Nashville Zoo

*Warning: Picture overload*

One of the many perks of switching jobs to a pediatric practice is that now I get to enjoy a week off for Spring Break.  Since Ben had recently started a new job, he didn't really have the option to take off so that we could go and do something fun as a family.  Mary Hyatt and I decided it would be fun to ask our friends Whitney and "Baby" (for the record, Whitney doesn't want her name plastered on my blog for safety reasons so I'm resorting to calling her "Baby."  It really is fitting though, because that is all MH calls her and we find ourselves calling her that too for the most part!) to go to Nashville with us for a night.  We were thrilled when they told us they could go and we started looking for something fun to do.  Neither of us had ever been to the Nashville Zoo and since MH has such a love for animals these days, we thought that would be the perfect thing!

We left early one morning.  I looked back at one point when MH got really quiet and this is exactly what I saw... My heart seriously almost melted in to a puddle.  This was totally unprompted or staged... MH was holding "Baby's" hand and twirling her own hair...sweet, sweet..

Of course, just our luck, it ended up being much cooler that day than we had hoped for but we just bundled up and went anyway.  

"Baby" sure looked snuggly in her cute hat and blanket all wrapped up in her stroller.  The cooler weather sure didn't seem to phase her!

 I don't even remember what these little animals were called but Mary Hyatt was intrigued by the them.  It may have been because they were the first thing we saw or it may be because they ran around so quickly.  We had fun crawling up in this little tunnel so that we could get a closer look at them!

                 

















We got lots of pointing like this throughout the day..

 And I tried all day long to get her picture with various animals and this is pretty much how every picture turned out...

 She just couldn't stand to take her eyes off the animals for a second haha so she would face her body towards me but keep her head turned.  Funny girl!

I did get this one in front of the flamingos.  I guess she figured she wouldn't miss anything since they really didn't move or do much.

 I tried to get a group picture of Whitney and the girls in front of the leopard but again MH was just way too intrigued...haha

 Here she is wondering where the animals went when they were out of her view..

 Love these two! :Baby" was such a trooper.  Though she's not old enough to really appreciate the zoo, I think she enjoyed being out and about.

 Both babies crashed after a couple of hours and Whitney and I enjoyed walking around and looking at some of the animals ourselves.

My heart broke when we stumbled upon Africa and MH was still asleep.  All day long all she had asked for was "raf" and "efant" (giraffe and elephants). I was so upset that she was asleep for it and seriously debated waking her up, but at the same time knew she would be miserable if I did. I was so afraid this was the only picture I was going to get of her with the giraffes.

Baby was wide awake for them though. So cute!

We sat on a bench in front of the giraffes for a while and let Whitney change "Baby's" diaper and to allow MH some time to sleep. 

Luckily, while sitting there MH's eyes flinched and we jumped on the opportunity to grab her attention and wake her up. She LOVED the giraffes. She liked the elephants too but I don't think they were as cool to her because they were so far away.  Unfortunately they had a big part of the zoo blocked off so we couldn't get too close.

 I was just glad she at least got to see them.

The Nashville Zoo also has a HUGE jungle gym play area.  MH and I went and spent some time in it.  She had a blast.

Overall, it was a perfect trip to the zoo.  I think Mary Hyatt really enjoyed it, and the rest of us did too!  We headed to our hotel to let the girls get in a good nap before going to dinner that night.  After naps, we went to the Opry Mills mall and ate at the Rainforest Cafe. Our booth backed up to this giant aquarium.  Mary Hyatt was totally mesmerized.

 We laughed because I really think Mary Hyatt would have been just as content to just go to that restaurant and see all the fake animals over going to the zoo and seeing the real ones.  She was totally entertained!

We shopped around the mall after that and couldn't resist a trip in the Disney store. Of course, MH found this giant Minnie Mouse stuffed animal that was just about as big as she was.  She carried that thing all over the store.

 At one point, I distracted her with something else and grabbed the toy to put back on the shelf.  Unfortunately, she's smarter than I thought and literally ran back towards the animals and grabbed it again as soon as she realized it was missing.  Whitney and I tried multiple times to distract it from her but she held on to it with a death grip.  Fortunately, bribing her with a great american cookie worked and Whitney took her out of the store while I hid Minnie.  haha  After that, we headed home with some exhausted girls and mamas and all went to bed!

The next morning we decided to get up and go shopping around Nashville.  Whitney was in the shower and I was suppose to be watching the girls.  I was drying my hair and when I looked over I found MH like this.  At first I freaked out because I was afraid MH was smothering "Baby."  After I realized all was safe, I couldn't resist a picture.  Such sweet friends already!

 We did a little shopping...one of MH's favorites.   She is totally all girl... in to purses, shoes (even stilettos!) and jewelry! Watch out Ben!

It was such a fun trip and I am so glad we were able to get away and have a little fun! I'm thinking a girls trip is going to have to become a tradition from now on!