The sun was shining and Max's soccer game was over by ten...a rare occurrence indeed this Fall season! While Chris played football this afternoon, I headed out to the Philadelphia Zoo with our two animals to celebrate the beautiful Fall day. I had intended only to bring Lucy - figuring that Max would pick hanging with the football team instead of Mom and lil' sis. But, as Chris was dropping us at the zoo gates, Max asked if he could join us. I am so glad that he came along with his two ladies...we loved having our little man around today! Of course, as I walked through the entrance gates, I realized I didn't have my camera on me...but I did manage to snap a few pictures with my phone.
We haven't been to the Philadelphia Zoo in at least two years...but after our fun-filled day, we will definitely be heading back. Three hours of non-stop walking and we still didn't see all the animals. One of the sweetest moments of the day came when Max put his arm around Lucy and helped her make her way up the glass in front of the tiger exhibit, unprompted. Then, he bent down and started explaining the how a male tiger has a big mane and a female tiger doesn't have a mane. He kept his arm around her the entire time. The way she looked at him with complete trust was priceless. Max extended his caring big brother attitude on the camel ride - despite the big hump between them he insisted on trying to hold Lucy the entire time. I guess having an big brother on the ride is comforting - less than a month ago, Lucy ran screaming from a pony ride that she begged us to go on at the Elmwood Park Zoo. Once she saw that the camel, unlike the pony, could hold both of them together, she couldn't wait to go on!
The one time Max did leave Lucy to fend for herself was in the petting zoo. Max preferred to hang back and just look. Lucy, on the other hand, felt that the goats were in need of some grooming!
As you can see, at some point during the zoo adventure, I lost my son and gained a leopard! 
This afternoon was honestly one of those times that you wish life would have a pause button and you could stay in the moment for just a little longer.
2 comments:
Sounds like fun - we'll have to there together some day. Rudy would love it.
I love those moments, the kind you want to pause. It looks like such a fun afternoon. I really cannot think of anywhere I would rather be...I love going to the zoo! (Okay, maybe the beach) What a sweet big brother Max is. They have such a sweet relationship.
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