The Zoo Zee Zoo

Every year since Olivia was about 18 months old, we've gone to the Fort Wayne Childrens' Zoo in August. We get free passes provided by the Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne, where Olivia was a 'guest' for eleven days after her birth.

Alyssa looks forward to this zoo trip from the moment we get home from the last one. This is the only time she ever gets to ride horses and she so loves the horses. She rode Chief, a beautiful brown horse, twice today before we dragged her away to see the actual zoo.

Olivia just likes getting out and spending the day with her favorite people. She goes along gamely where ever Alyssa leads us.

This year was special, though. This year, Tom went with us. For those who know us I just want to say, I KNOW, right?

For our past visits to the NICU party/zoo we were joined by my mom. She's as good as sport as Olivia, letting Alyssa lead the way from one attraction/animal to the next.

We debated whether or not to take the stroller this year. Last year, my mom brought my nephew, who was two and a half. With him and Olivia, we knew we'd need a strolelr at some point so we rented one there at the zoo.

This year, we decided to be safe and ended up taking our own. It ended up carrying our snacks and the backpack that held the extra clothes, my purse and my dead phone. Oh yes, did I mention that we didn't get any picture today because my phone battery was dying and so it wouldn't let me take pictures? Bummer, huh?

But back to the stroller, with Tom coming along, he's all about being prepared and he knows that Olivia tends to get tired. He also knows that when she's tired she wants me to carry her. And when I'm hot and tired and my back hurts from carrying her, I get cranky.

So in an effort to avoid crankiness on my part, he suggested we take the stroller.

It wasn't until the very end, after over four hours of keeping up with the rest of us that Olivia asked to be carried.

My girl is getting stronger, is what I'm saying.

Having Tom along was such a novelty for all of us. Alyssa was the tour-guide, talking a mile a minute, saying repeated, "Don't worry, Daddy, I know where we're going. Don't waorry, Daddy, you'll like this next place. Don't worry, Daddy, this next ride is really relaxing."

I enjoyed him being there because it was nice to share the parenting. My mom is great but I always feel like I have to be hyper-vigilant so that she isn't having to 'parent' my girls.

This is two Saturdays in a row that he's spend the entire day with us, not just around the house but actually going somewhere, spending real time, building memories.

This move was absolutely the best thing we've done.

And for the record, Alyssa can't wait for next year's visit to the zoo.