We've never seen this before, with all the times we've been to the aquarium! This sea lion is huge! We also saw them demonstrate some commands like scratching with back flippers and demonstrating the flexibility of their necks. I just love these animals!
But soon of course Lily was back to tugging at our shirts begging to move on to see the penguins! So on we went down the path again. Sean stopped with the twins to feed them on a bench, while I took Lily. The penguin exhibit was swamped with people because it was feeding time, so I tried to distract Lily a little bit longer by taking her to the nearby pool with baby sea lions, hoping the crowds would thin while we were checking them out. Lily wasn't easily distracted though, and we were soon moving our way to the crowded exhibit. We were able to squeeze our way into a good spot to watch Lily's favorite penguins!
It was really interesting watching them feed the penguins. Like most aquariums, each penguin has a tag on their wing with a different combination on colored bands. As the trainer was feeding them, he would call out the color combination and what that penguin had eaten. So we'd hear "yellow, silver. 2 mackerel." Then I noticed among the crowds of people was another trainer, writing down on a note pad what each penguin was eating! It was very interesting to notice how they kept track of what each penguin eats!
We watched them eat for a long time, until Lily wanted to check out the under water viewing area of the penguins.
"Come on Mommy!!"
Since all the penguins were up out of the water getting fed, there wasn't much to see at the under water viewing area. We quickly walked through it and met up with Daddy, who had just finished feeding Ella her bottle. We walked around the pond area, on our way to the main aquarium building. Some where along the way Lily got tired and wanted to sit in the stroller. well sine Violet was using it, Lily invented a new way to ride!
Inside the main building we quickly see that they have taken out the anemone tank, and replaced it with a touch tank with baby white-spotted bamboo sharks! Lily and I headed over to check this out while Sean took the babies for a bit. Unfortunately Lily's arms were to short to reach the sharks, but she enjoyed putting her hands in the water. I got to touch one...they are very scaly feeling. Next Lily and I wandered around for a bit. Lily liked climbing into the special viewing area for the barracudas.
She made a could friends under there! She also liked climbing under the lobster trap tank! Next we wondered over to the hidden amazon exhibit. This has always been one of Lily's favorite tanks at the aquarium...and mine too!
Next, after checking in with Daddy, we grabbed Ella, and wondered over to the shark, sea lion, and ray tanks. Lily checked out each one for a bit. Here she is at the ray tank:
Then Lily made friends with a turtle:
And then onto the touch tank, where we spent a lot of our time! Lily has never really checked out this exhibit before, but it quickly became her favorite tank once she did! She had so much fun touching shells and watching the crabs. She tried out every part of the tank, to see what was there. Her favorite area had some empty shells that she could pick up. It was so hard to tear her away from this tank!
I finally tore her away from the table so we could go see Daddy. He took her for a bit then, while I sat with the twins. I got Violet out for a chance to look at the big center tank. Sean and Lily went back to the touch tank I believe! When we met back up we decided it was getting time to head out soon, so we checked out a couple more tanks as a family on our way out.
Violet and Ella checking out the fishes:
On our way back to the van we decided to give Lily a treat, our first creemee of the season! Of course Lily was thrilled!
Violet while we wait:
Ella while we wait:
Lily and her chocolate swirl creemee:
It was a very fun day! Great way to spend a day off! Lily is really starting to get a lot out of the aquarium! I can't wait till we go again!!
