a story of five: Trip to Washington Part 1

We had been planning on taking a trip up to Washington to visit family and when we found out Jeremy's sister would be getting married we planned it around that. We went up the weekend before the wedding and spent the first half of the trip with my family.

Before we left Aiden discovered the flash on my camera and kept saying "flash me mommy"and these were the resulting pictures

We made the oh so long drive to Washington with no bumps along the way thankfully (although we did have to make a pit stop on the side of the road with the training potty to let Aiden go to the bathroom because he couldn't hold it anymore lol). Whenever Aiden was tired and mopey he'd ask to hold my hand but I couldn't reach so he said "mommy please hold my feet"

We arrived late Saturday night and had a relaxing Sunday before the crazy week began. Sadly my dad had to work while we were there because he was taking time off that weekend to bring my brother down to school but he still took Aiden on walks so they could have some time together which Aiden LOVED and both times he insisted on "picking flowers for mommy" and was so excited to get them home, often forgetting about anything else on the walk (like seeing deer and a bunny). Cute little man.

On Monday we went to Pike's Place because I hadn't been in forever and missed it (especially their delicious crepes!!) and to pick up some artwork for some new shelving we're installing in the living room. Aiden was enjoying his ride in the stroller haha. Look at how cool he looks!?

a balloon puppy which he LOVED but it didn't make it out of Pike's Place before it looked like a sausage link

After Pike's Place we wanted Aiden to be able to get down and play so we went over to the Seattle Science Center

I haven't been in a long time (since Aiden was like 9 months old) and I had my macro lens with me this time so I couldn't resist trying it out on all the gorgeous butterflies. Have I mentioned I LOVE macro photography.

We went to the dinosaur area next which I was SO excited for because of Aiden's love of dinosaurs and he's only been to the museum in Utah which just has bones. Well he was terrified so we tried to get him to say hi to the triceratops while I got a picture but he panicked and said "I need to run away!" so I didn't. They had 2 entire exhibits closed off, one I think was for renovations or something and the other was for the King Tut something or other (that was a ridiculous $20 extra per person) so we snuck into the back to see the mummy and felt we got the experience lol. Oh. Excuse me. Mummy replica. I was unimpressed over the hoopla.

We took Aiden back to the play area and the funnel with some balls you could throw down. It was clear of the mass of children from earlier so Aiden could actually play with it. For like half an hour. He loved it.

The next day we headed out to the Woodland Park Zoo. I know I complain about how small the Utah zoo is but I am regretting that now. The Seattle zoo is HUGE and I was so exhausted by the end but they had some amazing environments for the animals it was really cool. If only most of them hadn't been sleeping or temporarily moved while the zoo renovates. Just our luck!

Aiden loved all the animals we don't have at our zoo like the hippos and lions (which I didn't get a picture of because they were sleeping and boring and behind very dirty glass).

I guess I don't blame them, it was a hot day for them. Even the monkeys were trying to get out of the "heat"(Seattle heat and Utah heat NOT the same lol)

Aiden decided this trip to take full advantage of the fact that both sets of grandparents are total suckers and all he had to say was a wimpery "please" and they'd pick him up. He loved them though. "I'm going to sleep at Grandma's house." It was a very cool thing to him haha.

he had quite the collection of pine cones, rocks, leaves and sticks by the end of the zoo. He is such a boy!

Penguins (some very VERY smelly ones I might add lol)

She's obviously used to getting her picture taken too. This seems to be the typical toddler-camera relationship look. haha!

A quick break at the indoor play area that they all LOVED.

elk! I am used to lions, tigers, all the typical zoo animals in Florida and plenty of water animals but these northwest woodland animals were new to me and I loved it!