Going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

When I asked Shawn last week what she wanted to do for Mother's Day, she was quick to answer: "Let's take Reilly to the Bronx Zoo." So, on Saturday we packed up the stroller and diaper bag and took the 5 Train to the Bronx. When we left Manhattan, it was overcast and chilly, but by the time we reached the zoo, the sky was blue and the sun was warming the air to a temperature worthy of short sleeves.



Just inside the front gate were the camel rides, where Reilly had her first encounter with an animal other than a dog, cat, or pigeon. She loved that camel so much that she cried when we wheeled away. Additional stops made less of an impression on her--the animals were either too far away or too still to catch her eye.

Then, we decided to give the children's zoo a try, and that is when Reilly came alive. First, we stopped by the petting zoo, where she met a llama, sheep, chickens, and the goat pictured below.

The highlight of the trip was when we went into the prairie dog section, where you could poke your head up in observation tubes and interact with the little critters. The prairie dogs were so social, they would come right up and scratch at the plastic tube. Reilly found this to be the silliest thing she had ever seen, and laughed wildly each time she was approached.

The best part was that the zoo was nearly empty. Being that the weather was poor in the morning, and that it was the day before Mother's Day, there were maybe only 1,000 people there. We never stood in a line, we never had to wait for the bathroom, and we even ate our lunch at a picnic area that was totally vacant. I think I can safely say that it was the best time we've ever had as a family, and a perfect way to celebrate Shawn's first Mother's Day.