Catelyn's First Trip to the Zoo

It was a gorgeous day on Saturday, September 1st -- the day of Catelyn's first trip to the zoo. We marked this fun occasion with our dear friend "Auntijen" and traveled to the Baltimore Zoo. When we arrived, we had a delicious picnic lunch in the field next to the parking lot and then we loaded up the stroller and made our way into the park. While we were there, she was able to "walk" with the help of her daddy and mommy's hands, or she could take a break and be carried while we enjoyed the views, or she was able to lounge in her stroller when she needed a rest. She had quite a busy day! We even had to stop halfway through the park so she could have her second lunch of sweet potatoes, which she so gracefully helped feed herself!

Catelyn enjoyed watching all of the animals moving around in their home-away-from-homes. Her favorite creature was the "Lesser Kudu," a gazelle-like animal that is native to Africa. She kept clapping and smiling at him as he grazed below us (photo below). She really enjoyed the giraffe habitat too, where she was able to stand next to the fence and watch while one of the trainers fed the long-necked creatures some romaine lettuce. Maybe we have a possible veterinarian in our home? :)

Catelyn was able to see a polar bear, African elephants, giraffes, African penguins (yes, they do live on that continent--we were surprised too!), camels, ostriches, rhinos, turtles, and vultures -- just to name a few. She almost made it to the very end of the park, but the excitement of the day was just too much for our little one. She konked out right before the last exhibit -- the chimpanzees!

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day, a more perfect companion (thanks, Auntijen!), or a more fun activity to experience with our little angel. How wonderful it is to experience the world through the eyes of a child!