MLK Day

Dear John,

Before you were born, Mrs. Hazen and I started a tradition of hanging out on MLK Day.  It's a day that we both have off of work that neither your dad nor Mr. Hazen ever seem to have off and it makes for a nice mother and child sort of day.

Every year, it's been a bit different.  The first year, 2009, we took your sister and Peter to the Austin Zoo and while you were clearly on the horizon, Danielle wasn't even in the works, yet.

The next year, 2010, Mrs. Hazen was just off of the vent and we were finally able to communicate after two long weeks of not knowing if she was going to make it or not.

Last year, 2011, we celebrated life and motherhood again by taking you, your sister, Peter and Danielle to the Waco Zoo.

This year, we asked Mrs. Robinson and Andrew to join us in the adventure and all three mamas and all five children headed to the San Antonio Zoo.

Mrs. Robinson took you and your sister and Andrew on the train ride while we waited for the Hazens to join us.

I have this thing about MLK Day and hats and you are finally old enough to be reasoned with.  "Please wear this hat.  It's important to me.  Wear it for ten minutes, let me get some pictures and I will put it up and stop bothering you to wear a hat in 70 degree temperatures."  I'm so glad you are willing to humor your mama.

I really wanted a picture of you in this hat.  It was a gift from Uncle Jonathan.  As I understand it, a group of ladies knitted hats and sent them to Uncle Jon's ship.  This hat was clearly done with a child's pattern and I think Uncle Jon, with his narrow head, was one of the only guys on the ship who could even wear it and it still looked like a beanie on him.  Regardless, he liked it and was truly touched that the group made hats for the sailors and wore it often in Japan.  Now that he's in Virginia where it's not so cold, he gave the hat to you. Since you take after your daddy and his big head, though, I think you will outgrow it eventually and want you to get to wear it as long and as often as you can. 

You and Mrs. Hazen were buddies this visit (I think it may have had something to do with her bag of carbs).  She was also willing to pick you up and let you get a better view anytime you asked.

We had just been to the San Antonio Zoo two weekends ago, but this time I remembered to bring quarters so you could feed the fish -- an activity that all of the kids enjoyed.

After feeding fish, you and Danielle decided to eat some fish.  You guys were so cute, sharing the snacks.  You would sort them out so that Danielle's cookie fish were not touching your cheesy fish.  I'm glad she agreed with your sorting.

We also went to the children's section of the zoo this time, which we had missed last time.

You and your sister and then Andrew played Tic Tac Toe.  Everyone fished for a bit and all of you loved running around the kid sized prairie dog tunnels.

We also went to the strange porch (there is no house... it's just the porch) with the brooms and the sand.  I don't know what the designers were thinking of, but it makes me think of a habitat for stereotypical Southern grandma.  Or, in this case, a habitat for kids.  (Look, see they give them brooms so that have something to play with.)

Mrs. Robinson brought snacks and Mrs. Hazen brought lunch.  You were so happy with their carb-o-licious choices.

Before we left the zoo, though, we had to find the right Mold-O-Rama.  Andrew was set on a lion and convinced everyone else that they wanted lions, too, so that was the one we were looking for.

You got to put the money in the machine, which made you very happy.

You and Peter did get lions, but funnily enough, once Andrew saw the lion and the jaguar that was next to it, he changed his mind and then of course your sister did, too, and in the interest of having two different animals per family, Mrs. Hazen went with the jaguar for Danielle.

After getting jaguars, Andrew and Sydney really wanted to find the jaguar exhibit but settled for making their own.

 

 You were such a ham.  I put the jaguars up there and then told you look like you were looking at them.  You put out the one arm and put the other on your hip, just like that.

 Happily, we did find the real exhibit on our way out.

It was a wonderful day at the zoo.  The mamas had a great day.  You were an absolute trooper through to the very last minute.  You were upset that we had to leave the zoo, but held yourself together and enjoyed your cookies at Joseph's Storehouse

I love that we had this day to spend not only with each other but with two other wonderful mamas and their children as well.

Of course your next request was to go feed dolphins... at Sea World... with Fords.

We'll see.

Love,
Mom