Below is a picture of the 2 sets of triplets at the beginning of our day. See how happy mine look already. Jack is reaching over to start some trouble already! Also, notice the strategy of breaking them up into 2 strollers, so we aren't as much of a freak show.
We tried to keep the kids in the strollers as long as possible, but that didn't work for too long. They got squirmy and fussy after seeing a couple of exhibits. (See Lauren trying to escape.)
Alyssa enjoyed the lizards, koala bear and grizzly bears, though.
Then came this new eagle that just arrived to the zoo. I don't know why they had the thing out on display with a bunch of screaming kids all day, but evidently the thing is a scaredy cat. So instead of taking it out of there, they had some nazi zookeepers patrolling the area. First, they gave us a lecture about how to behave around this animal (that did not belong in a zoo) and would only let us cross the bridge in front of it in small groups. Then, they had another nazi on the other end to yell at you if you took too long to cross the bridge or if you were too loud. So then along comes our little family.
Alyssa got behind a little bit (have I mentioned that she did a terrible job of staying by my side for the first time in about a year)? By the time she found me, we were already into our first nazi lecture. At this point, I was trying not think about how much I paid to get into the zoo to enjoy a day of family fun. I had no idea my money would pay for someone to lecture me! (Can you tell I have issues with unsolicited advice and people telling me what to do when I think I'm in charge!?) So I think the first lady really upset Alyssa, because she almost separated us to get us into our small groups. So that sent Alyssa into a nice little fit. My mom, who was with Drew (the calm one!) had already started across the bridge and was urged along by nazi #2 to keep going. Well, after Alyssa threw her fit, Lauren and Jack decided that they weren't happy, too. By then, if I remember correctly, we had taken them out of the strollers and let them run around with their backpacks on. So to make a long story short, I was stuck dragging a double jogger stroller and 3 unhappy kids as quietly across the bridge as I could. I mouthed "Help!" to my mom, but I don't think nazi #2 would let her come back to help me, anyway. And to make it all frustrating, I didn't even get to see the dumb eagle that well anyway! I used to like seeing eagles, but now I am scarred! After going through all that, I felt obligated to take a picture anyway.
Next, we wandered over to the polar bears, where we got a nice view of the polar bear peeing in front of all of us. (I spared you a picture of that.)
Then, came one of the highlights of the whole zoo for the kids. It was a plaster totem pole with a bunch of animals on it. I think I could have bought one to keep for the price of the zoo admission for all of us. And, of course, it was placed at a major intersection of the zoo, so we had to stop and spend time there every time we walked by it. That was followed by at least one temper tantrum when we tried to pry the kids away from this wonder of nature.
Our friends that we went with were so gracious through all of this. They were calm and understanding and didn't give us a single "do you beat your kids?" look like some of the others passing by. I felt badly that we were dragging them down, but they were so patient with us the whole time. True saints!
We embarked on lunch next, and aside from them not having enough high chairs for two sets of triplets, I think it went pretty well. I was delighted that my test of giving the trio plates worked, and that they didn't fling them like Frisbees across the zoo or into the pens of the neighboring animals by where we dined.
Then it was time to go to the dolphin show. Since my kids wolf their food down like pigs, they got done first. So we were letting them walk around a bit, before we headed over. Well, my mom was following Jack around, and the next thing I know, she was handling 3 kids by herself all the way up to the dolphin pavilion. I wanted to wait for my friends, as they had been so gracious to wait for us many, many times. But after a bit, I took pity on my mom and caught up with her (probably went in dog time for my mom, 7 times longer!) . She did an amazing job all by herself and didn't even threaten to leave the zoo after that. So we tried to find a seat, because at this time we were late (what a shocker), another cordial friendly zoo worker firmly pointed us to where we could sit. Oh, did I mention that Alyssa got lost from Grammy inside the dolphin pavilion, was found by another mom, and was crying her eyes out by the time we found her. You should have seen the glares of the people around us when we sat down with 3 toddlers and a crying preschooler. Do these people not expect to see kids at the zoo or something?
Well, despite all that, the dolphin show went really well, and Alyssa said that was her favorite part. The kids did pretty well, until at the end when they got a little squirmy. It was fun to hear them say "dolphin", and I think Drew even said "ooo" and "ahhh" a few times.
Then came one of those fun moments you hope will never happen with your kids. We were leaving the dolphin pavilion and trying to make our way back to our strollers, when the two kids with my Mom pitched a fit. We decided later that they didn't know how to deal with the leashes on their backpacks, and instead of stopping when the met resistance, they would just collapse. So here was my mom trying to make her way up the ramp, with two kids falling all over the ground and screaming in frustration. They were so loud, tons of people were turning around to stare! Not only that, but they stopped all the traffic until someone helped get the kids up, and waited for my mom to pass. (That was one of many times that strangers walking by helped us out that day.) It was near naptime by then; it was not a pretty sight.
So since we were nearby already, we decided to go underneath the dolphin pavilion where you can see the dolphins swim around you. It's really neat, but they tell you to whisper in there, so as not the scare the dolphins. Yeah, that was a joke! Why don't I remember the zoo having so many rules before? The boys were at least calm by then, and would sit in the stroller. My friends also had the genius idea to collapse the single stroller and put it on the handle of the double, so things were much more manageable by then. Here's some pictures.
I think they also liked looking at the jellyfish, too. The sea lions were really playful and kept swimming by the window fast, which made Alyssa and Lauren jump back in surprise. The penguins, which are Grammy's favorite, also were fun to watch. One of them was a total spaz and swam 100 miles an hour back and forth, almost like the Tasmanian Devil with flippers after 10 cups of coffee. Here are some pictures I took there. Sorry they are so dark.
1 comment:
Hi Amanda,
It's Christine, from the MOMs group. I had to laugh at your dolphin show experience, because ours was also disasterous. We went for the first time a couple weeks ago. After Eve asked if the show was over 57 times, and Lily asked to go down the stairs about 157 times, and both of them started climbing all over the bleachers, I grabbed one hand in each of mine and led them down the stairs and out the doors. The second we hit the doors of course they wanted to go back in and started throwing fits. I wasn't about let them get away with that so I dragged them out. The show was about over when we left and my husband, third child, and friends were still inside, so I just stood outside the doors with two screaming children as several hundred people filed past me and no doubt assumed I'd just finished beating them with they way they were carrying on. The best part is we bought a membership, so I guess we'll have to go back. I think we'll skip the dolphin show next time.
-Christine
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