San Diego or Bust!

We went to San Diego over the weekend. We left early Friday morning and drove straight to Sea World. We got there about noon and after loading up the stroller with water, snacks, diapers, wipes, baby food, formula, apple juice, sunscreen, hats, video camera, digital camera and anything else we could think of we were off to see Shamu. We got to Sea World just in time for the Shamu Show and it was a great way to start off our day. Kayla's face was priceless when the whales jumped out of the water! After lunch we went to the aquarium where we “ooh”-ed and “ah”-ed at some amazing fish. Kayla and I touched a star fish and some sting rays. We also saw giant sea turtles, penguins, (the polar bears weren’t available), and one of my favorite shows – “The Clyde and Seamore Risky Rescue” (sea lions). Last but not least were the Clydesdale horses which Kayla loved, of course! Ashlyn did so great sitting in the stroller
all day long. She took a couple of naps and was just so content throughout the whole day. We had a blast at Sea World and it was so much fun to see it through the eyes of a child!

Saturday we spent the day at the San Diego Zoo. It was also a lot of fun! A bit warmer than Sea World but we made it through. When we got out of the car and loading up the stroller Kayla kept yelling out “We’re going to the Zoo!” Everyone that walked by us would laugh – she was so cute!

It is a HUGE zoo and it was exhausting pushing around a double stroller with two kids (Kayla – 28 lbs. and Ashlyn – 23 lbs.) plus all the extra stuff we packed with us (see list from Sea World). The stroller itself weighs 31 lbs. The one thing I wanted to see the most was the Polar Bear Plunge. Unfortunately, it is the furthest exhibit in the Zoo and at a very steep incline. I thought we would take the bus up the hill but Alan insisted that we walk it. So we did. We actually made it to the top without having a heart attack. After all that work to see the Polar Bears all they were doing was sleeping. No plunging in the water and playing around – just sleeping. The thing Kayla noticed the most was the Polar Bear poop everywhere. “Mommy, that’s poop!”

After the disappointing polar bears we had to go back down the steep incline. Alan made the comment about how destructive it would be if the stroller took off by itself with the weight of the contents in the stroller. He said it would be worse than a runaway boulder just destroying everything in its path. Luckily, he kept a tight grip on the stroller and our children were kept safe.

At the end of zoo we went to the Children’s Zoo where Kayla got to pet some goats. She thought that was so much fun and was not afraid at all. She went right up to the goat closest to her and wrapped her arms around its neck. She chased a couple of them down and I was afraid she was going to scare them. Another long day but well worth it. Again, Ashlyn was great all day. She was a bit squirmy on the bus tour but after that she just tagged along wherever we took her. (As if she had a choice.)

When we got back to the hotel we ate a quick dinner and got the girls in their swimsuits and took them to the hotel pool. They had a baby pool that was just one-foot deep and perfect for Kayla. She was so excited to go swimming. She told the man in the elevator, she told the people in the lobby, and she told the people by the pool. Too cute!! She jumped right in and it was cold! But that didn’t stop her she just kept going around and around the pool. She would get out and then jump to me and she would splash the water and just giggle and giggle. I just got my legs wet but it was really cold. I wanted Ashlyn to go swimming too but I was afraid it would be too cold for her. I finally just put her legs in to see what she would do. She seemed perfectly fine about it so I put her in up to her waist and walked around with her. She seemed to like it. Kayla started to shiver so badly that we were afraid she would get sick so Alan and I told her it was time to back to the room. She did not like that idea. We told her we needed to get her in a warm bath and she thought that was a great idea. So she told the two ladies leaving the pool at the same time as us that she was going to take a bath and the lady in the elevator and the housekeeper lady on our floor. Kayla always has something to say to anybody who will listen!