The Gates Girls: Aquarium

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Aquarium

What a fabulous Sunday! We took the kids up to the new aquarium in Austin which was perfect for our young kids. It is a small facility and is set up more like a learning center than a traditional aquarium. There were many interactive things people could do like feed the manta rays (and pet them!), feed the koi fish, hold birds, and pet various little creatures. Lia was in heaven and Julia loved seeing and experiencing everything. Erin loved seeing all the fish and Halle wanted nothing to do with any of it. It was pretty funny. Halle was basically freaked by everything she saw as soon as it moved. Animals laying still? Halle was game for that. Julia quickly picked up on the sign for 'fish' and for 'bird' and was signing both things at every display we went to. Lizard/Adegator Snate? According to Julia - it is now a fish. :)

Feeding and petting the manta rays. Lia didn't want to touch them but liked throwing the food into the water.

Julia was mostly interested in sticking her hand in the water and licking it. Heh. Silly girl.

All the kids on a "walk inside" fish tank

Confused happiness?

This was the terrified look on Halle's face the second the very large fish she had been staring at suddenly moved. Major freak out moment ensued.

This face says: "What Daddy? You okay?"

Lia had a great time in the walk inside fish tank and her favorite thing was a giant green eel. Elizabeth and I quickly categorized this as the grossest thing at the aquarium, but Lia was obsessed with the "eel snake fish." She also wanted to touch EVERYTHING which was great because there were plenty of things she was allowed to touch!

Our biggest achievement is that we were able to fit all four kids, three adults, two strollers, two large bags and a camera bag in my Pilot. I heart that car. Todd got stuck riding in the way back with Lia but had a fun time making silly faces and tickling all the kids.