A big part of Maddy & Georgia's birthday present this year was a trip to Chicago to visit the Shedd Aquarium. So we got around early in the morning and headed out for the 3hr drive. We got there and sat outside to fuel up with some snacks/lunch before we headed in.
So happy to be enjoying the beautiful sunshine...
Well... then we spotted some hungry seagulls and the girls were a little frightened so we let them sit on the table.
Then this guy approached. A red winged black bird. As many signs stated, they are very defensive of their nearby nests and are known to dive bomb an unsuspecting passersby. Well, apparently they are also hungry and noisy.
and sooooooooo FRIGHTENING! Mr. Blackbird decided to join our table and everything just fell apart. Craig and I were torn between laughing, staring incredulously and trying to soothe and find a solution. I am not sure this picture even captures the state the girls were in over this MONSTROUS bird.
The solution was to walk back to the car, carrying 2 hysterical children while Craig followed with our lunch and the FedEx lady laughed at us. Luckily they are not very large children.
Ok, we have now survived our lunch attack and are headed into to enjoy the aquarium. We saw some fish but the girls were begging to see the penguins. I'm not gonna lie, I also love the penguins.
I need to take a moment and comment on what an AMAZING baby, Sofia is. She was so happy and content all day. She took in the sights from Craig's carrier and briefly napped every once in a while. Thank you to the Shedd for having a "nursing" room, I love that more places are including these.
The stingray exhibit was enclosed in Plexiglas that you could walk on. Maddy was so cute, she walked around the perimeter and then reached for my hand so she could step onto the stingrays. She then told me "be careful mommy, don't fall on the fisheys."
It was a gorgeous Chicago day! Sofia is enjoying a catnap while we had a snack outside.
I need to include a special little section dedicated to the little boy who walked by us eating popcorn. I don't know you, but I really don't like you. :) In true toddler fashion, all Georgia wanted from that point on was POPCORN! Really difficult to locate, insanely expensive... popcorn. We eventually found it and all was well with the world once again.
We had to wait in a few lines. Once for the 4D penguin movie and again for the dolphin/beluga show. If you have a toddler or have been in the general vicinity of a toddler you know that waiting in lines is NOT their forte. Especially when they have been up too long without a nap and their feet are tired and they are probably hungry for something other than popcorn. So while Georgia sat with Craig up on a rock Maddy and I opted for the floor. This is how we wait in line... bonus points if you can understand the words to her songs.
The 4D penguin movie! Big seats, cute penguins, a short rest in a dark place and oh yes, the place where we realized Sofia had been neglected in all the potty breaks (sooooo many potty breaks) and had peed through her diaper onto her pants. Pants-less Sofia reigned for the rest of the day, and yes I did change her diaper on Craig's lap during the movie.
Waiting for the dolphin show. While in this area, no food was allowed... meaning I now had to confiscate said glorious popcorn and convince the girls the dolphins would want to take their popcorn and it would make them sick if they got it. Yeah. Right. They either knew that was ridiculous or didn't care about the well being of the dolphins. Sooooo I told them the lady in the very official blue Shedd shirt would yell at them if they tried to eat it. Sorry lady. The whole show Georgia kept telling me "lady loud, lady mean." haha
The show was ok. Not as good as I remembered it being in the past. The dolphins swam and spun and jumped once or twice. The belugas were a hit with the girls. Sofia was being her usual rambuncous self.
The lighting was weird in their and this was the best photo I could manage in my 3 sec. window before the girls turned around or someone walked in front of us.
The dolphin show was our last stop of the day and we headed home. The girls were asleep before we were out of the city.
One last stop for a potty break and some ice cream :) Happy almost birthday, girls!
