First trip (of many!) to the zoo

We didn't know how Ricky would react to all of the animals we would see at the zoo, so we had an exit strategy in place and were prepared to only spend a short time if we needed to ease his nervousness. Contrary to our preconceptions- and to our delight!- Ricky LOVED the animals! (collective sigh of relief- phew!) Maybe it was the obvious cages, glass walls, and barriers separating him and the beasts? Or maybe he saw how much fun the other kids were having making noises and faces? Whatever it was, he was relaxed and confident that he was not going to be lunch. At the petting zoo, he didn't even hesitate to pet and comb the goats. He must have been told in Ethiopia not to get near any wild dogs (hence the terror of Boo and Mingo) and maybe he remembers the friendly and unobtrusive goats, cows, and donkeys that dot the paths where he lived.

All 4 of the kids love the cotton candy, and Ricky inhaled his portion before I could snap a picture. For the big kids, eating cotton candy flooded them with memories of Mexico, their curso de verano last summer, and ita and ito. Such fun to have memories triggered when you least expect it! Playing in the children's zoo portion:

Papi and his 4 kiddos enjoying hot zoo day:
We showed Ricky all of our favorite spots: walking in the beautifully landscaped grounds, crawling through the piranha tunnel, marveling at Nemo in the coral reef...

and cooling off in the many misting stations. Hot, sweaty, tired, and happy, we headed home to relax and grill. A beautiful weekend in September!