More Fun in the Big D

While living here temporarily, we have had so much fun exploring our new city.  Though Will has been missing attending preschool this fall, we believe he has gotten lots of hand-on learning opportunities that would not have been available to him otherwise.

Though our days are packed with therapies and doctors, mostly for Ellie, Will doesn't always go with me.  Sometimes, he does an activity with my mom.  Other times, he and I have had a Mommy date while Lovie has accompanied Ellie to therapy.

Lovie treated us to "Curious George Live" one Sunday evening.

Will was mesmerized.

Recently, we went to the State Fair.  I had no idea it would be so amazing!

Will got to feed all kinds of exotic animals.  I don't remember what most of them were!

This is an emu.  

ostrich

baby zebra

miniature horse

No idea what this is but he has differences!  He is a "four horned something or other."  This one has 3 horns!  My mom & I were a bit excited to find an animal with a "horn difference." :)

Hairy something

Upon seeing this, I worried Will would change his comparison of me from a milkcow (which is bad enough) to a mommy pig.  Thankfully, he was too excited to head to the next exhibit.

There was a really neat farm exhibit.  Along with the exotic petting zoo animals, this is sponsored by Children's Hospital, where both my kids have been patients.  I'm glad to see our money going to a good cause.

At the farm, Will had to dress in an apron & complete tasks in various barns.

He watered trees.

He learned how to milk a cow.

Seed planting

He picked vegetables.

He rode a tractor with his basket o' stuff in the trailer

At the end of the farm exhibit, the kids returned their items to the "farmer's market" and were paid a pretend dollar which they could spend at the little store.  I found it ironic that after doing an exhibit all about fresh, organic, healthy farm foods, sponsored by a Children's Hospital, that they were then given money to spend at a store sponsored by Wal-Mart.... where all the items were junk food.

Go figure.

Lovie, Will, Ellie, & I at the fair

baby giraffe

(in case you can't tell)

Of course, we rode rides too.

Will rode the log plume with Lovie & loved it!

Ellie was quite happy in my arms or in my baby carrier.  She ate during the dog show & was content to just ride around.  Such an easy age!

Will rode his first roller coaster.  I admit that I thought it was scary.  It was a kids' version but I thought it was super fast on the turns!  Will, however, loved it.

Little daredevil.

He also enjoyed the swings.

(We lucked out & went on Senior Citizens Day - hence the lack of children!  Perfect day to go!)

Will & his Lovie

One night, Ellie & I were treated to a girls' night out with my Mom & friends Jane & Sarah.  We ate dinner out & saw Shrek the Musical.  It was lots of fun...

Ellie, however, didn't care for the opening numbers so she & I watched Act One on a screen in the lobby.

It was very sentimental for my mom and I to be back at a musical at Fair Park.

Last May, we went to see Little House on the Prairie, which I had been reading outloud to Ellie in the Belly because it was on my list of things to do with my daughter and I was trying to do many of those things with her while I had her since I had no guarantees she would survive.  At LHP in May, we cried through most of the musical.  

I was so thankful to be back at Fair Park with my precious babe in my arms... even if I did watch most of the musical from the lobby!

                               Shrek                                               Ellie in the Belly at Little House on the Prairie

On Mondays, Will attends "Mommy & Me" at the Arboretum.  He loves it!

He gets his face painted, does a neat craft, & participates  in Kindermusic.

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One day, my mom met me at Ellie's therapy & we traded kids.  She stayed at the hospital for therapy & I took Will to the Nash Museum.  It is full of modern art.  I have no idea how to interpret modern art.
I liked the idea of experiencing an adult art museum with Will but to be honest, it was a bad experience.  I've considered writing a letter to the Nash Museum but I don't think we are exactly their target audience.  A security guard followed us around the entire time as if he had never seen a small child there and it was very uncomfortable.  I felt like they were treating us as if we might cart off a giant piece of steel that I can't interpret!
We had fun in the outside part though...

Here, Will is running through some headless mummy sculptures.

a bird by Joan Miro (the only artist whose name I recognized)

Which one of these is not like the others?

a bull?  

At home on the Frontier, we go to Petsmart for a "zoo" experience.  It's true.  We don't have a zoo.  

So, we have loved the zoo here!  Will has been several times with his Lovie.

On the carousel

On the monorail touring "Africa"

Ellie enjoyed nursing on the monorail

High-fivin' a lion

On the Savannah

Sweet boy

Talking to a bird

Ellie & I ventured into the bird area but when one landed on Ellie & tried to eat her swaddle (apparently the birds like muslin, the zookeeper said, we booked it out of there.  Of course, Ellie slept through the whole experience.:))