boys really made it a fantastic time.