Double Day: Oakland Zoo followed by Ice Skating

Steve and Samuel have an assignment for preschool coming due soon, and so they needed to get working on it. The assignment is for Samuel to pick a topic that he wants to learn more about and he and Steve need to create a project to present in front of the other Dads (or other non work parent/family member) and kids. Samuel really wanted to learn about wolves, but we don't have a place to go see wolves around here. Steve and Samuel were able to agree on monkeys for their area of study.

So this morning, off we went to the Oakland Zoo to check out some monkeys. Surprisingly, I think it was actually closer than the SF Zoo, and definitely more oriented to little kids.

This swinging guy and his buddies looked pretty happy. The Chimpanzees on the other hand... not so much. I'm not a big fan of zoos. I feel so bad for the animals in cages. Another reason I don't feel great about pets.

The zoo also had a nice playground and petting zoo with goats and sheep.

Samuel took this picture of the alligators, "So that I can see them whenever I want."

After a brief pause at home for Shira to finish up her nap, we headed out again to join our friends Rebecca, Penelope, Ana, Yosh and Lillian at the ice skating rink for Samuel's and Shira's first skating experience.

There might be some skating lessons in our future. They both loved it!

Samuel has been talking about skating (and playing hockey) ever since Popsie took him to the Sharks Season Opener while Steve and I were at Oded's wedding in NY. As soon as we told him we were going skating, he told us he had to put on his jersey, "because that is what you wear when you are skating to keep you warm." Samuel had such a great time. He is also a big fan of the Zamboni, of course.

We didn't intend to put Shira out on the ice (who knew they made skates that tiny?), but she absolutely insisted. A case once again of "If Samuel is going to do it, then I damn well better be able to do it, too." That girl is determined, and very good at getting her point across. If I hadn't taken her onto the ice, she made it very clear that she planned on going out there completely by herself.