Day 43: Zoology

It has been a long winter, and while we have not seen the record amounts of snow we were gifted with last year, it has been incredibly cold.  So when we saw that we would be blessed with a balmy day today - with a high in the mid-40s! - we decided to get outside and go to our local zoo - THE National Zoo.  It was the perfect way to spend our last day with Grandma before she leaves to head back home to California - and she was nice to not rub it in that it will be in the 50s and 60s there.  We are jealous.


We had a feeling Michal would enjoy the zoo, given her infatuation with Bailey the Dog.  There were also a few adorable reasons we thought the zoo would be fun for the entire family...

One of the giant pandas, munching on some bamboo... 

Red panda, hanging out.  

Elephants! 

I think this is Bonnie, one of the Orangutans 

Just a few days after Michal arrived, seven lion cubs were born to two of the zoo's lionesses.  We made sure to keep an eye on the time so we could see the cubs when they were brought out.  It was much fun watching them play with each other, drag logs to and fro, and even get daring and attack the male lion's tail.    

Just a little bit of a Lion King moment here...

Of course we had to head down to the Kids' Farm and check out the cows... and goats... and donkeys... and alpaca (Michal showed the most interest in these guys!).

Here is M, checking out the lion cubs.

We cannot wait to come back to the zoo when it is just a touch warmer.  While Michal did not show a Bailey-level attention and fascination, we know she'll love the zoo and the animals as much as we do!