Washington DC (part 2)

We were so happy to be able to travel with Scott to his Education Conference in DC!  I knew that there would be a lot of time that he would have to be in meetings and that I would be doing DC alone with the girls.  But he was so sweet to help me plan out all of the days he couldn't be with us. 

National Zoo

On our first full day the girls and I headed to the zoo.  It was a quick walk from our hotel.  The weather was perfect.  You know the kind of day that starts with a jacket and leggings under that dress and you take the jacket on and off a million times becuase you can't decide it you're hot or cold.  My favorite weather days... sunny and 65ish!



Anna loved the zoo! She was so excited to see the pandas!





The only pandas in the US. There were zoo keepers telling us that usually the pandas aren't so close to the fence. We were lucky to get such a good view of them!



He was busy eating his breakfast, so cute!



Chomping away... he didn't seem to mind us staring at him!



I did zoom in with a crop but we were really close! Then he walked away from his breakfast...



He found some more over here, 



Then just a bit away was the female. She was sunning herself on the rock. So cool. Anna was trilled. She kept saying, "take another picture" "did you get that one" "here, let me take off my hat and jacket for a picture with the panda"

We spent some time in the panda information area. I was fascinated by their story, how the zoo (and the whole world) helps them reproduce, and their time there. It really was moving. Maybe that's because the last time I saw pandas I had a 'brand new' to me baby in my arms. We went to see the pandas in China. I remember not caring a bit. Not one single bit about those pandas. I was so in love with baby Jinag Qian (Anna's Chinese name) in my arms I barely took my eyes off her to look up to see the pandas.

Anna loved being in charge of the map and the path we'd follow through the day. Since it was just mommy I told her she was in charge. Here she is studying the map to plan out the rest of her day at the zoo.



Here Abigail is trying to get involved. I love her panda cap. See the pink flower at the top? Everything in DC seemed to have a little Cherry Blossom on it. So cute!



Scott was able to join us around lunchtime. On our way out and back to our hotel.



A super fun day with my girls.