Fun-filled day at the zoo!

We have had a jam-packed trip to Naperville to see Michelle's family!  Grandma Stephen treated us to a trip to the Brookfield zoo on Thursday!  It was a fun-filled day that started with a train ride!  Getting to ride the train was a big deal and they liked looking out the windows and were excited to see a few "diggers" and firetrucks (AKA weeeoooweeoos). 

waiting for the train

checking out the scenery

and climbing all over the seats & Grandma & Tracy

Avery & Mama peeking down from the top level

 The kiddos had fun at the zoo and had quite the posse ferrying them around in strollers, carriers, and arms.  The stroller was mostly used for pushing our lunch and diaper bag though because everyone wanted to walk or be carried most of the time!  In fact, when we did use the stroller it was a bit of a pain because they couldn't see much from that height.  I wish zoo designers would take note and design zoo exhibits so the animals could be seen from toddler height!  Unbuckling and buckling to get them in and out of the stroller so we could lift them up to see the animals was a pain!  The carriers worked well for that because it was easy to know what they could see!

 

triplet posse

Isaiah enjoying the view of the giraffes from upside down

Uncle Matt & Caitlin being silly =)

playing on this little stage at lunch time was a crowd favorite too!

the only time anyone was smiling in the stroller...Ellie had
been giving Isaiah hugs & it was super cute but I missed it!
(The rest of the time they got annoyed when we strapped them in & they couldn't walk!)

sunglasses silliness

Can you tell we were at the zoo well past naptime?
They did so well considering we were at the zoo until 3 & they usually nap between 12 & 1!

The biggest hit of the day was the seals, especially getting to watch them swim under water thanks to the underwater viewing area!  And it made for some really cute pics too!  Here are my favorites of these seal-watching silhouettes!

 

 

 

 

 Another big hit was the carousel!  They loved pointing out all the different animals while we waited for our turn.  Isaiah was pretty hell-bent on getting the zebra so we headed right to it and snagged the other cool animals nearby for the girls who were a little more flexible in their animal selection.

"panda panda panda!"

riding the zebra with Auntie Tracy!

Avery was nervous at first and almost wouldn't get on but then she loved it!
"up and down, up and down"

Avery loved her "monkey" and the "up & down & round & round" so much,
she did NOT want to be all done!

Quick pic by the sign on our way out...

And one final pic on the big gorilla before we left!

EVERYONE was exhausted by the time we got home.  The kiddos were all asleep within five minutes in the car on the way home.  I was hoping to be able to keep driving and extend their nap, but no such luck! But it was a lot of fun and the babies did so well despite the much delayed and much too short nap!