Blissful Day at the Zoo...

Maybe it's just me... but the zoo is exhausting. I guess it's my 'inner perfectionist' that imagines my energetic, yet obedient toddler and I, skipping hand in hand through the uncrowded paths as my mom pushes my napping baby in his stroller. I think I'm smart enough to foresee that this, most likely, will not be the case. But I somehow always default to my own 'Donna Reed-like' movie... in which I am the star, complete with my very own soundtrack following me from place to place. I guess that's why reality always seems to slap me in the face. I am , however, getting better at readjusting my expectations... recreating my movie scenes... and tweaking the soundtrack. It's a work in progress.

I started talking myself into going to the zoo as I lay in bed last night. I'm such a homebody that these things take major motivation. My mom would ride with us... Elliot would get a cat nap in the car, we'd spend an hour or two walking around then head home for naps. Yes... I can do this.
As the kids woke up this morning I started 'preparing for takeoff' immediately. Nothing major went wrong. I guess getting two kids out the door is just hard work (especially when one of those children is Doodle). Elliot had to nurse... Evangeline had to pour baby powder all over her room.
Once we got everyone packed, ready and out to the car, I realize that our trunk door is broken and the double stroller is not in the car. O.k... I take baby brotha out of the car, take his car seat base out... fold seat down... and throw my back out in the process of shoving the stroller into the car. I finally get both kids back into the car... get Millie Precious back into the house (she likes to run out into the garage and try to sneak into the car)... and get into the car myself. I take a deep breath... wait for my back to stop 'spasm-ing' and wip
e the beads of sweat from my upper lip. As I glance in the mirror at my dishovelled hair, I think, "It's a good thing I put these fabulous, flashy earrings in. It'll definitely distract from the unshaved legs and ill fitting shorts."
We pick up my mom and finally make it to the zoo. We really were having fun... watching the monkeys swinging... watching Doodle (who doesn't find the animals nearly as fascinating as the children around her). She stares at people like she's never been let out in public before. Everything was great until Elliot started to break down. Ahhh! I guess he's hungry. As I try to rush off to find a place to nurse the baby, Doodle decides to 'throw down'. Thankfully my mom was there and could deal with her while I went ahead. I found a place to sit... not private, but I couldn't be picky at this point. As I'm feeding Elliot, a swarm of summer camp kids encrowch upon us from every direction. A few of them even craned their necks to look at me as if to ask "What kind of mammal is this, nursing her young?" as they walked by. I even got a bit defensive as one yelled "Look! An elephant!" ... then I looked through the trees and there was, indeed, an elephant so I decided to let that one go.
As Elliot is finishing up, I look over at Doodle who is standing very still and quiet. This can only mean one thing... I let her finish her business, then try to discreetly change her diaper in the stroller. All was well until she started yelling "Shoo-WEE! GROSS! WHEW!" of coarse that prompts everyone to look our way right as her diaper unrolls and the contents 'plop' onto the pavement. We clean up while chuckling at how a blissful trip to the zoo can turn on a dime.
We proceed to the giraffes and elephants... which you have to walk uphill a bit to get to. It wasn't until about halfway up the ramp, that I realize that in all of the morning chaos... I have not had a bite to eat. No wonder I feel as if I'm wandering aimlessly through the Sahara in search of a waterhole.
Anyway, the rest of the trip was a blur. We did make it out successfully, although I do remember Doodle throwing a hellacious fit on our way out. We made it home and even managed decent naps. I'm sure the mugginess, sweat, temper tantrums and smell of poop will fade over time... and we'll have these snapshots of life to remind us of our "Blissful Day at the Zoo".