Aquarium

We played a little hookie today and skipped school for a nice little trip to the Long Beach Aquarium.

TJ's Uncle Paul and Aunt Jo sent us tickets so we could have some fun with Grandma while daddy is away.

I usually like to prepare Caleb as much as I can when we go to big/new places. I only told him about our adventure last night, and he was very excited. I showed him pictures of the aquarium online, and he was very hhappy to be able to see Nemo and Dory {have I mentioned he currently loves Finding Nemo}. I also had to explain that we were going on a school day, and that yes we will have school the day after...the Jog-A-Thon actually...quite an eventful week!

The morning was nice and sunny with a bit of crispness in the air that was quickly brushed away by a warm/dry breeze. I called ahead of time to ask if there were any school groups that were planning on being there. The last thing I wanted was a giant group of second graders screaming and yelling around Caleb. We planned to go about an hour after they opened with the hope that the school groups would have passed through enough for us to have a few calming minutes to acclimate to the new situation.

Our first tank was filled with beautiful tropical fish, lots of Dory and Nemos {sorry but I didn't write down the scientific names of the fish...they all looked cool though}. Caleb was sooo thrilled to see so many Dorys swimming around. And he really showed no anxiety being in such a large echoing space with lots of people. 

This tank was filled with kelp, fish and giant starfish {which Lilly oooo'd and ahhhh'd over}. Again we had the tank to ourselves for a bit. Caleb sure does like to experience his world in so many different ways. One in particular is by lying down...anywhere we go. For serious. He was snuggling with Nemo and taking it all in. I can't tell you how many times I've said "up off the floor, bug!" 

I didn't have a mind to capture much of their faces. When we're in a new place I'm pretty much in survival mode and I capture what I can, when I can {not to mention my phone is totally busted right now; I dropped it in a parking lot last weekend}.

This big, huge tank is like three stories high and Caleb loved watching Bruce {or the sharks} swim around.

Lilly Belle loved it all.

The sea lions really did put on a show for us. They really do swim so fast!

Upstairs and outside were the penguins. Mary took this photo. Caleb took his Nemo everywhere and it turns out the penguins thought it was food! They danced around us while Caleb tickled the glass with him.

I promise she loved the penguins...they're actually her favorite...but she thought someone was taking her picture, so she did this.

Playing with the otters was the most fun.

Caleb put his hands in the sting ray tank and also touched a jellyfish {with two fingers only please}. 

We lapped around and saw the tanks again, saw sea horses, more starfish, and wave tanks.

We dodged the big groups, the crying kids {which are huge meltdown triggers}, and steered clear of the big/loud shows that made whale calls.

Poor Caleb tripped on the way out and had a crying fit to the car, and had a rough time on the way home when we didn't "go see Bruce one last time." I tried to explain that there were lots of people near that tank, very loud, noisy people {they were doing a show}, and it seemed to help quiet him down a bit until we got home.

I loved loved loved Lilly's OOTD. She's the stinkin cutest and I'm so excited to have her in some more red! Feeling festive!! Her shirt had a peach colored pompom on it and I whipped it off last night and made this little L with sequin to match her shoes...and I might have sung the Laverne & Shirley song while making it...

LC rocked her new shirt from the aquarium and they each played with their little penguins that pop out of an egg {which LC has already broken, oh that girl}.

Caleb got a Dory to match his Nemo, and he wanted nothing more than for them to watch him ride his bike at sunset.

Once again, thank you to UP and AJ for this super fun day.

And of course to Grandma for the support.

They'll sleep well tonight.

*love you TJ