Sunday, May 25, 2008

First Family Vacation: Omaha

On Friday and Saturday of this Memorial Day weekend we enjoyed our first family vacation. We decided to go to Omaha. We picked out a hotel with a very kid friendly indoor pool (Best Western Kelly Inn Omaha - highly recommend). The room was very spacious, we had a parking spot right outside the front door, our room was on the ground floor between the front desk and the pool, and it had a Perkins restaurant attached to it. Very family friendly hotel. Anyway, we enjoyed a dinner at Perkins when we arrived Thursday evening and then went to the pool. It had two kids slides but Aidan only went down each once, would not leave Aaron or my side in the pool, barely even walked around on his own. He is afraid of just about everything these days. Hopefully we can get to the pool a few times this summer and help him get comfortable with the water.

Friday we went to the Henry Doorly Zoo. Awesome zoo. I had only been there briefly once before so it was a lot of fun for me as well. Even though it was sprinkling and chilly most of the day we still had a great time seeing all the animals. We even got into the brand new butterfly pavilion which had just opened the day before. Aidan's favorites were probably the giraffes (of course), bears, penguins, and sharks and sting rays in the aquarium tunnel.

Saturday we went to the Old Market area and met my friend Sarah and her son Connor who is Aidan's friend. It was fun watching the boys explore, though it was still a tad chilly/windy and we could not find the playground it had talked about in the brochure. We saw a little swan family with their little babies in tow - one was even hitching a ride on the mom's back. So cute. Anyone know what a baby swan is called? We couldn't think of it yesterday.

We went out to lunch at Old Chicago and then decided to head home rather than go to the Omaha Children's Museum as we had planned. Both Ella and Aidan had been very whiny most of the morning, then the service at Old Chicago wasn't the best and I had just lost all patience for the day. So rather than push our luck, we headed home. As we got on the road the sun came out and it turned into a beautiful 72 degree afternoon, not the severe thunderstorms they had been forecasting. So I was even frustrated with the weather not cooperating, but what can you do.

All in all we had a very good time and can't wait to go back and visit again. :)

Ella chillin' at the hotel

Aidan gets a closeup look at the cheetah.

The gorilla exhibit was awesome. I think that might have been my favorite part of the zoo. It was just so nicely organized and had indoor and outdoor areas, lots of bubble windows that allowed you to feel like you were in the exhibit. You can see Aidan, Ella and I watching this big guy through the window.

Aidan enjoyed going into the petting zoo and petting the goats.

Ella and mommy watching the fish and sting rays in the tunnel at the aquarium.

Connor and Aidan marching through the grass at Heartland of America Park

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3 comments:

Nan said...

oh so cute. I can't wait to take the crazy boys someday. I have heard only good things about it. I am sure it puts the blank park zoo to shame huh?
I think a baby swan is called a sygnet. Could be wrong though.

Is girlfriend crawling yet?

When are we getting together?

mary said...

The Omaha Zoo is a great zoo and I always enjoy it everytime I go. We are going to take Hunter with my family on the 3rd of July and I just can't wait. I have been waiting to see the gorilla exibit from the time when they were building it, but that was when I was pregnant with Hunter. :) I'm really glad that you enjoyed the zoo and your time in Omaha. Pictures are great of all of you.

Tonya said...

We were at the Omaha zoo that weekend too. It was Adeline's first time (and I'm sure not last). My aunt has been a volunteer at the zoo for years and I grew up going there all the time. It's a great zoo!

Your kids are growing up so fast! Hope to see you soon.