Random Thursday Zoo Trip

In an attempt to do as much fun stuff before baby #2 arrives, use my zoo membership to the fullest, and fill an empty Thursday with something cool Noah and I went to the zoo this morning. It was a bit of an impromptu trip, decided just yesterday based on the weather report. On our way in, it started sprinkling a bit so I figured we'd be pretty much alone at the zoo on a random windy/cloudy Thursday. I could not have been more wrong! We pulled up and saw literally about 50 school busses parked and had a 20 minute wait just to get in the parking lot! Once we got it, though, it was fine and we had a grand time. We actually made it all the way around the zoo, the first time we've managed that. The highlight of today's trip was the petting zoo. Noah LOVED the goats, I mean we were in there petting/brushing the goats for a good 20 minutes (which is like 5 years in toddlerspeak). Then we fed the goats from outside the fence and he loved that as well. The last picture cracks me up, he was trying to explain to the goats that the food was "all gone!" As we got in the car I knew it was a hit when I heard him say, "Mama... NoNo LOVE goats!" So cute :)

First trip to Shedd

Since Mike has started working Saturdays, Noah and I have been getting out and about with different friends and family members to make the day more fun. This weekend we were treated to a trip to the Shedd Aquarium with Bampa and Bamma. It was awesome! Noah really enjoyed the different turtles and frogs and was a big fan of the penguins. We got to see the new baby beluga (bugugu, as Noah calls it). And of course sitting and watching all the different fish in the main circular tank was a big hit. We had a wonderful time and then got to go over and see the other grandparents for dinner. What a day!

Big Boy Bunk Beds!

Noah's big boy furniture was delivered yesterday. We ended up purchasing bunk beds with the idea that eventually the boys will share the room. The stuff came yesterday during Noah's nap, and he slept thru the whole installation process, which was noisy! He was very excited to try out the bed in the afternoon, but we didn't know what nighttime would bring. Sure enough he asked to sleep in the bed, hopped right in there, and went right to sleep, no problems. We put the baby monitor in there just because I was paranoid he was going to fall out during the night. But he slept the usual 11 hours without a peep! He woke up this morning and declared "Noah awake Mommy!" He can't quite get up/down by himself, so we're enjoying the honeymoon phase where he doesn't realize he could actually get up whenever he wanted to. Much more successful than we anticipated, although I'm sure we're not out of the woods yet! It's been an expensive week what with buying his furniture and last night we bought a new dishwasher (woot, rebates 'r' us)! Such excitement, I know!

2 year pics!

Just before his birthday, I took Noah in for his 2 year pictures at JCPenney's. I did not have high expectations, because you just never know how cooperative a toddler will be. It turned out to be a great experience. There were a bunch of cancellations that day at the studio, so we were the only ones there. Noah hammed it up so much, the photographer was laughing the entire time. We got some great shots of my big boy. It is strange to think that the next time we do professional pics, Noah will be posing with his little brother! The second picture is him doing his spiderman pose (a popular move of late). Hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Easter Egg Fun

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter Weekend, we certainly did! We celebrated Easter on Saturday for a variety of scheduling reasons. We went to my parents house and Noah received 2 Easter baskets from Bamma and Bampa with Spiderman Eggs and a Thomas the Train DVD, sweet! Noah hunted for his superhero colored eggs in the backyard (his first actual easter egg hunt). And we had yet another birthday celebration! He was lumped in with Daddy (apr 9), Bampa (apr 10), Uncle Josh (apr 14) and Uncle Dave (apr 17). He was excited about the Diego big wheel he got from the Grandparents. Uncle Josh yet again managed to find great/annoying gifts. I don't know which is worse, the Thomas the Train book that plays this LONG song, or the Spiderman bouncy ball with handle that's just a head injury waiting to happen. All in all, a great Easter!

Choo-Choo to Chicago

This past Friday (Good Friday) my mom and I were both off school, so we decided to take Noah on the train into the city to meet my dad for lunch. The train was late and packed, but the weather was beautiful and Noah thoroughly enjoyed himself. He kepted yelling "faster, Faster, FASTER!" on the train, much to the delight of the gaggle of teenaged girls that were sitting near us. My dad's office is a half block away from union station, so we got to see his professional digs and headed to the nearby Potbelly's for lunch. All in all, it was a great day!