Happy 3rd B-day Mackiedoo!

Mac chose to go to the zoo on his birthday.

We saw flamingoes (did you know that they are pink because of the small crustaceans they eat? Their bodies absorb the pigment, hence the pink tint.)

Ruthie had been wanting to find this hairless creepy creature last time we went to the zoo, and this time we found it- it is a naked mole rat! They live in a colony and the queen, who bears the young, has an elongated body so she can carry babies and still fit through the tubes of the colony. They are so creepy, their teeth are outside their mouths. Once again I am reminded of a hilarious book by Mo Willems, called Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. It is the tale of one of these mole rats who decides he likes to wear clothes, and shocks his whole community. Check it out.

We saw a giant panda...

And ducks swimming in a beautiful pond under brilliantly colored leaves...

Fun with panda...

Jay, the sloth bear...And much more. I loved the otters, they played and wrestled in and out of the water the whole time we watched them. And we saw deer, that were not part of the zoo- they live in DC in the wooded park that surrounds the zoo. One of the deer was an 11 (or more) point buck. Crazy. We saw on the news recently that a doe accidentally jumped into the lion enclosure- and of course was attacked. She got away but had to be captured and euthanized. I bet that was one shocked deer. "Wait a minute...lions aren't native to North America! What the...?" as she ran for her life. And the lion, "Oh baby, live prey! I didn't know it but this is what I live for! I got some serious instincts kicking in right now!"

We had a fun day, with a just-us party which was nice. We certainly missed our family and friends from Down South that couldn't come this year- but there is a time for everything! And I think we won't ever take it for granted again. Mac loved his gifts, the trip to the zoo, and his Lightning McQueen cake! And we love Mac and can't believe he is three years old. He is such a joy, such a fun boy, full of life and adventure and silliness.