The Zoo -- Are you ready?

As I lay there in bed, peacefully snuggled under my warm covers and smiling due to some lovely dream, I am abruptly awakened by a....tap-tap-tap upon my back.  Who else could it be but my adorable son, Owen, with the biggest and most innocent grin on his face.

"Mommy!  Mommy!  Is it time to go to the zoo?  I'm sooooo excited for the zoo, mommy!!"
I groan, rub my eyes and glance at the clock....6:27 am.
"Owen, honey, it's only 6:30 in the morning.  You are awake way too early.  Go back to bed and we'll go to the zoo a little later."
"Awww-oooohhhh-kkkaaaaaaayyyy," he says.  But by that time I was already turned back over and drifting back to sleep to catch the tail end of my dream.  Little footsteps and a few mumbles were all I heard after that .

I finally made myself drag out of bed around 7:15.  After all, the husband needs to leave for work, the 11 year old needs to get himself ready to catch a bus and the 3 1/2 year old simply can't contain his excitement any longer because he's back at my bedside......staring.....just staring at me.  Thankfully, the baby was still sleeping so I had a few moments to gather myself for the day.

What's the first thing I do?  Look outside, panic is brushing over me because all I see are clouds and wet sidewalks.  I ran downstairs and checked the weather radar.  Much to my relief, the skies were clear - no little green blips hanging over my zip code!  Whew!  I'm not sure how to put into words exactly what kind of melt-down would occur if our lovely zoo trip would have been rained out!

Somehow I convinced him to eat some breakfast and put clothes on...."Mommy, can I just wear my pajamas to the zoo?  I like my pajamas."  "Mommy, when are we leaving?"  "Mommy, are you going to put on clothes?"  "Baby is ready, mommy, shouldn't you get the diaper bag ready to go?"  I groaned because it was only 8:30 and we weren't meeting our friends until 10:00.

I decided it would be best to leave at 9:30.  No, I wasn't being anal about being "on time" to our meeting place.  No, I wasn't concerned about the traffic no the drive.  Nope, I didn't have to stop at the ATM or gas station.  It was time because the excitement was killing him.  He just couldn't take one more minute of waiting!!!

I looked around and went over my mental check-list to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything.  I checked the radar again because I just didn't like what I saw and even made time for a last minute FB post about the ominous appearance of the sky.  As we all loaded into the van, I felt a light drip-drop-drip on my arm.  More panic filled me as I looked up and saw the face of a little boy who had not stopped talking about the zoo for the 24 hours prior to this very moment.

"Owen, wanna sing a song with me?"
"Sure, mommy.  What are we singing?  Jesus Loves Me?"
"No...I think we should sing....Rain, rain, go away....come again another day."  I added a verse about wanting to feed the giraffes, which earned me a giggle from him and a few soft claps from Claire.
"How about this mommy...Rain, rain, go away, we would like to (say this really fast so you finish on beat - Owen insisted I get it right when I repeated him) feed the ducks and take a train ride and not ride on the pooooonnnnyyyyy!"
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Owen"
"How many blocks is it until I see the Lion on the picture?" (It's the sign at the entrance of the zoo)
"I'm not sure, probably a lot."
"What is 'a lot', Mommy?  Is it 5 or 3 or 50?"
"It's more than 5, but I'm not sure it's 50."
"Oh, well, I don't see the Lion on the picture, Mommy.  I think you are not driving fast enough to see it."  At this point, he's lurching forward in his booster seat and craning his head in all directions.  I'm quite sure it was to make sure I was driving in the right direction.

As we approach the entrance to the zoo, I couldn't help but latch onto his excitement and began to smile, myself.  About a block away, I hear this super high-pitched squeal from the back of the van....
"MOMMY! MOMMY! IT'S THE PICTURE! I SEE THE PICTURE OF THE LION! WE'RE HERE, MOMMY! WE'RE HERE!!!!!"
"Yes, dear, we are here.  It is so exciting, isn't it!!  Are you excited for our trip to the zoo?"
"Yep!  Wait, why are there, like, 3 or 10 buses here?  Is Theo coming?"
"No, it's just other kids from other schools on a trip to the zoo.  I bet they are as excited as you are for the zoo."  I look over my shoulder as I am stopped at the driveway to the zoo.
"Uhm, no, mommy.  I'm the MOST excited of everyone.  Can I take of my seat belt now, mommy?"
"Owen, you know you have to wait until I'm parked.  It's not safe to take it off right now."
"Well, hurry mommy!  I'm ready to go to the zoo!!"

The whole trip around the zoo was a frenzy.  It was our first trip to the zoo this season, after all!  Where we would normally stop at every exhibit and talk to the animals, here was how it went at most every exhibit,
"Hi Mr. ______ (insert name of animal)!  (pause for a moment)  Ok, mommy, let's get this thing rolling!"
I think we were only allowed 2 minutes at each stop, per the order of Mr. Owen, who had his own agenda.  Thankfully, we were able to spend 2 1/2 fun-filled hours at the zoo with only a couple minutes of rain sprinkles - not nearly enough to ruin our 1st trip to the zoo this year!

Sometimes, I just wish we (as adults) would allow ourselves to get so excited over a trip to the zoo....or a day in the park, or any kind of event or moment.  I know that personally, I often am too wrapped up in the worry and stress of planning the event, getting there, bathroom locations while there, and the trip home to really get excited!  I think we could all stand to take a few lessons from the 3 and 4 year olds in our lives and really learn to enjoy a piece of every day we are granted on this earth!

....As we were headed back out the the van, I heard Owen talking to his sister (I was working really hard to remember where we parked)....
"Did you love it, baby?  I sure LOVED it!  Mommy is gonna bring us back, baby, you'll see!  Next time we'll bring daddy and Theo and we can alllll take a ride on the train!  I sure love the zoo, baby, and I know you will too!!"

How can you not return with that kind of endorsement?!?!!

Take a moment and get excited about something, something you maybe wouldn't have thought to get so excited about.  Live like a 3 or 4 year old for just a minute and you may find it's hard to wipe that big, innocent grin off your face, too!!!