We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

I am officially a mother. I was a volunteer yesterday to go with McKenna's kindergarten class to the zoo for their field trip. For me, this was one of those moments where I really felt how much time has passed and how old I really am. I am old enough to have a daughter that goes on field trips. I got to ride the school bus for the first time since high school and I bounced around in my seat and giggled with my friend Bri like a giddy little kid. I think we were almost excited as they were. However, once we got to the zoo, the responsibility of what I was doing hit me over the head and crushed the giddy little kid feeling right out of me. I was placed in a group with another mom and we had a total of 6 kids to chaperon around for 2 1/2 hours. I'm sure this doesn't sound hard, but I swear I was ready to be admitted into the hospital for an anxiety attack by the time we were done. I spent the whole time looking around in panic and counting the 6 kids in my head over and over. The worst moment being when we finally made it back to the bus, thinking we were finally done, and one of my kids was missing. Apparently my mom partner and I had a little problem with diffusion of responsibility, each of us assuming she was with the other. Luckily she had only been out of our sight for about 1 minute and I was able to fly off the bus and find her almost immediately. Yikes.

Here's my rambunctious little group. I can't believe I got them to sit still long enough to take a picture.



So we're at the zoo with a large variety of fun and interesting animals to look at, and the only thing they were interested in the whole time was when we were going to stop and eat lunch. We caved after only an hour and let them eat, then made our way to the train (their next biggest interest), and after the train, you'd think they would be ready to see some animals....no. They spent the remainder of their time there playing on the playground. So glad we traveled over a half an hour to do something they get to do at school everyday. Kids.

A few more pictures from the day...

McKenna with her bestest buds (all of whom were put into a group that McKenna got left out of, totally unfair)



McKenna, Sydney, and Taryn on the way home.



Bri and Sydney, the 2nd cutest mommy/daughter duo on the bus. (We can all guess who the 1st cutest is...)



And here we are (though it's a horrible picture of me, I'm going to be brave and put it up anyway. It is proof why I'm normally behind the camera)



At one point in the day, one of the other moms looked at me and said, "Our teachers don't get paid enough" and I couldn't agree more. After only a few short hours with all those kids, I came home and immediately fell, against my will, dead asleep on the couch. I haven't been that exhausted in awhile (said the women who is still getting up 1-2 times a night to feed her baby.) So here's my tribute and warm thanks to all our teachers out there. They put up with a lot and deserve some serious recognition.

On a side note, McKenna had her big dance performance on Monday (which went really well) but I'm waiting to post that one until I can get an import cord thing (can't for the life of me think what it's called right now) for my camcorder. Keep an eye out, it will be coming soon!