Buffalo Zoo

We've been looking forward to taking our kids to the Buffalo zoo since we first found out we were pregnant. Last year Drake was just too young, but we definitely knew we wanted to go this year. Sunday we decided to head out there! The original plan was to take all the cousins, but let me tell you just how near impossible that is. See, ALL three kids are on different nap schedules. Gavin takes a long morning nap, Lacey a long afternoon nap, and Drake takes a morning and afternoon nap. So, see our predicament? We got two out of the three there, with sweet lil' Eli along for the ride. Here are some photos:

Sweet boy arrived to the zoo asleep, and missed out on the first few animals.


First stop: The elephant house!










They were trying to catch a glimpse of the sea lions. After watching from above, they went down to a lower level to watch through glass windows.


Keeping him shaded was a job in itself. It was quite warm for Buffalo.


Lacey has a pimped out wagon. It has two seats, but they can be reconfigured to make Lacey a tray to eat on. We made the grave mistake of changing the table to a seat (for Drake), which involved moving her food. Can you say meltdown??? Do NOT move a hungry toddler's food!


Drake was pointing at the reindeers. It was the first time I'd seen real life reindeer.


Daddy pimping the double stroller. I seriously love our stroller.


The Blamire family!


Drake showing Daddy the polar bears











There was a train there, and Drake was BESIDE himself when he saw it. He loves the train at the zoo in SC, and my Mom always takes him on it. This time, he got to go with Daddy, Aunt Lindsay, and Lacey. So much fun!





I love this picture. Taking it with a flash darkens the glass, and you can't see the fish. Taking it without the flash (in the dark) means it comes out blurry since the shutter speed is so slow. And of course I didn't have a tripod. But it turned out really neat. I think I like the blur.

Buffalo: Our trip there and Day 1

We had a great time going up to visit Eric's family last week. The flights there were horrendous, but coming back was much better. It's never easy to fly with two children. My husband has the patience of a saint. Seriously, he does. We didn't have concrete plans for our trip, other than just spending time with all of our family. Drake and Eli have two cousins, Gavin and Lacey. Gavin is a few months older than Drake, and Lacey is a few months younger. He had such a large time playing with them. Eli spent the long weekend getting lots of snuggles from all of his family. We got in late Friday night, and went to the cottage Saturday morning. Here are the fri/sat photos.

So, this photo doesn't quite belong, b/c it was from the plane ride home. But, it's stuck with the other plane photos! This picture shows why our trip home was a million times better than our trip there. Our flight up to NY were so awful due to a gassy baby and a cranky toddler. The camera never even made it out of the bag b/c I was so overwhelmed.


Sweet Lil' Eli waiting for the flight. He was an angel on the way home, but I won't discuss his behavior on the way up there.


Playing!!! He never quite understood that those big things out the windows were the same as the airplanes he points to in the sky.




We headed to the cottage Saturday morning. (It's in Canada, at Lake Erie)
We took a trip over to visit the Wyldewoods! No one was in yet, but Lacey and Drake enjoyed the wagon ride.


Lacey and her ball


Aunt Linds got everyone buckled in


Someone's here after all! Grandma had to show Eli off and introduce him to the neighbors:-)


So, there is this little bridge between the Kirsch cottage and the Wyldewoods. The land is quite swampy, so the bridge is necessary. Well, after last summer, Grandma realized that the bridge wasn't wide enough for strollers or wagons to go on comfortably. So would you like to know what Grandpa's winter project was? Why, building a new bridge of course!


My lil' stinker. I can eat that smile up.


Grandma having some Eli snuggles.


The sun came out finally! Time to take the kiddos to the beach and wear them out. Once again, Drake had absolutely no fear of the water- he ran straight to the waves.


Jumping waves with Daddy


Gavin and Aunt Dianna


Double Trouble


Digging and playing


So, as a southern girl, I was surprised the first time I went to the cottage at Lake Erie. First, the lake looks like an ocean. Waves and all. Second, it's COLD water. The lake completely freezes over in the winter. And third, there are sea gulls!!! What? But it's not a sea! I know, but there are definitely sea gulls. And it made my big boy very happy. That kid is obsessed with birds! Here he is chasing seagulls with Grandma.


Hi Gavin!


The boys trying to see what kind of trouble they can get into.


So, Gavin hugs like a linebacker. Funniest thing ever! Here he is going in for his hug, when Lacey got down to the beach after a nap.


And she's down!


Poor Gavin! He looks so sad...


Of course the lovey came down to the beach.


The closest we got to a beach picture of all three together. Now that they are all mobile, that's a joke.


Drake decided to hang with Uncle Joe for a while.


Then he decided some Daddy snuggling was in order. There are no beach pictures of our sweet little Eli, because he was all cuddled up in a carrier on my chest.


Lindsay and Lacey


Lacey snuggling on the bear rug. It's really soft and fluffy!


Linds and Brian bought a bike trailer that fits two kids. Eric and Linds decided to go for a bike ride, and take Drake and Lacey. Epic. Fail. They (meaning Drake) hated it. Lacey was fine until we put Drake in, and he totally lost his shit. Now at least Eric and I know to not waste our money on a bike trailer.


Again, not very happy.


Alrighty Eric, get these kids moving so they'll stop screaming! (Drake never quit crying. He hated it!!! He would pause momentarily when sweet Lacey would push the button on the toy to play music.)


Eli on the bear rug. These kids really love to snuggle on it!


Bath time! Time to get these dirty kiddos clean.


Drake and Opa!