The Cook's: Waterpark & Zoo Trips

Busy weekend (and weeks).

Took the boys to meet up with cousins Cameron and Alexis at the Splash County waterpark waaayyy out yonder in west Aurora - far out there, but a pretty cool place. As usual, Connor wants nothing to do with it for the fist 15 minutes. Once I force him in (Connor saying ,"no daddy, daddy no") he is fine and then never wants to leave. Carter is much more easy - he's ready to roll right away. Both had a blast - even got to float on the lazy river.

Sunday we headed out to the Brookfield Zoo. We had entertained thoughts of walking to the train station and taking the train (as the zoo is only 2 blocks off the line) - however, glad we did not - as I don't remember that zoo being as big as it is, and we were beat. They boys made it about 3 hours before they passed out in the stroller. Connor got a kick out of the monkeys and liked the elephants the best - he was making his elephant sound and gesture he picked up from somewhere. I had not been to Brookfield in years, but that is an impressive place - it would take a entire day and then some to cover all the ground and really see stuff (which is impossible with kids). Sad to see we missed Sister Hazel performing there the previous month :(

Couple other attached pics of Connor's new favorite place - Trader Joe's. He likes it because they have toddler sized carts and he thinks he is King pushing that cart. Problem is he likes to fill it up with stuff he wants and occasionaly gets the urge to play "bumper carts" with others. All in all, he must watch us, as he pulls up to the checkout lane and waits to unload and then puts his cart back in the rack on the way out.

Connor is quickly becoming a "wordsmith" as he finds new ones to spit out everyday. His favorite thing to do now is scold Carter. Whenever he sees Carter doing something that he gets in trouble for, Connor the disciplinarian runs over to him and yells, "No Carter, No Carter." Problem is it usually includes Connor pushing or pulling him as well. But somehow Connor is still the coolest kid in the world to Carter.

Carter is leaps and bounds ahead of where Connor was at this age - Carter is pretty much off bottles (gets 1 per day now),can crawl up stairs, eats whatever we are eating and take a few steps along the furniture. He is nothing but trouble in the rental house though - gets into any and everything.

Will have an update on the house at some point this week...not much progress - but at least the bus has left the station and is now moving a bit.

Thinks he is cool wearing my hats backwards...