Lailah and recent MN Zoo outing

After doing our usual indoor play activities from 10am until about 1pm, Lailah and I drove over to the MN Zoo (it’s really nice being only 5 mins away). We then spent ~three hours walking around the outdoor animals, like the “Takin”, the Asian Wild Dog, the prairie dogs (she loved those little guys, popping up out of their tunnel holes), the Moose, the Camels, the Leopard, the Wild Boars, and we played on most of the playground “things”, but she really doesn’t like to play on the fake spider’s web (made of thick rope), she’s actually kinda scared if it, go figure!

Toward the end, she was asking me to carry her, but for the most part, she walked on her own. Eventaully, I put her on my shoulders – which is much better than carrying her in my arms. She and I really had a fun time at the zoo, seeing all the animals. It was truly a gorgeous day, and the two of us took lots of pictures together.

We got home around 4:30, with me carrying her from the car, plopped her on the bed (taking off her jacket and sweatshirt), then went to take off my jacket in the LR, gathered some animal cookies for her from the kitchen, and by the time I got back to the bedroom, she was fast asleep. Out like a light, happily snoring away.

I was really surprised this morning when she let me read a few books as she snuggled next to me on the couch. Recently, she’s been not wanting me to read to her, but today, she really enjoyed listening. We did play on the iPad for about 10-15 minutes, playing an Elmo series of puzzles app, but didn’t complain one bit when I turned it off.

She is now saying things which take me by surprise, like “wait a minute, GranPa”, as if she knows what a minute is (maybe she does). Can’t remember the other things she said today, but her vocabulary is just amazing. I tell her she’s getting to be a big girl these days, and she responded with: “GranMaRose doesn’t want me to grow up, she wants me to stay her baby girl FOREVER!” Lol

Smartest. And. Most. Beautiful. Little. Girl. Ever.

[zoo pics to be posted later, along with a play-doh video of us playing together.]

Time for my own nap now…