A Really 'Good Friday'

We've been alternating getting either a zoo or Children's Museum annual pass each year. I for one am very excited that this is a zoo year! Dave surprisingly gets Good Friday off, so we headed to the zoo. The kids were super excited! Anna wanted to see tigers and elephants and Benjamin wanted to see a lion. We managed to fulfill their requests and we had a wonderful visit!


She would declare, "There's my elephants!"


Our first family of five trip to the zoo. (Benjamin requested that Dave wear stripes to match his.)

Benjamin found his lion!

Collin smiles and reaches for Benjamin as soon as he sees him. They really love each other! (The lion is sitting with his back to us in the background).

Happy to be checking out his lion! (I think he was slightly disappointed that it wasn't roaring though)

The zoo was crazy full b/c of the final four starting that weekend, so it took us forever just to get inside. It ended up being a much later afternoon than we usually keep Benjamin and Anna up for, so Benjamin said he needed to be held b/c he was so tired on the way out. (He was mad b/c Anna was in the laying down part of the stroller)

If you know Benjamin, you should be able to tell by his eyes that he's actually smiling. He was so tickled with himself b/c he thought he had tricked Dave and I that he was asleep. A few minutes later he was walking all over the place.

Anna actually was VERY tired, though.....no pretending here.

When we first came in the zoo and both kids were in the stroller, someone asked me if they were twins. Never had anyone ask me that before!

Collin napped in the sling for most of the zoo and ended up being in a great mood as we walked out and once we got in the car. I couldn't help but snap some pictures of those happy blue eyes!

Benjamin was watching a DVD and Collin (who sits in front of Benjamin) was cooing and trying so hard to get Benjamin's attention. It was so cute!

He eventually drifted off though. He likes his new car seat SO MUCH better!

Anna managed to stay awake for quite some time, but she eventually conked out too.

Not Benjamin though! He stayed wide awake watching Nemo and munching on french fries and lemonade (he ate his and then finished off Anna's too).

We gave Collin rice cereal for the first time that day. He was really good at keeping it down....

and was really curious about the spoon.......

Daddy always gets to feed our babies cereal for the first time, since I do all the feeding until then.

"Let me try, Daddy!"

After the first five bites or so, Collin started to close his eyes and shake his head back and forth after each bite.

And he started to look grumpier with each bite....

Thankfully, he hasn't done this since that first feeding. He doesn't seem to overly enjoy it, but he doesn't shake and grimace like this.

Anna stayed right with us the whole time Collin was getting fed, she was very interested in the whole thing. She even sat under his high chair for a little bit. Isn't her long hair making her look so much older?!?!


We have a book about three little bears and how they are all three the daddy and momma bears' favorites. The kids have the stuffed animals that match them and are so tickled b/c the bears' gender is the same order as our family. That evening we lined them on the couch with their corresponding bear and they enjoyed getting their picture taken with them.

What do you think has gotten Collin's attention?

It's the proximity of Anna's hair....

Got it!

We let them get in our big tub for the first time that night......

and upon request, let them take their first bath with Collin!

Anna was beyond tickled that Collin was in the tub with her!

It was a full and wonderful family day! They are a little young, so we obviously didn't focus too much on Jesus' death that day. Benjamin is getting to where he really understands it all though and he now knows that Jesus died on Friday and then came back to life on Easter Sunday. More on this in my next post of our Easter celebrations. For now, here's a conversation we had one day last week:

Benjamin was playing with a cross necklace that we made when I taught children's church and the following conversation occurred....
Me: Why did you make that cross?
Benjamin: (dubiously)You made it with me!
Me: But why did we make it?
Benjamin: For Easter.
Me: What is Easter?
Benjamin: When the Easter bunny comes.
Me: And what else?
Benjamin: It's about Jesus.
Me: What happened on Easter?
Benjamin: Jesus died on the cross.
Me: And then what?
Benjamin: He was alive again.
Me: And then what?
Benjamin: He went to Heaven.
Me: Good job, Benjamin.
Benjamin: Jesus heard me, didn't he? (insert cheesy, proud smile)