We're going to the....

Zoo, zoo, zoo!

This is Jonah's "say cheese" face - apparently "cheese" has two O's in it :)

We returned to the zoo this weekend for another visit. Since the forecast was calling for temps in the triple digits, we made sure to get there bright and early. It hit 80 degrees by 8:00 am, but we still enjoyed our morning wandering around North America and parts of Asia and Africa.

Every trip to the zoo begins with locating the free-to-wander peacock. This morning, we found him outside the "Beastro" restaurant. Jonah is always insistent we find the peacock...but then always gets terrified and insists we move on as soon as we locate him.

The little-known three-headed giraffe

And of course, we have to stop by and see Daddy's favorite: the hippos. Usually, they are lurking under water. But this morning we spotted them out of the water and enjoying their breakfast. Dad's comment: "It really is just like 'Hungry, Hungry Hippos'."

Of course, Cora made the trip, too! She caught a quick nap with Mom, but got to enjoy most of the animals.

I love how her little legs stick straight out when she rides in the stroller :)

Heading across the bridge into Downing Forest to see the gorillas! We mentioned the gorilla when we first got to the zoo (because I hadn't seen it yet!), and Jonah didn't stop asking to see the "goy-iy-ya" until we finally made our way over there. Words with L's and R's are my favorite to hear Jonah say right now (because he can't really pronounce either): girl (goyle), world (woyle-d), Carly and Layla (Cah-yee, Yay-yuh), chocolate (chalk-it).

The "goy-iy-ya" did not disappoint. Even though all he did the whole time we were there was sit and munch on grass.

We finished our visit with a trip to see the tigers. This exhibit is set up really well and you can see the tigers from several different places - and get really close! This tiger came and laid down right in front of the windows to catch a snooze:

We love visiting the zoo!

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We went to a play group this morning with other residency spouses. It was a smaller group this morning - but each mom there had a two-year-old and infant/newborn, so we fit right in :) And it was nice to have a smaller group, as a I felt like I actually got to talk with some of the other moms. 

The tots - Jonah was a bit out-numbered :)

We are starting to find our footing here and make some connections. Wichita feels like home. If I look back to last November - before interviews, before Cora and Match Day, before selling and buying homes, before graduation and packing, moving...and unpacking - looking ahead to all those things, it felt like we might never catch our breath. But now it feels like we have reached the other side - and we survived! We are into a rhythm. Our new routine. (We are sleeping! Did I mention that??) The past few days have been especially "normal" feeling. We have much to be thankful for.