Tyler visits a Petting Zoo! (Week 111)

Hello hello! This weekend it was hot. I was starting to enjoy the nice overcast weather, but then it got quite hot and humid. yuck. To get through it, we took out this water toy we had bought on clearance a while back but never opened. Who knew it would be so much fun! It's basically a hose with a bunch of little tubes that spray water - the faster the water flow, the crazier the tubes splash around. Tyler loved it.
He even did some Bellagio-water-fountain-style moves. However, he did NOT like it when I turned the water up and it started splashing around. He is so funny - he loves playing in water, but freaks out if he gets water in his face. Bath time shampoo time can still bring tears if we're not careful. I love how low he can squat!

Here's a video of Will and Tyler running through the water. Tyler is happily running until... water in the eye! Then it's daddy to the rescue. He did have fun going down the slide too - it was really fast since it was so wet/slipper and Tyler would yell "super-fast!".

We decided to head to Zoomar's, a petting zoo in San Juan Capistrano - maybe 20-25 minutes away. Not too far actually. It is such a cute little area near the mission and train station - I had flashbacks of visiting the mission back in elementary school. Tyler was excited since we told him there would be lots of animals to see.

Admission is pretty cheap too - $5 a head, $5 for a pony ride, $2 for a train ride and $1-$2 trays of fresh veggies for the animals. First stop? A big pen full of big bunnies, guinea pigs and funny looking chickens. I was actually REALLY stoked since I have always wanted a guinea pig - they were super tame and would let you hold them/pet them/feed them. I watched some kids handle some of them quite roughly though - poor guys! Tyler had no problem petting the guinea pigs.

Or trying to feed the chickens. They are so funny looking - the lady said they were Japanese Silky hens - this black one was named Mildred. She was not interested in the giant carrot.

Tyler thought they were pretty interesting looking chickens also. They're like one big ball of feathers!

Different areas of the pen would have bunches of bunnies and guinea pigs. This seated area had a bunch of guinea pigs with a mom and her kid sitting there. As they got up to leave, the kid started picking up the guinea pigs and throwing them on the ground! ..very cringe-worthy...

Here's a short video of Tyler petting the guinea pigs and bunny. I totally want one! Guinea pigs are SO cute! Hm.. maybe when the kids are older...

Seriously. I want one.

After this petting area, we made sure to use the anti-bacterial gel in the stations they had available. Tyler was OBSESSED with this. He was totally into pushing the lever himself to get the gel. Over and over and over again. Not a bad habit I guess?

Next stop? Pony ride! So Tyler's been on a pony twice already - so he already knew what to expect. They had these cute tokens for the pony rides too.

Here he is when they first put him on. They had really large horses to ride too, but I prefered the smaller ones. Tyler was looking quite concerned in the beginning - I'm starting to think it's because we wanted him to smile for the camera and he's purposely not. Hmm...

As soon as the horse started moving though, he was fine. He knew to hold onto the little knob the whole time!

It was quite a sunny day so Will and I figured Tyler would be fine doing the lap without us. He didn't seem phased at all as they left and even waved Hi to us as they were at the far end of the track.

But then when he was on the other side of the fence, saw us so close but not next to him, he got really upset and started crying. Awww. I had to book it out there and go through the entire track to get to him, with Will telling him the whole time that mama will be there soon. Here he is upset and looking for me to get to him.

The second I get there? He's fine. Sheesh. The horse handler asked if he should take him down and I asked Tyler if he wanted to come down and he said NO! I guess he just wanted me to walk with them. (I did see another mom walking with her daughter - and I was really shocked cuz this kid couldnt have been more than like 4-5 months old. It was pretty ridiculous.)

The horse even stopped to get his grub on as we made our way back. Here's a quick video. Funny moment - Tyler keeps saying "uh-oh" as he watches the horse eat and wonders why they stopped.

Afterwards, Tyler was all smiles on the horse. We talked about it all that day and he even remembered it the next day and got excited!

Before our next stop, of course, more anti-bacterial gel hand washing. Then, train ride! I sat with Tyler and it was actually pretty fun - it went around the track a bunch of times and each of the turns were pretty fast! Here's Tyler waving to Will.

Tyler is not so crazy about Thomas as he was before. He still loves trains, but he's not obsessed like he used to be. He's been really into Blues Clues lately, as well as Tigger and Pooh. Here he is on the train.

Here's a video from my seat as we went around the train track. I tried to get him to wave Hi to Will but he seemed to be always looking the wrong direction each time we got near. hah!

After the train ride, we were waiting at the door for the conductor to open the gate. Tyler was standing next to a little girl, and the girl looked over at him and shoved him down! GASP! WTF! Tyler was very very upset and cried..very hard. Poor Tyler. The mom/grandma of the little girl (hmph, not a very cute girl at that!) apologized and said she was quite a bully, especially since she had 2 older brothers. To make matter's worse - she was only 1 1/2! Tyler gradually calmed down, and looked sad, but then when the lady walked by with the little girl, I saw his face change immediately to a look of HATRED! yikes! It was like a total evil glare. Then he made this angry raspberry spitting sound at her. !! He was MAD! Poor Tyler.

The petting zoo had many other animals as well - llamas, emus, geese, tons of birds, turtles, and even this miniature cow. I forget the name, but it's a mini cow and not a baby. Very cute.

We looked at the animals and then played in their playground area for a bit as well. Here's Tyler on a little wooden horse they had.

And lastly we visited the goats in another petting area. Tyler would pet them but they would be quick pats - almost like a drive-by pat! He particularly liked the rooster and the turkeys.

Here's a short clip of Tyler saying 'gobble gobble' to the turkeys.

Tyler was fine with the goats, as long as they in his view. He didn't like it when they would sneak up behind him or walk by him really closely from behind.

He was almost a little stealthy with them - walk up slowly, do a quick pet, and then back away. These goats were pretty aggressive too with anyone they saw with trays of food. There were signs instructing adults to hold the trays and have children just hold individual pieces since the goats were known to really go after those with trays. We saw a little girl crying because the goats were coming up to her and actually pushing up against her on their front legs trying to get to her tray. yikes! Good thing we somehow managed to misplace our tray.

After more hand washing, we ended back in the bunny/guinea pig pen. Yay! Tyler was brave enough this time to even try to pick one up.

Family picture!

Overall it was definitely a fun visit, and I'd definitely take Tyler there again. He's at that age where he can remember these visits if we remind him. Plus it wasn't too far and it was pretty cheap!

We made a quick detour on the way home to visit a store in Lake Forest that had the same owners as the petting zoo - Omar's exotic birds. The cool thing about this place is that they have their birds actually out in the open so you can interact with them (and it helps make them more people friendly). Some of these birds were huge and super expensive! I couldnt' get a photo of Tyler next to one of the big macaws (he was too chicken) but he seemed to have found his match in this little gray one. We had to tell him to stop clucking (screaming?) at the bird.

Tyler does love seeing animals - and it was way closer than Sea World or the San Diego Zoo. I still can't wait to take Tyler to Sea World though. :)

Some funny photos this week...

Tyler found these little monkey slippers I bought a while back (can't beat $1 bin at Target) and had such a kick wearing them around the house and acting like a monkey.

My girl Mariam dropped by to share a delicious Sprinkles Cupcake! YUM! Thanks!

And lastly, a video of Tyler watching PGA Golf. He totally knows who Tiger Woods is and wants to be like him when he grows up. ? Don't believe me? Watch the video! hehe!

Some fun things Tyler has been saying more this week - "I don't like it!" - which is actually said usually in a whiny annoying way; "Come with me!" to get us to go to another room to play with him; "I like Jelly" and "I like gummy" - he is quite obsessed with these two lately; when I'm playing piano he'll come up, starting pushing me and say "Excusee me!!" because he wants me to move so he can play; "move it please" when the kids are in his way on the train table; and the list goes on!