Fun at the Aquarium

We've really enjoyed Spring break, but hadn't really done anything fun the whole week. We spent most of the week cleaning, rearranging and getting the baby's room completely done. On Thursday, however, we decided to do something really fun, so we headed up to Cincinnati to the Newport Aquarium. We visited there last year at the same time and Maura loved it even then, so we knew it would be a hit this year. We really just enjoyed the day and the time together. We're savoring these last few days with our little girl and trying to pack in all the fun things we can before we're tied down at home with a new baby.

One of the first things they have at the aquarium is a touch pool. Kids can reach their hands in and touch starfish, crabs and horseshoe crabs. My girl LOVED this. She was all about touching all the creatures she could. Notice in the picture behind us that NO ONE else is touching anything. My child would have dived in if I'd have let her!

She especially loved picking up the sand on the bottom and dumping it all on top of the unsuspecting sea creatures.

So much fun she could barely tear herself away from it. Look at that belly(on me!) He's coming straight out! I'm not sure if I can get much bigger.

We chose to go to a shark show soon after we got there. I wasn't sure what it was going to involve or if Maura would really care about it, but when we got in there, they lifted up the screen to reveal a huge tank with two divers inside. The one diver had a mic in his mask and told us all about the sea creatures. The other guy had a big stick! They told us it was to protect the divers from the sea turtle, but I had my doubts. Look how close the shark is swimming behind him. Several times, the second diver took his stick and poked a too curious shark from getting too close. Maura really enjoyed seeing all the fish swim by.

We took the stroller in to the aquarium and I had very low expectations for Maura using it at all, but she really did well. We took her out to see any of the exhibits that were too high and then she pretty much went right back in. I know it saved my back!

Family fun at the Newport Aquarium. I can't believe how pleasant Maura looks in this picture considering that I have just torn her away from putting her hands in the waterfall. She was loving the chance to play in all this water.

Maura found alligators!! Back in February when we went to Florida, all Maura could talk about was seeing alligators. Well, we never managed to see a real live alligator while we were there, so she got her fix at the aquarium. She thought they were cool. Personally I find them a bit boring since they never move, but to each their own!

Alligators doing what alligators do best--sleeping.

The part of the aquarium that I was really looking forward to was the aviary. Don't ask me why they included an aviary at an aquarium, but last year, they had about fifty lorkeets in the aviary. You could purchase a cup of nectar to feed to them. Brent and I had to go through that part separately last year and I didn't get to feed the lorkeets, so I made up my mind that I was really going to do it this year. Well, for some reason there were only four lorkeets in the aviary this year. I think they'd all had their fill of nectar, so the dollar cup I purchased pretty much went to waste. Maura kept trying to fight me for possession of the cup, which she wanted to drink herself and I didn't think that was a great idea. All in all, it was a LOT of a letdown!

Probably my favorite sea creature in the place--the loggerhead sea turtle. He was so funny! When we got to the shark tunnel part of the exhibit, this is what he looked like. He was motionless, standing on his head. I have no idea why, but it was funny to see. I was glad we'd gotten to see him swimming around earlier in the day during the shark show.


Wouldn't want to see this image heading for me in open waters. It was even a little disconcerting on dry land with inches of glass separating us.

This is my husband allowing my child to pet sharks. I wasn't crazy about the shark petting idea, but I knew that if I axed a water touching opportunity, Maura would flip out. SO, they went up to the tank to touch the passing sharks.

This is Maura actually touching a shark. Apparently they're rough like sandpaper. I wouldn't know. I preferred to keep all my fingers!

The penguins, probably Maura's favorite exhibit. The birds would jump in the water and swim back and forth along the glass. Maura was running with them, back and forth. It was too funny. She talked on and on about the penguins later.

After the aquarium we stopped at Johnny Rockets for lunch before heading home. Let me just say, Johnny Rockets needs to get with the program. They don't have any baby changing facilities. This 8 1/2 month pregnant momma had to change her girl's very dirty diaper while squatting down and making her girl stand REALLY still. It was a true feat! Add a dress to the mix and I think it was one of my greatest accomplishments!

Not one of my finer photographic moments, but the waitress was kind enough to take two really bad pictures of us, so I figured that I would use the better of the two. Yes, this one is better.

Maura discovering milkshake for the first time. Up until now, Maura has always been pretty oblivious to what Mommy and Daddy are drinking. Sure, she brought it up every now and then, but we were always able to convince her that what she had was just as good. NOT ANYMORE! This child just knew that our milkshakes looked a lot better than her water! She got her first taste of milkshake and there was no stopping her!


She drank and drank...

and drank and drank...

and finally finished my whole milkshake! I was so full at this point that it was no great loss to me, but my girl LOVED it!

Thursday was also my Mom's birthday. We went over to my sister's house to celebrate. I was really glad to not have to host the party--I'm just getting too tired for that these days. Lorie's husband, Micah grilled for us and it was so nice not to have to cook!!

Happy birthday Grammy!! Maura was functioning on a 45 minute nap, so the evening was a little rough, but we still had fun.

I did make Mom's cake for her. She requested a decadent chocolate cake, so I delivered. It was awesome!!

Grammy and her favorite grandchild! Mom loves any snuggle time she can get with Maura, but snuggle time is in short supply with this girl!

Mom and Emily. Doesn't my mom look so cute!! She had on some new duds that she bought to wear in Texas when she travelled there this weekend to see my brother.

Look at my fabulous wrap job! This rotary cutting board was impossible to wrap. It was really weird to celebrate with so few of my family members present. My dad was in Canada on a business trip, Katie is in Turkey visiting a friend, and Jeff is in Texas at flight school. It was a light crowd at this party!

Fun Aunt Lorie! Every time we go to Micah and Lorie's house, Maura asks for the big ball. Lorie gets out her exercise ball and Maura just goes to town. What a busy day for a little girl! By the time we got ready to leave, I though Maura was going to hit the speed of sound! When she gets really tired, she goes into perpetual motion. This girl was flying!!