Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Yesterday, Barrett took his first trip to the zoo!

We picked up my mom and grandma at 9:00 and headed to the zoo. When we were almost there, Barrett started to get really mad. I told mom, who was in the back seat, to make him a bottle because he probably was getting hungry. She said, "Ok, where's his bag?" I almost started making an old person joke because it was sitting right next to her, when she said, "Is it in the very back of the car?"

Oops.

The diaper bag was sitting safe at home.

Since we were 40 minutes from home already and meeting my sister and her family, I exited and found a Walmart. Unfortunately, the Walmart I found was not in the best of areas. I reluctantly left my son, mom , and grandmother in the parking lot in my running car. As I ran into Walmart, I had visions of Joe Thug jumping in my car with them.

As I grabbed a basket, I asked the typical old man greeter where baby stuff was. He pointed to the back, and I started jogging. I felt like I was on a game show trying to get everything as fast as I could.

When I got where he pointed, I was in the middle of shoes. I asked another employee, and she said it was in the front corner. Apparently greeter man never walks past the entrance. Although in his defense, baby stuff is in the back of every other Walmart I've been in.

I finally get to the baby stuff. I grab diapers, formula, and a baby spoon and head to the bottles. Then, I hit a snag.

Walmart doesn't carry Barrett's bottles. I start examining nipples on all the bottles looking for anything that is remotely similar to what he is used to. There isn't any. I settle on some, and toss them in the basket. The last thing I need is baby food. (Barrett has to have food in the morning or he gets really grumpy!) I can't find it.

I ask someone, and she says it is right by bottles. I was sure that baby food was not there, but I was sure that I brought the diaper bag too, so I went back to check. I was right, no food.

I walked through the baby stuff two more times, still no baby food has appeared. I decided to ask an employee with a walkie talkie because she should know more, right? She told me that it was with the baby stuff.

I then look for another employee. It was then that I realized how great those ugly blue vests are. It makes finding someone much easier.

Then I found LaShanda (that's what her name tag said). She was about to pop pregnant, so I figured she might know. She said baby food was with the snack foods by cards. After being pointed in the right direction, I ran.

Thank God she was right. I throw the sweet potatoes and bottled water in the cart, and run to the check out.
Fifty four dollars later, I am headed to the car hoping they haven't been car jacked.

When I get to the car, mom has all Barrett out of his seat. She comments that this part of town is quite scary. I hurry to make a bottle. As I shake it, water flies everywhere. The new bottle has to be tightened on the bottom too. Once I figured that out, the bottle was made, and we were on our way to the zoo.

We got to the zoo and managed to unload Grandma, Grandma's wheelchair, Barrett, Barrett's stroller, and the make shift plastic Walmart "diaper bag".

We were ready to see all the animals. Here is a picture of the crew minus me, my sister, and brother in law.

We pretty much saw the entire zoo. Tyler led us because he had the map. When a 7 year old is on charge, you do a lot of back tracking, so we all got our exercise. Barrett liked the giraffes and elephants, but I think that was because they are the only ones he could really see. He also thought the turtle that was out was funny. He kept laughing when it moved.



Tyler was so busy figuring out where we were going next, I'm not sure he even looked at the animals. Although, he did stop along the way to be a typical kid needing to go to the bathroom, get a snack, and be silly.

And then there was Austin. He loves animals. He was so excited about every one.

After leaving the petting zoo, we saw the lions. Austin said he wanted to go in and pet them too. He was just so happy the whole time running to see the next animal, and I can't wait until Barrett is old enough to love the zoo too!

Barrett had a wonderful time, but it was his cousins that he liked seeing the most.