Hens & Chicks’ Zoo Reunion

When Whitney, Rebecca, and I met for lunch in Oxford months ago, we pulled out our calendars and made a date for a zoo trip with our little ones in June. It’s sad we have to plan that far out, but life is busy!

Saturday was finally the big day, and we met for donuts to start off the day on a sugar high. Helen Grace was so excited to see her ‘friends,’ and started squealing as soon as we saw their cars in the parking lot. After breakfast, we headed to the zoo. The weather was beautiful in the mid 60s, and the girls skipped together, giggled, and held hands. What fun memories we made!

After having her birthday at the zoo and then sharing this ‘super’ trip with her friends, Helen Grace is going to be sorely disappointed the next time we go to the zoo and she doesn’t get all the bells and whistles. On this trip, we bought a sucker, rode on the boats and the carousel, took a ride on a camel, hopped on the train, and got to see a ton of the animals in action. Thanks to peer pressure, HG had two firsts- she rode a camel and the moving horse on the carousel!

We can’t wait for our next hens and chicks’ event, and we hope Auntie Em will be able to come too!

Donuts for our divas:  Elliott Kate, Adickes, HG, Haney, Leighton Tickling Mallory’s feet Ready to gooooo! For the first half of our trip, HG held onto Reba’s stroller- “I’m a good helper.” The littlest girls, Mallory and Elliott, making each other laugh

As soon as the other girls started talking about riding a camel, HG seemed on board as she kept saying, “I maybe ride on a camel.” She originally wanted me to ride with her, but as we waited in line, she decided she wanted to ride with the girls and was really getting excited. As HG gathered her courage, Adickes was losing hers, and at the last minute, she refused to get on. As I was contemplating hopping on the back of the camel in Adickes’ place, the leader started walking the camel away from the podium, and I had a moment of panic, watching my baby bouncing away on the back of a camel. But as soon as I saw the big, goofy grin spread across her face, I knew she was fine. Holding on with white knuckles, but loving it. She was even waving by the end. I was sooooo proud of her! Such an amazing feeling as a mama to watch your baby be so brave and independent.

Waiting (some patiently, some anxiously) on the camel ride My first (and only) ride on a similar animal…San Diego Zoo circa 1983ish

First ride on a moving horse on the carousel On the front row in birth order from right to left:  Adickes, Haney, Leighton, HG