Happy 2nd Birthday, Remington!

Last night I sang you a special song all about spending your 2nd birthday at the zoo. After all, you said “Bus!” so I knew exactly which tune you were requesting. Then you said “Choo choo!” and “Fraff!” And just like that, I changed the words to honor what a fun day we had with you! (I think The Wheels on the Bus may forever be stuck in my head!) Earlier in the day, we hopped in the car to venture downtown Indianapolis to visit the zoo. It was just one surprise we had in store for your special day. During our drive, we mentioned all of the animals we hoped to see…bears, elephants, lions, ha’s (monkeys)…and your favorite one of all, giraffes!

The weather was perfect! Sunny and cool! And it felt like we had the whole zoo to ourselves since it was a Monday! We saw the sea lions, a polar bear, and some jolly walruses before checking out the underwater dome where the dolphins darted happily around us.

In the distance, we heard the whistle of the train. We knew we would definitely ride the train! We opted for the TAP (Total Adventure Package), which allowed us all-day access to rides, animal feeds, and the dolphin show (we’ll have to check that out next time!). We boarded the train and got a behind-the-scenes look at the zoo. From there we rode their newest ride, the Skyline, overlooking the new orangutan center! Very cool! Even your new little dog, Brownie, got to go for the ride!

From there we headed into the Plains exhibit where we were so excited to see that it was feeding time for the giraffes! This was such a neat experience! While eating carrots today at lunch, you mentioned “big ‘fraffe…carrot!” I don’t think you’ll soon forget this moment!

You enjoyed roaring at the lion!

And saying hi to these big guys…

All day you said you wanted to see some ha’s, so we searched and found baboons…Luckily, you’re not yet aware of the difference between monkeys and baboons! 😉

You also wanted to see 3 elephants…check and mark!

Early afternoon, some gray clouds began rolling in and raindrops fell. Fortunately, we were near the exhibit that housed this adorable bird! So we shared his roof for a few minutes!

You got a kick out of watching the flamingos strut their stuff.

We rode the carousel, and you chose to sit on the mighty elephant as we went round and round and round. Rain started to settle in for the day, so we made our way home. But not before checking out the Desert to see some “‘nakes”. Somehow, much to your Mama’s chagrin, you have an interest in snakes! Eeek!

You fell asleep in the car, and I smiled at your Daddy. We had such an awesome time with you for your birthday at the zoo! And we think you did too!

The day before your birthday, we invited friends and family over to celebrate! The week leading up to your party, it was all you could talk about! “Party!” and “Bir-day!” Oh, and we couldn’t forget cake! You were so excited for cake! Your great Aunt Janie made a delicious giant cupcake and matching cupcakes for your party, complete with sprinkles and little monkeys!

We sang Happy Birthday and you got a little help from some friends with the candles!

You opened some gifts and happily shared your toys with all of your friends. Sharing is fun, isn’t it!

Why the serious face? Well, it just so happened that I planned your party right when you usually take a nap! Silly Mama! 🙂 Luckily, Grandma was on hand to rock you right to sleep as soon as the party ended! You hugged your new little dog, Brownie, as you drifted off to la-la land.

When you woke up from your nap after a fun-filled day at the zoo, we had a few more surprises for you…we know how much you love a good “sur-trize”! Some mega-blocks, play-doh, and a t-ball set kept you entertained for the rest of your birthday evening.