To celebrate Emby’s 6 month birthday, we gave her a first taste of solid food. Safe to say it was more of a treat for us than for her. Her little brow furrow deepened the more spoonfuls of  carefully chosen homegrown carrot and organic sweet potato we offered her. I haven’t seen her frown that hard since the day she first greeted her parents!

Since then we have offered her very tiny spoonfuls of banana and some nut butter with slightly more positive results. Her extrusion reflex is still pretty strong so looks like she needs more time for her swallow to mature. We’ll keep trying, but there is no rush, for now that red spoon is much more appealing to her than its contents.

Later that day we met up with Emby’s new friend Ebony and her parents at the zoo. It was hot and after a humid train ride we sought shelter in the cavernous seal enclosure. Things certainly had been upgraded since I was a child. Even the seal sculptures now lazed on a man made beach replete with sand castles and sun umbrellas.

On baby Liam’s suggestion we headed to the butterfly house which I think was a clear highlight for bubs. Everyone seemed to have butterflies landing on them except for the one who had made special effort with a floral top. Our fluttering friends annoyingly seemed to prefer Dylan’s plain white t-shirt and Krystal’s straw hat was a veritable butterfly dance party.

The swishing bamboo forest surrounding the else-hang exhibit was deliciously cool. The Indonesian signs and faux cafes a cute touch. No sooner had the elephants appeared, than Emby cracked it wanting a drink, who could blame her on that hot day. We joined her with yummy overpriced ice creams.

We are still no closer to learning what sounds we should make for zebras and giraffes when we sing ‘Old MacDonald’. Munch munch is still the best filler it seems.

We didn’t mean to stay until closing time, but I guess the zoo had us under its spell. Most of the big cats were lounging in the shadowy corners, evading the camera lens. However, some little critters still were up for a show. The landscape gardens around these exhibits were lovely. The soft foliage of the minature woolly bushes was gorgeous in the fading light which also held the yellow flowers of the ground covers in its spotlight. I think our zoo pass is going to get a workout this year.