Zoo, Cherry Blossoms, Bike Rides... oh my!

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The weatherman correctly predicted perfect weather on Thursday, so Adam took the day off and we trekked up to the National Zoo. And it turned out that April is a great time to be there. It isn't crowded, you can score the free street parking, and the animals are all out and about since it isn't super hot and humid yet. Sarah ran and climbed her little heart out all around the zoo all day, getting a great show from the lions and their seven cubs, the elephants, the ambling panda, and coming nose to nose with the orangutans.

East Coast Tracys at the National Zoo! (Ryan was asleep so we left him in the stroller)

Bonus picture: Tracy girls at the Zoo!

Meanwhile, Ryan reports being excited for his blessing this weekend, posing here in the knit sweater and cap his Great-Grandmother Metzger made for him. Thanks Great-Grandma! Stay tuned for pictures of Ryan in his super-suave blessing tuxedo Grandma Tracy made for him. One day he will look back in wonder at it.

In other news, Adam took Sarah out on a bike ride around our little hamlet of Burke last weekend. She's finally grown into her bike seat this season and she loved the ride. Daddy loved getting out there on the bike with his sweet girl. They ended up riding to the train station where Adam catches his commuter train and chasing the geese that congregate there. Sarah wanted to give them hugs. They didn't catch any, but reported lots of fun trying!

Bike riding with Daddy

And this Monday for family night we picked up Adam from work and had our annual Tracy Family Cherry Blossom Picnic at Hains Point. The cherry blossoms were out in full strength and we had a nice picnic dinner amid the swirling blossoms with the National War College on the Potomac as a backdrop. Sarah loved feeding ducks, picking wildflowers, reaching up for blossoms (with Daddy's help), and running around generally reveling in the unofficial welcome to spring.




Here Sarah is doing her nightly stretches with Daddy. (Adam's note: Part of my shoulder rehab that Sarah has grown attached to as well. It's really endearing.)

Sarah found a honey tree to climb on right in our backyard. Sarah is into all things Winnie the Pooh now, and is constantly pleading with us to play Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree on the computer. Well, the tree that has grown sideways right behind our house is now her Honey Tree. She can't wait to be hang on, sit on, swing on, and play on her own Honey Tree. What it must be like to be 2!

"I'm just a little black rain cloud... hovering under the Honey Tree"

And here are some bonus pictures of life with the East Coast Tracys!




Sarah displaying one of her favorite stories in her fairy costume from Grandma Tracy.

Karen's note: Sarah and I got matching pink hats from the Target dollar bins, and she insisted we wear them the duration of our shopping trip--ah, what humiliation we are willing to overlook to make our little girl happy!