I love summer. I can’t say it enough.
According to Jacob, today was the hottest day in Chicago since August 5, 2006 (our wedding day :0). We were crazy enough to get married in an un-airconditioned chapel, so why not be crazy enough to head to Brookfield Zoo with a great friend, a potty-training two and a half year old, and a 10 month old?
The very first thing Cohen said when he woke up this morning: time to go to the zoo! And I have to admit– I was pretty excited myself. I packed up the sunscreen, extra clothes, lunches, water bottles, etc. and we arrived at Courtney’s house 10 minutes early. (Did I mention we were very excited?) Some highlites of the day:
Cohen (looking at water bucks, rhinos, giraffes, etc.): “Woah! That’s cool!”
Cohen, with confidence (after stopping to stare inquisitively at the zoo map): “The lion’s are that way. I checked it out.”
Cohen, grabbing Sophie (after arriving home and recalling how he saw a mama and baby orangutans ) “I’m the mama orangutan. Sophie’s the baby.” Pause/ Cohen stares down at his shirt. He looks up at me “Cohen have bubbles?” “Bubbles?” I ask. He stills stares down at his shirt. Me: “Oh! Do you mean nipples?” He nods. “Yep,” I say, “Everybody has nipples.” Cohen: “Oh, I can feed the baby orangutan?” Me: change the subject.
A fun kid image to end the day: Cohen running around the house after his bath with Sophie’s hooded monkey towel on his head billowing behind him like a cape.. Screaming: “I’m a orangatang!!!” Then, later with his doctor pajamas on, “I’m Dr. Orangutan!”
Zoos are more than crowded, sticky, and smelly when you see them through the eyes of a kid.