The Louisville Zoo (Again)

Yesterday we made our second annual (how many years do you have to do something before you consider it "annual"?) trip to the Louisville Zoo. The weather was unbelievable! I kept thinking about how hot it was last year when we went and marveling that it could be so much lovelier, despite the fact that this trip takes place a month later in the summer than last year's!

Another comparison to last year: seeing the zoo with two-year Meg was rather different than seeing it with one-year old Meg. One year old Meg was content to proceed at the pace set by her adult companions, content to be lifted in our arms, to gaze at one group of animals for several minutes at a time, to listen to our observations about the animals' stripes, teeth, neck, swimming ability, etc. But two-year old Meg set her own pace, leading the rest of us through the zoo. Giraffes? OK, seen 'em, let's move on. Lions? Yeah, yeah, yeah, what's next? Elephants? Very nice, let's check that off the list and get on with it, shall we?

In all seriousness, Meg did seem to enjoy the trip, she was just a bit more... um, businesslike than Dave and I expected. But she didn't stay quite that brusque through the entire morning. Eventually she even spoke up with requests that we visit two specific animals: the turtles and the tiger. And I think my favorite line from the day was when, as we left the zebras' coral, Meg bid them farewell with: "Bye-bye, Zeebas. Have good day, sweet boys!"

A few pictures, now, to wrap this up. I didn't really get many shots of the animals this time around, but we'll start with the few I did take.

Warthogs are truly one of God's most amazingly bizarre creations, wouldn't you agree?


Daddy and Meg checking out the rhinos, which this picture miserably misrepresents. They are magnificently huge beasts.


I love the fact that this zoo has an old-fashioned carousel. Romantic that I am, I loooove a good carousel and still find them wonderfully magical, as I did when I was a child. What a treat to take my own children on them now! Here's Meg awaiting our turn.


And my boys, waiting too:


Dave says to Mathew during our spin, "Yeah, this is pretty tame, huh, buddy? Next time I'll take you on Top Thrill Dragster." [That's a Cedar Point coaster, for our fellow coaster fans.]) After I gave my husband my best "don't-you-dare-destroy-the-magic" icy stare, it was gratifying to witness Matthew crying when the carousel ride ended.


Meg astride her noble steed:

I wish I could have captured her expression when the ride began; her eyes lit up and she inhaled slowly, looking all around her... I know I'm a sap, but watching her made my eyes fill up with tears.

And a family shot, taken by a kindly stranger who said just before he clicked, "OK, now try to look like you're having a good time." It seemed odd at the moment, since Dave and I were grinning our faces off. But after seeing the photo, we realize that he must have been addressing our children. :)