FEAST WITH THE BEASTS

Last week I got an invitation to a member's only evening event at the zoo, called 'Feast With The Beasts', and we decided to break from routine and keep the kids out late.

It started out with free pizza and treats (for the humans).

James had his first push-pop. And again, he shared with his Sissy. She's got a method now: she just whine/squeals at him, and he breaks from eating and gives her a bite. After a while, we starting telling her to asking him for "more please", since she's plenty old enough to learn manners, and she already knows how to say please and thank you. And more. And mine..

(And pizza, for that matter)

(Please don't mind the bathroom video. It was a family affair, trying to get James to go...)

After dinner, we toured the zoo while some of the animals got their own special treats (bananas for everyone!) - the giraffes, the orangutans, and the chimps.

It was really cool to be at the zoo so late in the evening. The animals were FAR more active than we've ever seen them during the day. The panthers meowed at us. The bears were eating grass. The birds were singing. And this leopard was even leaping around it's cage and playing with it's toy ball.

Being there at dinner time (and perhaps bedtime, for some of the animals), we got to see babies nursing. The baby giraffe was so cute chasing her mama around the cage, and this baby chimp was so sweet all cuddled up to his mama:

We didn't think James would want to ride the carousel (since he was scared last time we visited the zoo, a few months ago), but he leaped out of the stroller (we let him ride unrestrained so he could come and go as he pleased) and ran in the gate before we even had a chance to set the brake and get Cora out. He loved it! And Cora liked it UNTIL the leopard she was riding starting moving up and down. Then she was DONE.

After that, we walked a bit more, and said goodnight to the monkeys.

And since we were already out so late, we decided to run by the Apple store and see if they could fix James' iPod (no luck) and grab a late-night snack at Five Guys. Of course, James was far more interested in the fountains, which his Daddy had already run him and Cora through, in the stroller. But Daddy one-upped himself, and let the kids get out and run through the fountains until 8:30pm. Since we had brought their jammies with us anyway. No towel, but dry clothes, at least. We're making memories here people!