No more cabin fever for us!

A few weeks ago, on my way back to my house from school, I had the irresistible urge to roll my windows down.  The crisp, fresh spring air whooshed in, I turned up Taylor Swift on Sirius Radio, started singing at the top of my (bad, bad, awful) voice, and I was suddenly transported to a time before Utah, before Billy and Desmond, when I would drive from Columbus to Youngstown to visit my most favorite family in the entire world (apart from mine).  Even though it was barely 60 degrees outside, I saw it as the perfect, most idyllic day to take Desmond out and about Salt Lake.  What to do, what to do?  I felt like a brand-spanking new mom who doesn't know what to do with her newborn.  I felt as if someone had asked me to babysit a baby at a moment's notice and I was too nice to say no but was clueless about babysitting babies.  What do you do with them?  Do they sleep all day?  Do they sit and throw things?  I was feeling that same pang of anxiety. 

I feared but only a second when I thought, of course!!!  The haven of all mothers and children everywhere: The ZOO!  I called our nanny, Maria, and told her to get ready...we were all going to the zoo.  We picked up Des's little girlfriend, Kimberly, and headed on up to the Zoo.  We stepped outside and it was FRIGID!  I didn't have a sweater but Maria, dear sweet Maria, who has years and years of mothering her own and other people's children, knew better and packed warm clothes for Desmond.  We walked in through the doors and I made it a point to visit each exhibit before we left (no way in hell I paid all that money to just look at some elephants and go home). 

• Here's what I learned about the Zoo.  You and your kids are NOT Oprah and therefore do not get VIP access throughout the park.  You will get bumped into, shoved, and whispered about when you stay too long in front of the mass of people huddled in front of the glass enclosure to look at the baby chimp.  

• Any photo-op that you think will be adorable will also be thought of as adorable by other mothers and they will hog the prop or statue or photo-op for as long as possible.  "Smile, Charlie!  Ok, another one and look angry!  LIke a bear!  Now growl!"  (click, click, click).  

Our turn on the rhino.  I only took about a minute and then we hurried off so that the next caretaker could take pics of their child.

Des wasn't so sure about this.

• Make sure to bring a map with you because one wrong turn and you're down a winding path that dead ends because the koala exhibit is under construction.  And then you have to walk back the whole way with a tired baby and an irritated kid who's TIRED, TIRED, TIRED...I WANNA GO TO THE PLAYGROUND!!! 

• If you're going to the Zoo with an infant and a child who can walk, count on bringing two forms of transportation for both of them.  Invariably, the child who can walk will get tired and will want to ride in the stroller.  If baby is in the stroller, she will invariably be asked to be carried if she couldn't ride in the stroller.

Besties.

• Come with a plan!  Make sure that the zoo is something that can be turned into an age-appropriate activity.  Don't assume that just because you like to read each and every one of the placards on the exhibits that a 3-year-old would like it.  Make finding animals a sort of game or bring crayons and paper and ask the kid to draw what they see.  Des enjoyed the walk more than the sights; thank goodness he was free admission.

Desmond's face when we realized that the path we had taken, uphill, led to a construction site.

Striking a pose at the playground in the Zoo.  Beware, other moms.  Every other mom you could think of and their kid are at the playground at the Zoo.  Come prepared.

We are trying to go out every single day, partly because we're leaving Utah and want to make the most of it, but also because spring is absolutely gorgeous here and we're itching to get out.  So, that means walking Des and the dogs twice a day and going outside and doing something on the weekends.  It's made all of us much happier and, instead of itching to leave our house all the time, we go out, have a great time, and are excited to come back to our little home.