nashville zoo! so, jake loves dinosaurs. he rawrs and growls as he plays with them and makes them fight. and since they're extinct, it's a bit difficult to see one up close :) however, the nashville zoo just added "dino trek" as a temporary exhibit--large, animatronic dinosaurs that move and hiss and growl. it was perfect. so off to the zoo we went to celebrate jake's birthday. 

after lathering jake up with sunscreen (multiple times) we headed straight to the dino trek. it was pretty cool--and creepy--inside this dense, dark, forested area. jake's eyes were as big as saucers. he didn't move an inch in that stroller. he just stared down that triceratops. i was preparing myself for a freak out. 

down the path we continue, scott pushing the stroller, me snapping pictures, jake glued to his seat and quiet as a mouse. when i see something out of the corner of my eye. something behind me. i turn...velociraptor! it *screams* at me. i scream. that thing came out of nowhere. and i may still be traumatized by the scene in Jurassic Park where a velociraptor tries to eat the girl in the kitchen. scott just laughs and laughs and proclaims, "i wish we had a picture of that!" and then it spits at us. water spraying everywhere. scott ducking. me screaming/running down the path. jake in silent terror. it was awesome. and felt good since it was boiling lava hot outside.

once we compose ourselves we continue. and then jake hits his breaking point when i step close to a dinosaur. he points and frantically whines with pouty lips as if to say, "mom, watch out! too close! too close!" so jake was tucked safe in daddy's arms for the rest of the tour. and i am so proud of that brave birthday boy. he didn't make a peep after that.

that was probably the highlight of the day. and our chicken strips at lunch. and... the snow cone outside the reptile house. aaannndd...the amish family that came into the awesome bird hut with us. (seriously, that amish wife has a better camera than i do. maybe it's her one worldly possession she's allowed to have. if so, good choice.) we saw monkeys and giraffes and snakes and leopards and we had oodles of fun picking out birthday zoo toys at the end. jake received a drum, a tribal maraca-type shaker thing and a monkey book that he has already begun to destroy just a couple days later. he loves books to pieces. literally.

again, happy birthday jakey-poo. here's to next year's traumatizing birthday excursion!

jake's birthday gifts he received this year: books, lots and lots of blocks, vans, swimsuits, elmo guitar, bath toys, money and cards. thank you dear family!