Fun Filled Family February

We had a great February. It started out with my birthday, so how could it not be great, and we had a whole family day together. We went downtown Dallas to the Children's Aquarium for the first time and then headed for lunch at Chik-fil-a and a ride on the round and round up and down as Chloe calls it, which is as us normal people would call a carousel. The aquarium was perfect. We spent just about an hour there and it wasn't too much for the kids. All of the displays are designed to be more at toddler/grade school age kids heights so Chloe could see pretty much everything without any help. Levi could also see most of the displays from his stroller. Chloe loved to stay at the "touch pool" even though she would not reach in and touch any of the crabs or fish. She kept wanting to go back to that area to watch the critters and fish.

 We also took a trip down to the stockyards. The annual stock show was going on in Fort Worth and I wanted to check it out and let Chloe walk around and see all the animals. So we checked to see when the best day to go and headed down there, however, we never made it. There is the Stockyards and the Stockyards Show. One would think that the show would be at the same place, but it wasn't. For all of you not familiar with the area the Stockyards is more of just an area of town that is now like a little cowboy town area of Fort Worth. So even though Zach and I talked multiple times how they are two different things somehow his directions sent us to the Stockyards and not the show, that had all the animals. It was quite comical as we drove in and parked and the parking attendant made a comment how many people get confused and we laughed....but we were one of those people so joke was on us. We still had a great time. There was a little petting zoo for the kids, some longhorn cattle on the property that we could go and look at, neat little shops, lots of horses on patrol and then a little cattle drive down the main street. The kids didn't know any different and they still saw animals so they were happy. Chloe actually rode on a real pony. She was excited and a little uneasy, but had a great time. The guy who ran the thing would say "Okay kids, lets say a big Yee-Haw" and so she would say "Hee-Haw". It was funny.

We now have a zoo membership which has been great. We have had a few nice days and have taken advantage of the pass and we will continue to go as often as possible. Chloe really enjoys seeing all the animals and throughout the time she would start calling out for Toodles, which is a character on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Not sure why she started that, but she would put her hand up to her face and yell for Toodles just like they do in the show. It was funny. She also really likes to walk on her own. She will walk the whole zoo if we let her, taking breaks for water but she does not want to get back in the wagon. She really wanted to pull Levi in the wagon so she pulled him in the wagon showing him all the animals and not wanting us to help her pull. She's getting so big.

The weather has been up and down. One day it is nice and sunny and the next it is cold and windy. We have been able to take advantage and go on walks and play in the backyard a lot. Both kids really enjoy the swing set that Zach built. We have also been going to ride on the round and round up and down a lot. Chloe has also found her love of peanut butter.

Chloe and her "swim" cap. She is ready for the beach!

To wrap up the month my mom came to visit on a quick trip because she somehow convinced herself that Dallas was on the way from San Fransisco. However she came up with the rationale to get herself here we didn't mind. When we told Chloe she said, "mama hold Chloe and papa hold Levi." That's what she always says and then we always have to remind her that she needs to share mama with Levi too. This time especially because papa was not here for the visit. We had a great few days. We took mom to the aquarium because it was too cold for the zoo and of course we had to make a trip over to the carousel.