The ZOO!!!! Oh, we love the Oakland Zoo!
Our friends Arrel, Rina, Darby, and Karem bought us a family membership for Elliott's first birthday (what a perfect gift!!!!). Unfortunately, soon after we moved to Oakland, it became cold and rainy and stayed that way for several months. The sun finally popped out over Presidents Day Weekend in February, so we got to go to the zoo for the first time as a whole family. Brandon and I were both really surprised at just how pretty the zoo was. I don't think either one of us had been to a zoo since we were little, and the memories we had were not great. This was nothing like I had expected. It has nice trails to walk along, big trees everywhere, and most of the places the animals were seemed open and spacious (with a few exceptions). There is a great petting zoo and also a big area for little kids to run around and climb on things.
Now that it has been consistently sunny for two weeks, Elliott and I have managed to go back 2 more times. I think we will try to go at least once a week from this point forward. Elliott loves looking at the animals! He is mesmerized. His favorite animals are the flamingos, gibbins (monkeys), elephants, and zebras. He is very scared of a big bird (can't remember it's name) and the chimpanzees because they are too loud for him. I thought he wouldn't be into the petting zoo either because he's always too timid to pet dogs and cats around our neighborhood, but I was completely surprised when on our 2nd visit, he went right up to the goat and started petting it! He wasn't scared at all. You will see in the video that I was clearly the more timid of the two of us - the goats were eating and kicking their legs, so I was nervous he was going to get too close and get kicked - overprotective Mama!
Here are a bunch of zoo photos and videos...
Our friends Arrel, Rina, Darby, and Karem bought us a family membership for Elliott's first birthday (what a perfect gift!!!!). Unfortunately, soon after we moved to Oakland, it became cold and rainy and stayed that way for several months. The sun finally popped out over Presidents Day Weekend in February, so we got to go to the zoo for the first time as a whole family. Brandon and I were both really surprised at just how pretty the zoo was. I don't think either one of us had been to a zoo since we were little, and the memories we had were not great. This was nothing like I had expected. It has nice trails to walk along, big trees everywhere, and most of the places the animals were seemed open and spacious (with a few exceptions). There is a great petting zoo and also a big area for little kids to run around and climb on things.
Now that it has been consistently sunny for two weeks, Elliott and I have managed to go back 2 more times. I think we will try to go at least once a week from this point forward. Elliott loves looking at the animals! He is mesmerized. His favorite animals are the flamingos, gibbins (monkeys), elephants, and zebras. He is very scared of a big bird (can't remember it's name) and the chimpanzees because they are too loud for him. I thought he wouldn't be into the petting zoo either because he's always too timid to pet dogs and cats around our neighborhood, but I was completely surprised when on our 2nd visit, he went right up to the goat and started petting it! He wasn't scared at all. You will see in the video that I was clearly the more timid of the two of us - the goats were eating and kicking their legs, so I was nervous he was going to get too close and get kicked - overprotective Mama!
Here are a bunch of zoo photos and videos...
Visit #1:
Daddy and E looking at the flamingos (small in back right)
The Gibbins - our very favorite animal to watch - they don't have a fence holding them in, just water surrounding their little "island"
E loves elephants! It's his favorite animal sound to make.
Who knew zebras were so short?
Who knew zebras were so short?
The home for the giraffes was a bit depressing to me - this is no Zimbabwe!
Visit #2 with our new friends Juliette and Julian
The Petting Zoo!
Brave E and Nervous Mama
This is One Mellow Goat!
Brave E and Nervous Mama
This is One Mellow Goat!
So Sweet
"This?" - E's Favorite Game
"That's the Pot Belly Pig!"
E in his cool "Oakland" shirt at the Oakland Zoo!
E admiring the flamingos
Where to next? So much to see!!!!!
"This?" Elliott's short-term memory is as bad as mine! Can't wait to see the zoo for myself. You have bad memories of zoos??? I do remember how both you and Katy HATED the SF zoo. Not a fun day.
ReplyDeleteGuess I'll continue to visit the Oakland Zoo with Elliott through this blog. I'm sure we'll NEVER forget that the zoo is very busy during spring break!
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