Zoo campout -- take two!

We started our Labor Day weekend with another fantastic campout at the zoo. These really are a huge hit with us. Simple and fun camping with lots of animal interaction.





The world famous (well, famous in our world anyway!) zoo campout pancake breakfast. The zoo director, Talon, grills up some amazing pancakes!



An early morning hike to see the animals at their best.



My only complaint about the weekend's experience is illustrated here (click on the photo to enlarge -- our tent is the grey and red). There were a total of five families at the campout. There is a huge area in which to camp, as well as another area across the way. We were first to arrive and set up camp, only to return to our tent later and find that another family had put their tent right next to ours! It was so bizarre. And not only that, but they were the most annoyingly whiney people on the planet. The man and boy didn't actually speak, they only whined. They whined when we tried to go to sleep, they whined at 5:45am when the lemurs set off with their early morning song, they whined in this photo as they tramped to the bathroom before breakfast. Anyway, a minor complaint, but seriously, isn't it weird that they camped right on top of us?



There is always lots of playground time at the zoo campouts.





Still wearing his pajamas.

A fun evening with the Baima kids

Ethan and Olivia came over earlier this week while their parents went to Olivia's preschool open house. The kids had a fantastic time together. It was a nice after school treat for Kellan during his first hectic week back at school.






Blurry slide! I didn't get many photos of Kel, but since I haven't posted in a week...



Hopefully Kate doesn't mind me posting a few photos of her gorgeous son. Is there a cuter child on the planet? I think not!




Ethan spent a lot of the evening pouring water down his front. Intentionally. Don't ask. Apparently its fun when you're one.

Game Two

I promise not to post five thousand photos of every t-ball game. Tempting as it may be! This was Kel's second game playing for the Durham Bulls, and probably the last time that I'll have my camera handy since we'll be rushing from school and work for the rest of this season's games. He is having so much fun. If you couldn't tell!








The coach moving Kel back to his spot on the field.




Bit of coaching help. The fence got in my way, but I had to post this one. I love the way that he sticks out his tongue when he's really really really concentrating.





Some random fielding shots.






There's that tongue again!





The end of another fun and successful game. Goooooooo Bulls!

Kellan's first ball game

Its official. We have a ball player in the house. Kellan is playing for the Durham Bulls this season and loving every minute of it. Here are some photos from his first game. I was trying not to be that obnoxious parent who gets in the way while snapping shots of their kid's sporting events, so most of the "in play" photos aren't fabulous, but you get the idea. That happy face says it all.

Funny side note -- we were sitting next to another boy's parents when it was revealed that there are two British dads on our team. Atticus and Kellan both have fathers who do not spend Saturdays in the backyard playing baseball. And they call soccer "football". If that's not a handicap, I don't know what is.








Kellan's first at bat. The coach is having a little conference about the misunderstanding that comes with Kellan being right handed, but batting left handed. Don't ask me how that happened.




And, he's off! Running to first base. Or, "first plate" as he calls it. I blame the father.




This one is funny. Notice the team mate running into second base. Notice Kellan still standing on second base. We have some work to do yet.





Kellan enjoyed playing out in the field. The only problem was that when he was assigned to a base, he would go and stand on the base at each play so that the opposing team's runner couldn't actually get there! And when they did arrive at the base, they would more often than not receive a big hug from Kellan.








Way to hustle for that ball!




You can't really see Kel back there on the bench, but I thought it was cute to have a photo of the team lined up in the dugout.




Kel and buddy Maddox, a school pal who was playing for the opposing team.




At the end of the game, the teams did the traditional "high five" walk and congratulated each other. Followed up by juice boxes and chocolate bars. It was a really fun night. To be repeated again -- tomorrow!