Zoo

The beautiful weather continues to surprise us this week, so we invited Aidan and his mom to the Brookfield Zoo with us.

We had a late start getting to the Zoo but when we finally got there, Josh essentially ran through the monkey exhibit...he was very excited to show his friend around.  We got to check out the pacyderms.  the hippopotamuses and rhinoceroses, but the elephants were not outside.  Then we saw the kangroos.  Josh is very good at jumping like a kangroo now.  They had this statue you could pose in...I think this was the most still Josh and Aidan were all morning.

We also got to check out the giraffes.  One giraffe was hanging his tongue out and waving it about...it was really silly to watch, especially since it can be up to 24 inches long. Whoa!

When we were showing Dad the pictures later that night, Josh stole the camera once again.  he loves sticking his tongue out and taking his picture.  Apparently, he got Jared to do it too!

Chicago Botanic Garden, Again

We have had some beautiful weather.  My original intention for this day was to visit the Morton Arboretum.  We had been talking about the colors leaves change in autumn in school this week.  Though we can see a lot of leaves changing colors in our subdivision and on the road as we are going places, I thought the Arboretum would be over the top, seeing as it IS all about trees.  We get reciprocal admission because of our botanic gardens membership, but I COULD NOT find our membership cards. *  So, last minute I decide to go to the Gardens, figuring it would be nice there too.

Josh was so happy after he got dressed in the morning, he wanted me to take his picture.  Perhaps because Frog was also dressed ready to go.

Then he got himself dressed to go outside, in full IU Red.  I swear he did this all on his own.

I guess there was some fall colors with the yellow mums.

I guess we have been to the gardens enough times that Josh knew we  should get a map.  I had passed by the maps and he insisted we go back in to the visitor center to get a map.

we caught a rainbow in the spray from the fountain

we watched the ducks

 We spent most of our time at the train exhibit, though.

*Hey moms, how do you organize/keep your membership cards handy

It will be a GIRL!

Well, I know this is VERY delayed, but finally we are announcing the arrival of Baby Silver 2 in the middle of January.  We are expecting a GIRL!  I am 24 weeks along and we are all doing well.  Josh knows that he is going to have a baby sister and is happy.

Baby Girl Silver

 

legs.  this is the left leg, with the right foot crossed under

a few weeks later we had a second ultrasound and you can see her right had doing the #1

Another Jared work of art.  everybody has Eagles shirts on and I have a baby in my belly!  We are holding hands and Josh has a balloon.  I'm not sure why Jared gets to wear shoes and I am barefoot though!  Josh added a little zest to the picture this time

Goebberts Part 2

We brought Dad and GaGa and PaPa Robert back with us to Goebberts.

Josh was kind of interested in the pumpkins when we first got there

but quickly moved on to the tractor to play on.

Family Picture

picture with Papa Robert and GaGa

at the end of the day, we did pick out a BIIIIIG pumpkin and a little pumpkin to carve later.

Autum Harvest

We took our neighbor Madden (and his dad and sister) along with us to check out the Autumn Harvest in Downtown Arlington Heights.  Other than the scarecrow building contest, there wasn't much for the little kids to do.  We did get them interested in colored noodle necklaces.

Didier Farms

We are gettting our Autum on this week!  Today we visited Didier farms just down the street.  While similar to Goebbert's farm, here we focused more on the rides!

Josh really loved this house...running in an out of it!

Height 2011: almost 3 feet tall

Height 2010, just about 2 1/4 feet tall...

He rode this 3 times (thank you unlimited rides wristband!)  much to the chagrin of the operator.  there was a horn on this car that Josh pretty much held pushed in the entire time!  You can hear it in the video below.

waiting for the hayride

 

Goebberts farm

We visited Goebberts farm with the moms group.  

When you arrive, they have all kids of these boards for you to pose with...

 I thought Josh would like the Sesame Street characters and the Cat in the Hat since he's so familar, but didn't want to pose with them.  Oh well.

 He was really interested in driving though...the tractor

 and the fire engine

 and the old time fire engine

 we could have taken a wagon ride...

 but we did get to enter Animal Land and see the giraffes eat

 and all kinds of other animals

 Josh not actually getting any money out of his pocket, but he did almost this exact series of actions a few minutes before.  I wasn't going to pay again, but luckily his imagination is really starting to take off.

 some of the other animals we saw.  too bad they weren't all labeled...I for one would have liked to know what they were.

 after we ate lunch, we checked out the shop and they had this "front" door set up

Josh trying to pick up the pumpkin

this mini scarecrow was almost as tall as Josh.  When I snapped the picture he was hugging it, but by the time the camera caught the pic...he had already started to run off.

Then Josh fell asleep in the car on the way home.  Fresh air and running around - love how they make this kid sleepy!  Mom too!