Baby Animal Days

April 9 - One of our favorite yearly traditions is to go to Baby Animal Days each Spring. The kids love it and have so much fun there every year! This year we almost didn't make it. There was SO much snow we thought about not going, but the kids were so disappointed, we decided to give it a try. Luckily, since it had been such bad weather the whole weekend, they were prepared and had moved most things inside. It was still cold and VERY muddy, but we had a great time and I am glad that we braved the cold and held onto our fun Spring tradition. I do think that is is funny that this is our Spring Break and we are dressed in coats, hats, boots and gloves! Or maybe not funny....maybe cruel!!!
And just a warning - This was my first outing with my camera, so I took a TON of pictures. They are not fabulous, but so much better than my last camera, so I love them. I narrowed it WAY down, but there are still a LOT!
First up was the baby ducks and chicks, which they had thankfully moved inside! It was right where you purchased tickets, so it was a bit of a mad house, but it was nice and cozy! I wish you could see Rylee's eyes in this picture, but I love that face! I thought she would be loving it this year, but she was a little nervous at first. Rylee getting a little more confident!
Logan peeking at the chick. Logan LOVES baby animals and is so funny! He is always talking to them in this sweet, high little voice. I always feel like I should buy him a pet after we go to this because he loves them so much!
Avery checking it out from a distance...
Daring to get a little closer....she really wasn't sure what to think.
Ry and her chick. I think she is liking it now!
Logan's turn - Isn't he the sweetest boy?
Miss Avery just looking cute
Avery checking out her new little chick friend...
And he gets a kiss!
Logan holding the chick
I love this face Rylee is pulling for her duck.
Logan in heaven holding his duck.

Avery was getting a little more brave when we moved onto the duck...
I love her SURPRISED Face! She is always making it and it never fails to make me laugh!
She for some reason was fascinated with the duck's beak and couldn't leave it alone! It kind of snapped at her a little, but she still kept grabbing it.
Avery watching all the ducks and chicks in their little box. I think she just about decided to climb inside!


This is my favorite picture from the day!
Avery kept begging to sit in the saddle and then she would NOT get off! Too bad there were no pony rides this year. This baby would have LOVED that!
After we held the ducks, we got some ice cream (hot chocolate would have been MUCH more appropriate, but that is what they had...) and then headed out into the snow!

Avery loves to be outside. She didn't even mind that it was SO cold! Keeping her out of the mud was a bit of a challenge!
Since it was so snowy and muddy, they had wagon rides to get to the other part of the farm where the other animals were. Thank goodness because it was SO gross to walk in! Here are Daddy and Logan enjoying the ride!
Mommy and the girls on the wagon ride
Next, was a big barn filled with baby sheep, goats, cows and pigs and maybe a horse. Avery was so excited! She really liked all the animals and wanted to touch them all. Usually all these animals are outside and you can get right in the little pens with them, but this year you could mostly just look and pet them through the fence if they were close enough, so there wasn't much touching, but she had fun looking.
Peeking into the fence.
Avery showing Daddy
I love those eyes!
An attempt at a picture of all 3...not a very good attempt though.
She was ready to climb right in with those animals! She climbed the fences over and over again! She is a bit of a crazy child. The kids also got to make these funny colored rocks that they could scratch their names on and they had crickets to sample. The kids wouldn't eat one, but they were flavored and the girl said they tasted like a potato chip, so Daddy tried a Salt and Vinegar flavored one. He said it wasn't awful, but definitely NOT like a potato chip! The kids were loving that Daddy ate a cricket! At the end of this barn, they had the baby bears from Bear World. They were so cute! I don't know where the picture is.... They were really fun to watch!
Next, was the bunnies! This was the kids' favorite!
Rylee and her bunny!
This is my other favorite picture
Avery just looking cute!
Avery petting a bunny
A few more bunny pictures...


Next, it was the TINY turtles! I LOVE these! They are so cute! I always want to take one home with me, but they are only for people with a teacher's license to purchase because they are only for educational purposes. The kids were in love with them, too.
Avery trying to get a closer look...
After the baby turtles, we were ready to head home. Baby Animal days always brings me severe Mom guilt for not having a pet for my kids and every year I see how much my kids love the animals and try and tell Darren we should buy a bunny or a chick or a goat or SOMETHING! But, then I remember that I think BABY animals are cute, but not really BIG animals.... and I hate to clean up after animals and I hate the way they smell and where would we keep them... and I talk myself out of it. This year, we came home with a pet. Actually, 2 pets. We got some cute little African Dwarf frogs. The kids love them! We named them Batman and Tiana thanks to Logan and Rylee. They are very low maintenance, which is my kind of pet!
After our wagon ride back. Ready to go home and Avery is smiling because she has a sucker - her favorite!
Daddy and A
All tuckered out - Rylee crashed after about 5 minutes in the car. But, not before she made us make a mad dash back INTO baby animal days so she could use the bathroom. Sometimes being potty trained is so stressful!

Thanks for another fabulous day, Baby Animal Days! Oh...and thanks for salmonella! We just found out the other day when the health department called that there has been an outbreak for salmonella linked to African Dwarf Frogs!!! Maybe those pets weren't such a good idea...