I used to be able to run 3 miles in the morning, lay Kade down for a nap, clean the house, take him to the zoo or pool for a few hours in the afternoon, make dinner for Kyle and start all over the next day - that was last summer. Today I realized that I am not the Mama I used to be. We decided to go to the zoo today and after it took all morning to just get out of the house, I struggled to even put the wagon in the back of the car. We only spent a little over 2 hours there and Mama was ready to go home and rest, much to Kade’s dismay. Wagons have got to be the most difficult things to pull around and steer. Before I had Kade they appeared to be a parent’s ally while navigating the zoo or amusement park, but now I know better. They are just another form of exercise equipment disguised as baby gear.

Our outing at the zoo was so much fun though. We finally got in to the Touch exhibit that is only here for the summer and allows you to reach in and touch stingrays and sharks in a shallow pool. Kade was literally squealing with delight as the stingrays swam by, but just as he was about to touch them he took his little hands out of the pool. The way they glided over your hands was so cool, and I have to admit that I enjoyed it as much as he did. Then we rode the train through the Australian part of the zoo (Kade loved that too, but it was my way of getting to sit down for a few minutes). There is so much that a big city has to offer children and I am just grateful that we can expose Kade to as much as possible. My hometown growing up didn’t have a zoo, museums, or cultural festivals and I can already see the difference those things have made in Kade’s life. It just makes me love city life even more…