Baltimore Aquarium

The kids didn't have school on Friday so we headed to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. We were last there on a Saturday in January and I don't know if I will go back on a weekend because it was so crowded. Friday it was not crowded at all and it was more relaxing with fewer people there.

We saw an Australian bearded dragon when we first got there.

When I ordered the tickets on line, I was surprised to see that they no longer sell tickets to the dolphin show.  The information I found said they stopped doing the shows because less than half the people at the aquarium on a typical Saturday (more than 10,000 people) could see the shows due to limited capacity (only 4800 people).  The article said that now the program is open continuously so visitors can see the dolphins whether they are eating, working with the trainers, or posing for pictures.

I overheard an employee tell another family that there was a dolphin in five minutes so we quickly walked over there.  It was a demonstration of some of the tricks the dolphins have perfected and some that they are still working on.  It was a slightly shorter show but still very enjoyable and it made Lydia's day.  She was really disappointed that they had stopped the shows so it was a wonderful surprise to get to see the dolphins perform.  

I didn't have my dSLR with me; not that it would have helped me as I was trying to take pictures while Josiah was climbing all over me.

I'm so glad we got to see the show.

Right after the dolphin show, Lydia started crying saying her tooth was hurting.  We knew one of her upper front teeth was loose but it turns out the other one is loose too and that was the one bothering her.  I think that is why she is making the funny face in this picture.

I think this starfish is beautiful.

We had to take the stairs a lot because several of the escalators were being worked on.  The rays exhibit was closed as that area undergoes a $12.5 million renovation but the moving walkway ramps in that area were still open.  We did see this polka dotted ray and a few other rays in another exhibit area.

This picture was taken in the rain forest area and it looks like there was some water on the camera.

The kids had a really good time.  As we were walking back to the car, Josiah told me that his shoes were hurting.  I think he meant his feet were hurting.  He slept on the way home but he woke up when I got him out of the car.  I put him in his highchair for dinner as soon as we walked in the door.  He immediately started begging to go to bed so he went to bed at 7:30 with no dinner and slept until 6:30 next the morning.

Here is a picture of us with Grandma and Grandpa.  Chris had to work on Friday and he missed all the fun.  There was a lot of traffic going home but I didn't think it was too bad.  I called Chris and asked, "Can you make chicken parmesan?"  He had a delicious dinner ready when we got home!