Phoenix Zoo/Graceyn's Birthday

Her birthday cupcake

So happy it's her birthday

   Graceyn celebrated her actual birthday on Monday of our vacation.  We decided we had to do something special to celebrate.  We decided to make a trip to the Phoenix zoo since the weather was supposed to be really nice.  My sister and I took Ashlyn to the Phoenix zoo when she was about Graceyn's age, but we have not been back since.  The kids were really excited to go to a new zoo.
    The Phoenix zoo is massive and there was so much to look at.  There was also a lot of walking.  The kids held up really well despite the heat.  As the day progressed, it got pretty hot.  I really don't see how that zoo is even open in the summer months.  It must be miserable!  Despite the heat, we had a great time and enjoyed seeing different animals that we don't have at our zoo.  We realized that they had a really neat splash pad/cave area that the kids loved.  Unfortunately, we did not have bathing suits for them.  If we go again, we will definitely be bringing suits so they can play some more.
    We stayed at the zoo for several hours until heat and hunger got the best of us.  We grabbed a quick lunch and headed back to the house for some rest time.  After we rested and cooled down, we headed up to the splash park again.  My grandma came with us and we had a nice visit with her while the kids played.  We ended Graceyn's birthday with cupcakes on the patio.  I think she had a great birthday.

Walkin into the zoo

The kids love looking at maps anytime we go somewhere.  They have gotten pretty good at reading them.  

The giraffes

Checking out the rhinos

Gracie looks tired and hot in this picture

This guy was sleeping with his face pressed against the window

The really neat splash pad/cave area

The kids definitely love their Uncle Steven

The Phoenix zoo has a really neat monkey area where you can get up close to the spider monkeys.  It was so neat to see the monkeys so close and not in a cage.  Gracie loved the monkeys.  It reminded me so much of Ashlyn when we took her there.  

Checking out the monkeys

They are so cute

A very interesting bird