The Accident

Sometimes, Tyler has to travel for his job. We really love his job and his employer, but it does come with a little bit of travel. When we realized that travel would be a part of his job, it was not a big deal because I was still working full time and we didn't have any kids. Since Griffin has come into the picture, it's definitely more of a hassle for me since we don't have any family close by, but we've gotten by just fine without any major disasters.

I'm sorry to say that all changed a month or so ago.

Tyler had been gone for most of the week at a conference and Griffin and I managed to make out pretty well on our own! I planned a few outings with friends, had to babysit for a few days, and had an open house to attend for a possible nursery school next year for Griffin. More on that later, but WHEN did my baby get so old!? Back to my story.

It was Thursday and it was a crazy, crazy day. Griffy and I had been out of the house all day, only to get home around 6:00 pm. I quickly made dinner, fed both of us, and cleaned up dinner. By that time, it was 7:15. Our small group meets on Thursday nights and we start at 7. I debated even going, but I really wanted to be there. I loaded Griffin into the car and we were at small group by 7:30.

I had a great time and enjoyed the company of other adults so much, seeing as I'd been with my one year old for the majority of the week. Griffin had a good time too, but ended up with an accidental black eye. It was his very first one and a rite of passage for a toddler boy, I suppose! He was so tough and I held myself together pretty well, seeing as though I can sometimes go a little crazy when it comes to my baby. 

These pictures were from the next morning, but I thought you could use a visual of my poor baby with his black eye.

Anyway, I had a great time at small group and Griffin had a great time with his friends. I was also so happy because Tyler's flight was landing that night and we'd arrive home at the same time. I was done being a single mom for the week. Let me just say this, though-- I have mad respect for single moms. It's tough to do it for a week and I think single moms are the most incredible people.

As soon as I walked out of small group, I was shocked. In two hours, we'd gotten a complete covering of snow. There wasn't a flake of snow when we'd gone inside at 7:30. Although I was surprised, I wasn't worried. Come on, I grew up in southeast Michigan and had driven in way more snow than this.

Unfortunately, I was immediately humbled and knocked off my high horse when I started driving. I quickly realized this wasn't just any snow. This was the slippery, icy kind of snow from you-know-where, although I'm pretty sure there is no snow there. It took us awhile to get out of the neighborhood, but by the time we made it to the main road, I knew the ride home was going to be bad.

It normally takes us 5 minutes to get from our pastor's house to the freeway. That night it took me about 15 minutes. I was terrified, but I was so focused on getting us home safe. I had called Tyler before I'd left and he told me to be careful. He was on his way home from the airport on the same freeway that I was going to be driving on and he said that the roads were awful and that there were accidents everywhere. I actually had the presence of mind to unlock my doors and put my cell phone on the passenger seat "just in case". I'm now really glad that I did that.

We got to the freeway and as soon as I turned onto the on ramp, I knew we were toast. I was going SO slow, probably no more than 10 miles per hour, but I turned and it was just a solid sheet of ice. Even as I'm typing this almost three weeks later, my whole body is trembling. It was hands down the scariest moment of my life. As soon as we turned, we just started sliding. This was a problem because of a few reasons. We were headed down an on ramp, so we just started picking up speed. The other problem was that at the bottom of the on ramp, a semi truck had pulled on to the shoulder. This was probably because the driver realized that he was on a slippery ramp of DEATH. Smart man. Although, I drive a tiny little car and couldn't have stopped if I'd tried.

We slid down the ramp and smashed right into his cab. The impact caused my car to spin and once we stopped spinning, we stopped perpendicular to the on ramp. It all happened SO fast, but the only thing on my mind was Griffin. I basically flew into the backseat, but Griffin had a huge smile on his face and said, "WOW!!! TRUCK!!!" My sweet boy. I quickly got him out of the car with my phone where we got out of the car to stand on the icy road with snow coming down. It was not a great time. What was even worse was that the salt trucks were three cars behind me. THREE. Could you not have sped up a little and spared me of this, salt man?? Guess not.

After I was done being ticked off at the slow salt men, I called our friends who had been leaving small group at the same time. Then I called Tyler and freaked out crying. I kept saying, "I didn't do this on purpose! I didn't do this on purpose!" Well, DUH. He was so kind and calm and kept assuring me that he knew I didn't do it on purpose. Thankfully, Tyler was coming up on the exit that we had our accident at and was able to just get off the freeway. In the meantime, our friends Nick and Annie came to be with me. Bless them, they had their 2 year old and 5 month old in the car, but they came immediately. Annie held Griffin in the car, which Griffin loved because he loves her, and Nick helped me out in the blizzard. Thankfully, the truck driver was really nice. I was bawling and kept apologizing to him. Later on, he told Tyler, "Your wife is a real nice lady. She didn't mean for this to happen!" Bless his heart. I think I scared him.

It only took Tyler about 20 minutes to get to us, but it felt like an eternity. It was such a blessing that he hadn't passed our exit. The roads were horrific and it would've taken him hours to get to us had he been home already. Luckily, the truck had minimal damage (unlike my poor car), so we decided to exchange information and not wait for the police. I had already called them twice and they told me it could take hours because only two police officers were on duty and there were accidents everywhere. In other news, it felt a bit irresponsible of the city to only have two officers on duty EVER, but what do I know? Just another reason why I should never be in law enforcement.

Anyway, Tyler and Nick determined the car would be able to get home. Nick and Annie waited until we were leaving which I will never be able to thank them for. Seriously, those are some great friends. Tyler drove my car and Griffin and I drove in his. It was absolutely the scariest drive of my LIFE. What normally takes us 15 minutes took us an hour and a half. The roads were horrific. Again, I grew up in Michigan, but never in my life have I seen or driven in anything comparable to this. The roads were quite literally a solid sheet of ice. We had to drive up an incline in the freeway and I am not kidding you when I said that all around us were more semi trucks sliding backwards down the freeway because they couldn't make it up the icy incline. Then, we got to our exit and cars couldn't get off because of the incline. People were driving up and not able to complete the hill because it was so icy. It was insane. I seriously thought we were going to have to spend the night on the highway. I started sobbing, which in hindsight wasn't smart because I needed to concentrate on the road. Luckily, we were able to get off on the next exit, but I'm not sure I breathed once the whole drive home. I just kept saying out loud, "Lord, keep us safe. Lord, protect us. Lord, get us home." And He really did.

Sure, we got in an accident, but we were all safe. He kept us safe, He protected us, and He got us home. I have never, ever been so thankful to see my little yellow house. The three of us piled into bed and of course my guys passed out right away, but my adrenaline was pumping a little too hard. It was a crazy night. Since that night, I've struggled driving or being a passenger in a car when the roads are wet or it's snowing or raining. I hope that passes soon because I don't need another neurotic tendency.

And even though Griffin and I were safe and perfectly fine (which is obviously the most important thing), my little car was not so lucky. We are super thankful for car insurance and for a great collision shop. My car is already fixed and home with us!

This was my first really bad accident in 27 years and I'm hoping that it'll be my last. Fingers crossed! And if I ever come out of anywhere and there's a surprise snow, I will be staying there until the snow melts. I don't care if it takes a week; mark my words, there will be no more driving in horrific snow. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Happy Monday! 

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 9

If you're unfamiliar with my 31 Days topic, please take a moment and visit this post.

Today is October 9, 2012 and Griffin is 19 months old.

As I've been writing out our days, I'm realizing that they probably sound very boring to most people. But to me, they're anything but boring. Some days are long, especially days where Tyler is out of town, but I wouldn't change this season of my life for anything.

This morning, Griffin and I headed out for our stroller exercise class at a local park. When I signed up for this, I seriously thought it would be pretty easy. NOT THE CASE. I almost died the first time we did it, but I really enjoy it now. It's an hour of intense cardio, weights, and stretching and we are moving the entire time. The babies just come along in the strollers and when we do stairs and things that won't allow you to bring your stroller, the instructor stays with them. When we do our mat work at the end, they all get out of the strollers and play together. I always look forward to it! I was pretty proud of myself today because after I loaded Griffin in the car, I went to walk around to my side and stepped in a hole in the grass. I rolled my ankle pretty badly; it still hurts a lot. I sat there for awhile and Tyler came out to help me walk around and I decided to go anyway. I was a little late and had to modify a few things, but I was so glad I went. I felt like a beast! But I'm not. After class, Griffin and I played at the park for awhile. We have some really gorgeous parks here! I love this first picture of Griffin on the swings! He is such a funny little boy; he cracks me up every single day!

He was showing me his sweet Baby Legs leg warmers in this last picture. They were perfect on a really cold morning! After class, we were both a little chilled, so we ended up meeting Tyler for a lunch date at Panera. It was a fun little mid-day pick-me-up. This was the best picture I could get and it's pretty accurate of picture taking with Griffin these days. Haha!

Griffin took a great nap today. He's been doing well at naps lately, which naturally means that since I've now blogged about it, he will go back to taking horrible naps. Maybe we've turned a 19 month corner? I love this picture below. We had a man come out and measure for a new front door today and Griffin just wanted to be one of the guys. He stood there and just watched and listened for as long as the door man was discussing it with Tyler. Such a little buddy man!

Tyler is downtown tonight watching the Reds game and I'm about to finish up some chores that I slacked on today in favor of a relaxing nap time. I'm enjoying documenting our days so much. It's definitely getting me back into the blogging groove.

However, tomorrow I will be silencing my blog with many others in remembrance of Matt Turner. Please pray for Julee as she attends the funeral of the love of her life tomorrow.

If you're interested in reading more in my 31 Days series, please click here!

 

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 8

If you're unfamiliar with my 31 Days topic, please take a moment and visit this post.

Today is October 8, 2012 and Griffin is 19 months old.

We had a normal, uneventful day. Griffin was in a great mood until about 5:00 pm. Maybe the witching hour is back? The highlight of our day was a long walk to the libarary and the grocery store. I had a book on hold that needed to be picked up and I needed a can of pumpkin for some bread I'm making this week. I'm thankful to live in an area where we can easily walk to places like these! Griffin and I love to go on walks together. I love everything about this picture-- the little hand grasping the snack trap, his buddy, Mickey, the striped pants, everything!

When we were leaving Kroger, we passed an elderly couple taking a walk together. They were each bundled up tight and holding hands. They gave us the sweetest hello as we passed with the biggest smiles and it made my heart so happy. I hope that's me and Tyler someday. I just loved that they were out for a walk together and still holding hands. You can barely see them in this picture that I took. Yes, I'm creepy.

When we got back from our walk, we spent some time playing with bubbles. Griffin loves bubbles but only if he's allowed to blow them. And by that, I mean play with the wand and act like he can actually blow bubbles. I love this video of him and how he tries to do it!

We ended the day with a pot roast from the crock pot. Again, it was just a normal day, but my heart did feel heavy from the moment I woke up. I just cannot get Julee and Preslee off my mind. Please, please continue to pray for them as you feel led. This blogging community is a tight one and I know so many of us are praying for them. Jennifer, Julee's best friend, tweeted this info earlier in case you would like to help the Turners. Any donations can be sent to Preslee Turner College Fund at Summit Bank, Box 965, Arkadelphia, AK 71923.

Have a lovely week, friends.

If you're interested in reading more in my 31 Days series, please click here!

 

31 Days of Haney :: Days 5, 6, and 7

If you're unfamiliar with my 31 Days topic, please take a moment and visit this post.

It was October 5, 6, and 7, 2012 and Griffin is now 19 months old (as of October 6).

Well, here we are a few days in and I'm already behind. I'm not going to let it get me down because this is just a little family blog and I'm blogging for me. I'm getting back on the horse after a great weekend!

On Friday, we had a play date at a local park with a former teacher friend and her little girl. With two very active toddlers, this was the best picture I could get.

I enjoy Ashley's company so much and Griffin and Alyssa play very well together! It's so important to have friends who are in the same life stage as you. I'm looking forward to lots more years of friendship.

Griffin played in the driveway that afternoon while I cleaned out my car. When Daddy came home, he let Griffin "drive the car". This child thought he was BIG STUFF. I think we've discovered a new activity on really fussy days. On Friday night, I was able to go to a movie with a few of my girlfriends. We saw Won't Back Down and I would highly recommend it. It was a great story and there is a part with Viola Davis and her movie son that made me weep for a good ten minutes. If you see it, you'll know what I mean. I am looking forward to watching it again with Tyler when it comes out on DVD!

We woke up and headed out on Saturday morning. We headed to good old Marion, Indiana for our college's homecoming and a mini-reunion with some of my college girlfriends! I had the best time! It was so fun being back on campus and seeing some of my girls. My years at college were so wonderful and I always feel so nostalgic when we're on our way back to Marion.

Of course, the first thing we did was hit up Mi Pueblo for the best arroz con pollo in the WORLD. We would go there in college and eat ourselves sick on this stuff. There would be a huge group of us and we'd all order the same thing! We all said we haven't been able to find any Mexican restaurants that come close to Mi Pueblo since we graduated. I was in heaven with my food, friends, and baby. After we ate, we went to the soccer game. It was pretty cold, but still nice to be out there. We were able to meet up with my brother-in-law, future sister-in-law and Tyler's cousin! I loved seeing all of them.

I love this picture of me and my Stephy. She's my person

After the soccer game, Griffin and Tyler headed home. I was able to stay overnight with my girls and they had a little "guys night". Before they left, we took a few pictures in front of the dorm where we met. It's hard to believe I met Tyler almost 10 years ago! We've been together for 7.5, which is crazy. I'm so thankful for my time in Indiana for so many reasons, but mostly because it gave me my man

Us girls spent some more time on campus and I saw one of my sweet girls from the school where I taught. Before we left, Kristi and I took a great picture in front of the greatest freshman girls dorm of all time. It was there that we had a lot of fun and a lot of embarrassing moments. I love Shatford House and I'm a total dweeb with that thumbs up. At least I embrace it! But seriously, every girl in my wedding lived in Shatford except for my cousin. That should tell you something!

We headed down to Indy and had a great night together! We were able to meet up with our friend, Eric, and we had so much fun together! It also reminded me that I am kind of an old woman now, but it's still fun to pretend to be young every once in awhile. Ha! Check out our photo bombers in the pictures below. Seriously, people? We were annoyed about the girl photo bombers, but the guy in the last picture was a friend of Eric's, so it was cool.

When I woke up this morning, Tyler had sent me this picture of Griffin and typed, "Good Morning, Mommy!" It makes me laugh every time I look at it! He looks so pitiful, but in reality, he had the best time with Daddy! They are two peas in a pod. When I was driving home, Tyler told me that they had gone to Lowe's and then McDonald's. I got prematurely upset about McDonald's (stupid) until T told me that he'd gone through a drive-thru, parked, and that they had shared hot cakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage in the back seat. That absolutely MELTED MY HEART. I am beyond thankful for a wonderful husband who is an equally wonderful father.

It was great to get home to my boys. I'm looking forward to a fresh new week. On one last note, we were doing FaceTime with my dad this afternoon, and I took this screenshot. Every time Griffin talks to one of my parents on FaceTime, he always does three things: asks for whoever he's NOT talking to (if he's talking to Papa, he asks for Mimi, and vice versa), asks for the dog they babysat for a few weeks, and then asks for his beloved ball. They have this huge green ball in the garage that he loves to play with. Today, my dad indulged him and took the phone out into the garage to show him his BAHHHHHH. What a good Papa!

I hope you all have a great week and I'll be back tomorrow. As you start your week, please pray for sweet, precious Julee who lost her beloved husband suddenly this weekend. You won't waste a prayer on her and their baby, Preslee.

If you're interested in reading more in my 31 Days series, please click here!

 

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 4

If you're unfamiliar with my 31 Days topic, please take a moment and visit this post.

Today is October 4, 2012 and Griffin is 18 months old

We had a very average, normal day today. A lot of our days are like this, I'm finding, but I love the normalcy of life. The highlights of our day included a haircut for Griffin, a special lunch, and playing at the park.

Griffin typically HATES getting his haircut. He had haircut number 8 today-- yes, I said EIGHT-- and he's screamed bloody murder for the last five. It's never pleasant. Usually I take back up because he thrashes around so violently. I even take him to one of those fun children's haircut places even though it's 20 minutes away! I try to make EVERYTHING fun, you know? But he just really hates getting his hair cut.

Today, he really needed a trim before the weekend, and I knew there was no way that Ty could go with us, so I decided to buck up and take Screamer by myself. Imagine my shock when I gave him a lolly pop, stuck him in the "car" (a plastic seat shaped like a car), and put Super Why on the little television-- all things I have done before, mind you!-- and he sat there like a little angel the whole time. He didn't shed ONE TEAR! The sweet woman cutting his hair probably thought I was crazy because I took approximately one thousand pictures of him being cute and happy. I also kept squealing about how proud I was. I probably needed an intervention of sorts.

Oh, he was the SWEETEST. As a reward, we walked over to Panera where we picked up some lunch to go. The baby deserved a macaroni and cheese and boy, did he enjoy it! His mother also might have enjoyed a few bites in addition to her soup and panini. Maybe. Buddy man knows a good thing when he tastes it! What do they put in that macaroni anyway? SO GOOD and only about 1,324 calories per bite.

I was able to both relax and get some things done around the house during nap time. Those are my second favorite kinds of nap time. My first favorite is when I actually get to nap as well. There was no time for that today! After Griffin's nap, we went to a park a few blocks away that we've never actually been to. That's kind of shameful. It's not a huge park, but Griffin LOVED it. I loved it because he had so much fun. There were lots of places to play and lots of room to run. We will definitely be back soon! I just can't believe my baby is old enough to play (assisted) on playground equipment. SO SAD. But how funny is he on that dinosaur?? This picture makes me laugh!

Tonight was taco night and then my sweet husband sent me for a manicure since I was on sick Mom duty for three days this week. Good man. I now have a pretty fall color and I'm ready for the weekend! Oh, and since I know you're all wondering, my ear is feeling a little better today. Praise be to God. Maybe I'll wake up feeling 100% tomorrow!

Can't wait for Parks and Rec tonight! TREAT YOSELF. Best show on television. Happy Thursday!

Previous 31 Days Posts

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 1

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 2

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 3

 

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 3

If you're unfamiliar with my 31 Days topic, please take a moment and visit this post.

It is October 3, 2012 and Griffin is 18 months old.

Today is going to be a short and sweet post. We had a busy day and were out the door by 9 am. Griffin looked so dapper today in his SheShe Made today. I'm sad because his tractor jon jon is just on the verge of being too small! This isn't the best picture, but when the child is constantly on the move, it's hard to get a clear shot.

We managed to get to story time at the library this morning, which is always so much fun! Griffin loves playing the bells during song time and really gets into it. Maybe he'll play percussion someday! The boy does have some enthusiasm. We're not sure where he gets it. We usually see an old work friend of mine with her daughter at story time, who is a few months younger than Griffin. We had a great time playing with them after the story and are going to see them for a park play date on Friday morning.

When we got home this afternoon, the best surprise was waiting for Griffin-- DADA! That's Griffin's preferred name for Tyler, not mine. I hadn't mentioned this, but T was in Orlando for three days for work. He stayed right outside of Disney, lucky dog. I wish we could've gone with him, but it was a short notice trip, plus I got sick and I wasn't about to take Griffin to Disney World without his dad! I'm so glad Tyler is home. Griffin had a little bit of a rough day today. He was just sort of fussy and ornery. But he sure perked up the moment he saw his daddy! They are best buds.

Tonight, I'm off to my women's group for church. I love this group of women and look forward to meeting with them every month! This warm steak salad just came out from under the broiler. It's one of our very favorite meals, thanks to Kate! Make it soon; you won't be sad about it.

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

Previous 31 Days Posts

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 1

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 2

 

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 2

If you're unfamiliar with my 31 Days topic, please take a moment and visit this post.

Today is October 2, 2012 and Griffin is 18 months old.

I'm going to admit it right up front. Today we stayed in our pajamas all day long. I don't remember the last time we did that and it was glorious! It was a rainy, gloomy day and it felt good to just do nothing outside the house. We had a lot of fun and were super comfy all day. Griffin didn't seem to mind one bit! I started my day with one of my favorite mugs. When we were first married, we really didn't have many coffee mugs, so my parents gave us a few of their old ones. This one always makes me smile because not only does it remind me of my mom and dad, but it is so encouraging! Ha! How can you have a bad day when you're using this mug for your coffee (and pumpkin creamer)?

Griffin and I hung out on the couch while I drank my coffee and we watched his very favorite show, Super Why. I've finally found a television show that he likes. Nothing else keeps his attention, and even Super Why only engages him for about 10 minutes. But I will take those 10 minutes! I knew he was done with old Super Why when he started biting my shirt. It actually made me laugh SO hard until he caught my skin with one bite. At least it took my mind off the pain in my ear for a moment!

We played and played ALL day long. It was so fun. I let the chores go and just hung out with my boy. He rewarded his mother by taking a 2.5 hour nap which is highly abnormal. I'm saying that so that I don't jinx myself. I rewarded myself by relaxing on the couch and being sad about my ear infection. Somebody get me a violin, geez.

That was the gist of our day! We read, we laughed a lot, and we played. He was in a goofy, silly mood today and made me crack up multiple times today. He's such a funny little guy and a great dancer. I had Dancing with the Stars on in the background this morning, and when Melissa and Tony danced, he stopped and just boogied down. When their dance was finished, he kept signing, "more, more!" I rewinded it so many times, but it was totally worth it. He was just full of delight today. I think he's relieved to be feeling so much better after being sick last week.

There are two extra sweet things he's been doing lately. I realize that no one probably cares about these but me and the grandparents, so bear with me. My favorite things he's said lately are turkey, turtle, and Tokyo. He says Tokyo because that's where his Papa is right now. He enunciates his T's so clearly and they are SO sweet. I'll try to get a video.

He's also been saying "AAAAAAMEN" at the end of every prayer. He always wants to hold hands when we pray for meals and he has begun saying "AAAAAMEN" before Tyler or I can say it at the end of the prayer, but totally at the appropriate time. Such a sweet little smart guy. I love when he says it!

Now my little critter is in bed, and I'm about to pull dinner out of the oven. On the menu for tonight are individual margherita pizzas! Here they are before I put them in the oven.

Here's how I make them: I spread pesto (I actually made and froze this pesto from basil I grew this summer!) on a fresh (not frozen) whole wheat naan from Trader Joe's. I layer thinly sliced mozzarella and thinly sliced tomatoes on top. Then I sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Bake them for 10-15 minutes on 425 and you've got a delicious dinner! This is one of my favorites, especially with fresh pesto. YUM.

I'm thankful for a quiet, easy day with my small one. They aren't too common around these parts, so I'm glad when they come. Happy Tuesday!

Previous 31 Days Posts

31 Days of Haney Life :: Day 1

The Zoo

We are so fortunate to have a great zoo where we live. Growing up, I'd really only been to a few zoos, and the one in Detroit is a good one. When we moved, it took a few years, but we finally made it to the zoo. Here is a highly embarrassing picture from that trip. I'm not even sure why I'm posting this, but it's my only picture from that trip. It was fun and my mouth is ginormous.

Yes, I had seen an elephant before and no, I'm not sure why I look so excited. This is a typical picture of Tyler and I. I look like I'm having some sort of medical emergency and Tyler looks mortified. Moving on.

A little known fact is that I have actually spent the night at our zoo twice. I didn't get trapped overnight, but that sounds like a fun movie. The big third grade trip (where I used to teach) was spending the night at the zoo at the end of the year. It was actually a really fun trip. We'd arrive after supper, and we'd get to walk around the zoo in groups with zookeepers and go behind the scenes! Then, we'd go back to the education building and get to meet some animals. When it was dark, we'd get to go back out into the zoo for a night walk. The great part was that so many parents chaperoned that Ginger (my teaching partner) and I would get to sleep in our own room. I can get on board with that, but thank God for an Aero Bed. Then, we'd wake up, eat breakfast, and watch a cool animal show. Finally, the kids would walk around the zoo with their chaperones while Ginger and I got a few hours of peace. The third year, I did go to the zoo, but couldn't spend the night because I was still breastfeeding. The overnight trip was my second day back from maternity leave-- what a welcome.

Now that I have a sweet little baby, I have a much better reason to go to the zoo. Last summer, he was only a few months old, so we only went once with our playgroup. Then, Griffin got a zoo pass for his birthday-- SCORE! Not only is the zoo fun, it's super close to our house-- about 10 minutes from my door to the zoo entrance. That makes it really easy for us to go anytime, even if it's for just an hour or so.

Lately, Griffin and I have been taking 1-2 morning walks per week at the zoo. I really love it! We go right when the zoo opens (9 AM) and it's so quiet. It's also nice that it doesn't turn into the surface of the sun until later in the day.

It's really nice taking walks there because not only do we see the animals, but there are a lot of shaded paths where it is on the cooler side. There are lots of these trails through (what I think is) bamboo forests. I love this picture. G was just trying to do his best to be healthy by chugging his water. I can appreciate that. There is a nice loop for walking and if you walk around the whole zoo, you're forced to walk up at least one massive hill. It's always good to get the heart rate pumping!

Someone really loves the polar bears.

I really love animals. I loved them a lot more before I had a baby, but I still really enjoy seeing them at the zoo. Now, I'm pretty sure I don't ever want a pet, but that's another issue for another day. I really like seeing the bears at the zoo and the Cincinnati Zoo has several different kinds. Griffin loves looking for the polar bears in the water. Another great thing is that a lot of these exhibits allow you to get really close with the animals. I think G will love this more and more the older he gets.

The manatee exhibit is one of my and Griffin's favorites. The other day, it was practically empty, so I just let him run around and play. He kept running up to the manatees and growling. Animal sounds, 1. Griffin, 0.

As you can see above, a few weeks ago, Grammy went with us to the zoo when she was visiting. It was fun to go to the zoo with another adult! I'm fortunate that a lot of my girlfriends have zoo passes, so we have a nice mix of going with friends and going just the two of us. Tyler hasn't been able to make it to the zoo with us yet, but we're planning on it soon!

This gorilla was obviously very exhausted. He probably has been staying up way too late watching the Olympics. Not that I'd know anything about that.

This was a 1.5 month old BABY cheetah! I nearly died of the cute. I couldn't get a good picture because he was a little rascal, plus this middle aged woman had planted herself in the window of his nursery and was snapping pictures like it was her job. I wasn't happy because there were so many moms with young kids who wanted to see the baby, but she would NOT move to let them see. I'm not talking about Griffin who wouldn't have known the difference if he was looking at a stuffed baby cheetah at FAO Schwartz (do they still have those?). I'm talking about 4 and 5 year olds. It was so irritating. I don't understand people like that. In the picture below, you can see the dog that lives with it. It was PRESH. They were playing and I'm pretty sure that baby cheetah thinks the dog is it's mother. So, so sweet.

We have had some great days at the zoo so far this summer! If you're ever in Cincinnati, be sure to check it out. I love these normal days with my boy!