Zoo-Be-Dooo

Last Friday was warm and sunny, so we packed up the little girls and headed to the Santa Barbara Zoo. 
 
I've said it before, I know, but this zoo is the perfect size for toddlers and young kids. Nice uphill path to tire them out build anticipation,
  
enough animals to keep them interested -
  
including a petting zoo, which Leia loves,
  
and giraffes to feed, which she really loves -
  
a sliding hill (Leia would happily spend her entire time here, if she could),
  
a pond with big, brightly colored fish,
  
Emmett the Train,
  
room to run,
  
and so much more.
 
Leanne had her I'm-not-going-to-have-fun- and-you-can't-make-me moments
 
but having her favorite bear* to cuddle
 
and so much to see and do kept those moments to a minimum.
  
It didn't hurt that the day we went was the first warm, sunny day in a couple of weeks. All the animals were out, enjoying the sunshine, and many - including five or six condors and a small fox - were right at the fence, where the girls could see them up-close. 

If you click on the giraffe picture above, you can see the two new lionesses sunning themselves on a rock, just above the giraffe's neck. Which put them right at eye-level and about 10 feet from the viewing window when the girls got there. And as the train conductor told us a little later, put the lions right where they could daydream about giraffe burgers for dinner.


*Leanne was terrified of this bear until the batteries ran down and it stopped moving and talking every time she touched it. She's much happier now that she's in control.