My zoo...at the zoo.

We went to the zoo with playgroup today.  What an entertaining trip to say the least.  First and foremost, I am ever so thankful Alyson decided to bring both of her parents AND Pappy and JoAnn.  Also SUPER thankful for friends who don't mind lugging my children around, offering their stroller for me to use or, perhaps, just pretending my chaos is not happening.  Pretty sure I would have NO hair left if they hadn't come.

Brecken and Joelle were pretty antsy in the stroller from the start.  So I had an inkling that I was in for a fun trip.  Luckily it was only about an hour or so that was absolutely terrible.  The first part and the last part wasn't so bad.  Just the middle.  It all started at the bird cage.  You know, the one were they can go in and feed the birds with a stick of bird food.  That you have to pay a dollar for.  Those ones.  Brecken pitched a serious fit when he couldn't get out.  Adelyn was inside so I was trying to get pictures of her.  B screamed and cried for probably about 10 minutes.  I got Adelyn out and I see her licking her lips.  Then I notice that she has bird poop all over her face.  And she is still licking her lips and her face.  Then I see that it's all over her hand.  So I am trying to wipe it off with a wipe and she is still trying to lick it off.  Believe me when I tell you that I was whisper-yelling at her to cut.it.out.  So gross.  The whole time B is still crying.  So I get him out.  Then Joelle starts crying because he's out but she isn't.  So then I get her out.  We head to the petting zoo.  It's closed.  That's awesome.  So my three monkeys are running wild and there is one of me.  At one point I couldn't find Joelle..then realized that Judy had her.  Thank you Judy!!  We corralled them over to the wooden train and they played there for a bit.  I constantly had to chase B away from the petting zoo.  We started to head for the bears and Tiff had Jojo, Adelyn and Sophia were in the stroller and B was walking.  As we are headed up the little incline by the turtles and the otters, a moderately large lady didn't see Brecken and plowed him into the ground.  Like his head hit the concrete plowed him over.  So he's screaming.  I'm running for him.  And left my stroller, with the two girls in it, on the hill.  You guessed it.  Next thing I hear is "Your stroller!!"  Not "Your kids!!"  But "Your stroller!!"  I guess it is a Maclaren after all...maybe they were concerned for it.  I turn around and there go Adelyn and Sophia rolling down the hill.  Pappy chased them down and offered to push them while I took care of Brecken.  We managed to view a couple animals before the next fiasco.  We were over by the baboons and I noticed Joelle munching on something.  She was right by Sydney and she had just ate something so I just figured she got it from Syd.  Haha.  I said to Leslie "Did you give Sydney some popcorn type of snack?"  She says "Umm noo.  I gave her goldfish and cheerios."  Awesome.  Joelle was picking popcorn off the ground and eating it.  My last straw was when we were by the lions.  Tiff had given Joelle Charlie's snack cup and Brecken had just realized he didn't get any.  Well Joelle wouldn't share and she was busy running away and making angry monster noises at him.  This happened a couple times.  Finally I threw them back in the stroller.  Then we got to hear a chorus of screaming from the two of them.  They wouldn't stop so I gave them their pacis.  Then they looked like the crazy three-year-olds who can't get over their pacis.  Because they are giant enough to look like three-year-olds. 

Pretty sure we are going to get the bird flu or some disease from the popcorn.  Or maybe we won't because I washed their mouths out with the antibacterial squrity stuff they have everywhere.  KIDDING.  Maybe.

After all that at least lunch time went smoothly.  Everyone listened to me and everyone ate.  Bonus.

The whole gang-of kiddos-that came today.  Mind you this is only 5 families.  We produce children well.

Pretty lady with the birds.

Mr. Owen trying to tempt a birdie.

Tiff and the kiddos

Sophia, Leslie, Sydney, Henry and Owen feeding the birds

Adelyn petting the cow.

Mr. B chasing a turkey.  Because HE is a turkey.

Adelyn showing me her "cool trick"

aanndd this is the face that everyone got to listen to and see today.  His sad face.  Argh.

Needless to say, while all this was going on, I was telling myself I would never go anywhere with all three of them, by myself, again.  The above is proof that they can be crazy and aren't so good all the time.  Thankyouverymuch.