A Visit from Poppy and MeMaw

Poppy and MeMaw stopped by for a visit last week.  Cooper had so much fun playing with them.  They played with his new train set, read stories, and most of all played outside.

 Thursday we went to the Lazy 5 Ranch, a drive-through zoo, with a small petting zoo and such.  Instead of driving our own car through, this time we decided to take the horse-drawn wagon ride.  SO much better than driving the car! 

We had a quick picnic lunch, and then MeMaw, Cooper and Poppy (and I) were ready for the ride, and to see some animals. 

 We saw lots of animals up close and personal as they came right up to the wagon to be fed.  We were used to the llamas, emus, and ostrich from our last trip, but this time the water buffalo came right out of the water, and over to the wagon to be fed.  Cooper thought it was funny the way they opened their mouths to eat, or the way you drop the food on some animals' noses instead of in their mouths.

 The giraffes did not disappoint.  Cooper got to say a close hello to this giraffe.  There was also a baby giraffe, named Patrick for being born on St. Patrick's Day.  He thought the baby was, "Tute."

 We saw Luther, the rhinoceros, who is 19 years old.  The guide told me rhinos live to be 50, so while he looked huge to us, he's just a teenager, and still has some growing to do!  The rhino must have been Cooper's favorite part, because days later he was still talking about "Lufer the wino." 

 This bison's name is Ladybug.  Cooper was confused why the man kept saying this big animal was a ladybug.  I didn't catch a picture of his face, but the confused look was priceless.

 This long-tongued animal is a cow from India.  We thought the long tongue was funny. 

 This white cow is also from India, and one of the kind they consider to be holy. 

We saw LOTS of other animals like zebras, deer, antelope, wild pigs (some with little babies just two weeks old that were about as big as a man's hand), and lots of other beautiful animals.  Cooper got to witness a fawn nursing, and some tortoises mating--thank you, Nature.

 The petting zoo area is beautiful.  I love this weeping willow tree in the aviary.  Cooper did NOT want to stop for a picture.

 Coop LOVED petting all the goats and sheep.  He especially liked the sheep, which he reported were soft.

 The other thing he did with Poppy and MeMaw was play in their car, an activity he LOVES to do when he's allowed.  He came in the house with MeMaw's flip-flop shaped air freshener around his neck.  

Thank you, Poppy and MeMaw for visiting Cooper at his house.  We missed you the minute you left!

One last thing of note is that instead of Cooper calling his Grandpa "Poppy" like all the other grandkids, he kept calling him "Grand Pa-Pa.  So stinking cute.