Memphis Zoo

Last Friday we left Tuscaloosa and headed to Memphis to meet Matt.  On our way we stopped to eat lunch at Chick-fil-a--it was dress like a cow day but I had forgotten all about that. 

Reid was SO excited to see the cow there!  We got to Memphis and went straight to the zoo.  I should stop and praise the Lord for giving us perfect weather for the zoo.  Also I should warn you that there are TONS of pictures in this post...mostly of animals.

We got there and had about 3 hours so we booked it to see as much as possible. 

Ok funny snippet.  When we got to this area the fences were really low and the animal was in behind the rocks and the sign said, "Red Panda" and I was expecting like...a panda, but red.  So I was relieved to see this little guy come out.  Ha! 

Lilly and Reid were so sweet together while we were there.  I took lots of pictures of them just being sweet siblings.  Checking out the jaguar and Lilly is telling Reid to be careful. 

This little guy (above) was checking out the birds in the cage next to him--he was going crazy wanting to get to them!

I have no idea what this funny looking animal is??

And the profile shot.  ( :

Meerkats.  When Lilly was a baby we went to the Kansas City Zoo and these were her favorite. 

Lion "Rooaar!"

We stopped at the playground while MoMo got us all drinks.  Sitting in the hippos mouth...

"Ahhhh!  I'm in a hippo's mouth!!!"  Silly pictures!!

Lilly thought those pictures were too funny!

Reid was giving me BIG smiles wanting me to take his picture.  I obliged. 

Love my handsome boy!

And this pretty girl!

They had a chia-pet-type zebra and giraffe and I thought they were pretty cool.

The hippos.  This was the closest I have ever been to a hippo.  I was a little nervous because they are HUGE!

The komodo dragon--on the train ride back the guide said this was one of the deadliest animals (along with hippos, too). 

Ginormous turtle.

Warm water penguins--didn't know those existed.  (I think they still have to be in places cooler than here...I guess just not all ice???)

The alligator.  Lilly and Reid are obsessed with alligators and crocodiles right now and were so excited to get to see them!

Checking him out.

This was a dwarf crocodile and it was creepy.  It kept following Lilly--it moved wherever she did. 

Can you see the frog in this picture?

There were lots of snakes--the flash from the camera made this snake stand out in the picture because he blended right in with the leaves.  His head looks like a leaf too.

Walking around hand-in-hand (without any prompting)--so sweet. 

Otters.  Lilly and Reid watched them swim for a while.

Oh, you know, just hanging out watching the Panda nap.  (There is glass obviously.)

More sweetness.  ( :  Melts my Mommy heart. 

Watching the monkeys.

The monkey on the bottom grabbed the top monkey's tail and was swinging on it.

 Blayne held Reid up so he could put his face in the cutout. 

 Blayne.  This makes me laugh.

 Lilly

 Group photo.  MoMo is taking the picture.

 Elephant.

 Zebras

 I don't know what this animal is called.

 Ostrich

 Again...I'm not sure.

 Giraffe

 Wolf

 Grizzly Bear

 Elk

 Bald Eagle

 Black bear

 Polar Bear.  We didn't get to see a lot of the zoo but what we did see was great!  The Memphis zoo is really well designed so that you get a close (but safe) view of all of the animals and the animal areas are all very clean. 

 We were there at closing so the train picked us up and we got to ride back to the entrance.  We were so thankful for the ride!  (Reid with his Buddy Blayne)

 We loved the zoo...

and this one was asleep before we pulled out of the parking lot.