We were all geared up this morning; lunches packed, pumpkin shirts on, camera battery charged. It was 55 degrees at 7 am, and the high is only supposed to be 80. Perfect day for the zoo! We had been planning on going for several weeks, though I chose to tell Micayla only last night. Since we have a membership, we're thankful to be able to go anytime we want, and we average about once/month. But this morning they were having Zoo Boo, and you could dress up, get candy at different stations, and there was a pumpkin patch. Sounded great to me! Except that I didn't plan on all 6 million occupants of Houston and the outlying suburbs to have the same great idea. But you know, we have such little, great, fall weather that it must have pulled everyone out of their beds with a jump this morning to spend a little time outside.
So while we drove the lanes up and down, up and down, up and down, with nary a spot to be seen that looked like its car would be leaving anytime soon, it was becoming increasingly likely that we would have to forgo our zoo date. Micayla was pretty excited about going to the zoo because we have AWANAS on actual Halloween evening, and since we aren't big Halloween people anyways, I thought this was a great way for her to "trick or treat" and not really feel like she was missing out. But I've never seen it this busy an hour after it opened. And we drove about 20 minutes looking for a spot, never to find one. Micayla offered lots of suggestions of where to park, but explaining fire lanes, handicapped spaces, and places that people parked that they shouldn't, didn't really seem to appease my 4 year old who just wanted to go to the zoo with her brother. We finally left, amid tears from her to figure out a different plan.
I offered many things, and finally decided on the pumpkin patch. She wasn't interested, but I knew she would be once we got there and I let her pick out a couple of baby pumpkins for our porch. And thankfully, I was right!
Be still my heart. She actually looked straight at the camera on this one. (I took 100 pictures total, and I bet 96 of them she is looking some other way. Drives.Me.Crazy.) (And yes, his hair has the slightest hint of red...it really is mostly light brown, but there's been a few times that I thought it looked more reddish blond.)
Those baby blues stare at me all day long....and I wouldn't have it any other way.
She thought the tractor was the best part. I'm telling you, the girl belongs on a farm or ranch. :)
