Three Peas in a Pod

Outside.  Barefoot.  Water.

Audubon Zoo

We took a trip south today to New Orleans to visit the Audubon Zoo.  I had high expectations, but we were let down.  As pricey as it is, there didn't seem to be too terribly much to see.  But, you never know until you try.

There was a dinosaur exhibit we told Jackson about, so we had to make a stop there first.  He was expecting "dinosaur bones" as he calls it, but it was full of "dinosaur robots"!  Jackson wasn't too sure when we walked in and Katherine was terrified.

 Maybe this is why they were a bit apprehensive.

 Along with the look, the dinosaurs roared and moved. 

The stegosaurus below was near the end of the exhibit and Jackson had worked up enough courage to walk up and touch it.  Just as he was reaching his hand out to touch the baby, it started growling.  Needless to say, he didn't touch anything.

 After the dinosaurs, we took a train ride around the zoo.  Following that, Jackson wanted to go back and see the dinosaurs again, so we did.  This was Katherine the second time around.

 After scaring Katherine to death once again, we walked around a little and saw a few other exhibits.  Katherine and I visited the giraffes while Jackson and Zach bought snow cones.  Jackson had his own, so Katherine had to have her own as well.  She grabbed mine and Zach's snow cone and sat down beside Jackson and refused any help to eat it.  Only problem, ours was red and she kept spilling it.  Zach had the brilliant idea to buy her some shaved ice.  I think it kept her entertained for an hour . . . best $2 we spent all day.

 Katherine's ice lasted well until we were back in the car headed home.  She finally finished it and I looked back to check on her a minute or two later and this is what I saw.  Poor baby fell asleep with her spoon still in her mouth.

Even though Zach and I were disappointed in the visit, it was nice to go somewhere different and experience something new. 

Muddy Puddles

Jackson went through a phase where he was obsessed with the children's show, Peppa Pig.  If you aren't familiar with it, the characters are English and therefore have an English accent.  In the height of his obsession, Jackson told me that his train needed petrol and when he requested tea to drink, he would ask for a 'cup of tea' in his finest English accent.  He's moved on from the show, but another little person in the house is now obsessed.  Anyway, Peppa and her family like jumping in muddy puddles, so today after Jackson spilled some water outside, they began pretending like they were jumping in, well . . . muddy puddles.

I have been trying to get a picture of Katherine jumping with both feet off of the ground for a little while now and this is the best I have caught.  For months this child has been running around trying to truly jump and her determination has paid off!

Before they started jumping in the mud, Jackson decided he needed a hat so he went inside and grabbed his.  Little sister took one look at his and declared she needed a hat as well.  Thankfully, Jackson had a smaller spare.

After puddle jumping, they decided to wash the race car.

 As usual, Katherine checked to see if the sprayer would fit up her nose.

 It wasn't a good fit, so they went back to

washing race cars and jumping in muddy puddles.

Piggies

A few weekends ago, Katherine had her first little pedicure!

 All she heard was "paint" and she was ready!  The whole time I painted her little toes she was begging for the brush so she could have a turn.

 When I finished her first foot, I let her have a turn and this is what she did in a matter of seconds!  Jackson happened to walk in about this time, looked at her foot for several seconds as a distraught look came over his face, and at some point he was finally able to mutter, "What happened?"

 Needless to say, we got her little piggies cleaned up and although she begs for the "paint" when she spots it, she hasn't been given free reign again!

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Katherine's hair is getting longer and I've been meaning for some time now to buy ponytail holders to give pigtails a try.  I finally remembered today to get some,

so we had to give them a try!

 Her first pigtails!!

My, my, how are little baby girl is growing up.

It was Hot

Yesterday we made a late morning trip to the zoo's splash park and new petting zoo.  We met up with Jackson's good friend Nicholas and they

had a fun time running all around!

First stop was the petting zoo . . . Jackson appears to be an ol' pro at feeding goats!

 Next up was the splash pad!

 Nicholas had been before and loves it, but this was Jackson's first trip to it and was a little hesitant in the beginning. By the time we were heading to the car, he was asking to go back and a little annoyed that Katherine was cranky and ready for a nap.

Both boys loved sitting on the hole where the water shot up from and running off!

 Proof that Katherine was there! 

We arrived at the zoo too close to her nap time and while she was a trooper during the whole trip, she was more than ready to leave when we actually did go home. She also wasn't too interested in feeding the goats or running around in the water with the boys!  She'll have her chance to make up for lost opportunities . . . Jackson is already begging to go back to the splash pad and also take that train ride he missed out on during this trip!

Oh, and did I mention how HOT yesterday was?

Getting Out

We've been cooped up in the house a while getting over colds and trying to stay cool while it's been miserably hot outside.  Last week after we were all feeling better, I decided we would get out of the house and head to the coast to go the children's museum.  There were no complaints from the babies.

 Katherine loves this little setup in the train car!

 Doing a double-take!  Hmm, that little girl looks familiar!

 Usually Jackson loves the trains at the entrance to the museum, but on this day I couldn't get him out of this airplane.  He and Katherine were pilots for a while, but he was just as content to sit in the passenger seats and hand tickets out to all the other kids that came through.

Jackson completely surprised me on this climbing gym.  He has a little of myself and Grammy in him when it comes to heights and he's maybe been through part of it once before.  On this day, he climbed from top to bottom without thinking twice!  Katherine joined him for part of it. Actually, I was a little surprised she didn't follow him throughout since she has no fear of heights!

 I must say I was really proud of him for climbing all through this!

We spent almost 3 hours at the museum and it was getting well-past Katherine's nap time by the time we left.  We all enjoyed getting out of the house and a change of scenery!