Columbus "Finds" America. We "Find" the Zoo.

I don't really understand Columbus Day.  How is it a holiday?  Honestly.

But since somebody decided it is, I took advantage and called Helen to see what she wanted to do with this gift of a day.  Helen wanted to go to the zoo.

I never turn down a trip to the zoo.  So off we went this morning.

Sydney enjoyed her regular zoo favorites, like taking pictures.

And reading the maps.

We went back to the orangutang section with it's play area, complete with the stepping chimes.

If the picture doesn't help you to understand what is going on, the video will.  Disclaimer: No toddlers were trampled in the making of this film.

This visit we also got to see the orangutangs, which were very surreal in real life... being almost like caricatures of themselves as seen on television.

Sydney decided to "monkey around" on the orangutang statue. Although ever since a strange frog incident in which she thought she was seeing a stone frog in her friend's backyard, touched it and it hopped away, she was certain to make sure that this was indeed a statue.

 

 Sydney's new favorite, though, was the Nature Trail that we have always passed by and never walked through.  Just before we came to it, though, Sydney was finding acorns and other "treasures" on the ground and a Nature Walk seemed to be a good way find more.  Once on the Nature Walk, though, Sydney magically transformed into Wren Ryder....

This is Wren Ryder.  She hunts for anything cool and interesting.  Wren Ryder is a real person who is very good and very nice and smart.

She is picking up beautiful stuff.  She can be in the forest all the time without being scared.

These are special things that Wren Ryder is holding in her hands.  These are coconuts and acorns.

Wren Ryder is an artist.

I love my little girl's imagination and her commitment to her creative pursuits.  The entire time she was being "Wren Ryder" she called me "Mrs. Nolen" and asked about my daughter, Sydney.

Silly girl.