Zoo with the Wrights

Last Saturday we drove to the city to spend some time at the Zoo before the winter hits. I would like to officially introduce our newest friends (who moved here 2 years late, if you ask me)...The Wright's: Tom, Sydney and baby Hudson. We spent the day at the zoo with them, and then had lunch together at the top of the Hancock building. The day was gorgeous, and the company couldn't have been better.

Tom and Sydney moved here the beinning of August (from Utah) so Tom could start his 1st year of Podiatry school. They live 1.5 miles away from us (which is so rare with every other young couple we know living at least 30 minutes away) so it really has been SO FUN to have them be able to have late night game sessions (that get entirely out of hand the later it gets) and friends to have dinner with at least once a week. I am so thankful for Sydney. She is the friend I have been praying for since I moved here over 2 years ago. Not to say that I haven't made some wonderful friends, but the close proximity of Sydney makes being friends effortless. She loves walks and runs, and she's fast! With Devin being gone the first 5 months of 2012, and in the dead of winter, I know Emily and I will be spending lots of time with Sydney and Hudson while Tom's busy with school. Sydney and I both work with the Young Women at church, and car pool on Wednesdays. And most recently we have been assigned as Visiting Teaching companions (meaning we visit 4 ladies from our church every month, check up on them to make sure their needs are being met and then share a spiritual message.) Our lives intersect in many ways, and we can relate to each other's stage of life. Can you tell that I love Sydney? (I hope I don't sound creepy...maybe I should stop now.) I just can't tell you enough how great it is to have a fun, easy going couple in our neck of the woods, right by the beach.

So back to the Zoo...This was the 3rd time we've taken Emily, and by far the best visit yet. Her attention span didn't last long at each exhibit, but for those first few seconds/minutes with each new animal, she was captivated. We got a few videos, and the below is my favorite. She was so talkative about the sea otters. It was really fun to see her discover new things, and get excited about them.


Sydney loved the Hippo!

We have found a new trick to keep Emily quiet in public. Because she never took a pacifier, we never had the luxury of putting the "plug" in when we're in a place not baby friendly. Enter the Dum Dum sucker....she finished her lunch, and then we popped a sucker (or 2) in her mouth and she was happy and quiet the rest of our lunch. It was so nice not to have to wrestle with her to keep her entertained the whole time. Isn't that stick coming out of her mouth kinda cute? Oh and might I add, she was wearing this navy blue sweater and jeans, and was constantly taking her headband/bow off all day...so I guess to the surveying public, she looked like a boy. I think she was called a "he", "him" and "boy" by every one who acknowledged her. We gotta get that hair on her head to grow! Until then, she won't be wearing that sweater in public again.