Trip to the zoo 2.

Kai and I went on a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo with several friends. All counted, there were six two year old boys and their mamas (and one infant!). Surprisingly, this trip went quite well. There was only one boy confined to a stroller for the afternoon for a lunchtime escape attempt. Other than that, it was surprisingly tantrum, tear and other crazy episodes free.

There were three high points:

1) Train ride.
This needs no explanation I am sure. It was a train ride for crying in the night.

2) Gorilla.
The gorillas were outside and from the indoor viewing area there was one giant gorilla sitting
right next to the window. This gorilla got tired of the elementary school students staring him
down and pounded on the glass while walking from side to side. Twice. Weeks later, and Kai
will still tell me that the gorilla drums on the window.

3) Lion.

The lion was indoors and the big cat house was basically empty except for Kai and me and our
friends Dade and Esme. The lion alternated between laying on his giant rock and staring out
the window and pacing back and forth in front of his window. This was disconcerting because
the boys were able to be right up by the window and the lion would be right up by his side of
the window. It was difficult to see my baby (whose entire body is smaller than a lion head)
basically rubbing up against a giant carnivorous cat with golden eyes. Plus, I was on edge
waiting for him to roar. He made one little low sound and it sent shivers through me. I knew
that if he let loose with a roar it was going to scare me and more than likely also Kai. Seriously,
I may have cried.

Kai had a fantastic time. He and Dade did really well on the car ride there and home. At the zoo, Kai kept telling me that he would like to see otters. When we finally found the otters, they were closed for repairs. Well, probably more the habitat and less the otters on the repair front. I felt disappointed for him that out of everything he could request to see, his wish was so simple and unfufillable. He handled it well though.

On the way home Kai was holding his monkey Mold-a-rama (which on a side note has not changed one bit since I was a kid, but the price has quarupled!) and handed it to me telling me that it was broken. Sure enough, there was a little hole in his ear. Although Kai denied biting it, I was pretty sure that was how the injury was sustained. Later, Kai fell asleep with the monkeys in his hand and woke up and said to me, "Monkey broke. I bite the ear." So darn cute in his sleepy confession.