The ZOO: Polar Bears, Monkeys, Birds and a LOST Nathan!!! - OH MY

We finally made it back to the zoo today. It was a beeee-utiful day here today with sunny skies and about 65-70 degrees. So we packed a lunch while Owen napped and headed out as soon as he woke so we could make the most of our time. He is still not 100% but slowly seems to be perking up. We were most excited to see the NEW Polar Bear exhibit that opened last week. So when we got to the zoo we hopped on the Sky Fari which takes you in these buckets across the park. Let me tell you I am not one for heights so I pretty much hold my breath as much of the five minutes as possible and try to wrangle Owen from wanting to jump OUT of the darn thing. BUT it is a quick way across the very very hilly zoo.


The exhibit did NOT disappoint. So many cool and interactive things for the kids to do. It was PACKED there today because I think everyone else had the idea we did in going coupled with the fact that it is Spring Break time so there are even more tourists but over all it was not too bad. The boys especially loved pretending to be seals and taking pictures with the life size polar bears.
After the Polar Bears it was time to eat so we found some benches off to the side and had our little bag lunch. Owen enjoyed toddling around while Ian and I went nuts trying to coral him:) It just so happened the spot we stopped at overlooked the freeway and my most favorite place in San Diego. It is on the 163 freeway and its an arched bridge. It is the ONE place during the fall I can drive through and I feel like it truly is FALL. The leaves turn colors and it is so beautiful. There was a plaque about the bridge so I enjoyed reading about the history of it.








After lunch we continued to make our way back to the front of the park. We saw a whole slew of animals included, but certainly not limited to pigs, zebras, birds upon birds. I think the boys may even love the aviaries best. We laughed when we saw there is a Owen Aviary! Owen LOVES birds but not as much as he loves the monkeys. He got to see quite a few today which made his little day.




We were almost back to the beginning of the park and we stopped to look at one last set of Monkeys for a minute because Owen was DONE. We went to leave and I realized Nathan was not there. I quickly scanned the masses and he was just GONE. My heart dropped. Ian raced one direction a ways then another and then back again. No Nathan. Jacob said "mommy I think we need to pray" I told him to say a silent one and to sit with Owen and not move and we kept looking. Of course Owen is screaming then Jacob starts bawling his eyes out and Ian is not back yet so I start walking the rest of the way to the front and tell a lemonade guy to get me a security officer. A moment later I see Ian coming with an officer and then I hear the best "Mommyyyyyyyyy I got lost from you guys" that I have ever heard. Of course Nathan was all smiles and bounded up like nothing else. Ian scooped him up like he was ready to kill him and Jacob just kept right on bawling. Gotta love it. By the time Ian and Nathan were done talking Nathan too was crying. It was horrifying but it also was a good lesson learned for both Jacob and Nathan and hopefully now Nathan will realize he has to stay put not keep walking. We are unsure if he kept walking to find a water fountain OR if right before we went around the bend to look at those last monkeys he stopped to get a drink and we thought he was still with us and then he would have had to walk right by us and kept on going. Either way it was quite the end to our trip. Thankfully everyone is safe and sound and hopefully they will think twice before wandering off.....