What does summer mean?

We are only four days into summer, and I feel like I already need a vacation.  I'm going to try really hard not to blog all summer about my non-napping non-eating three-year-old, but I will just say right now that it's exhausting and frustrating...to say the least.  I've also learned from my job and my friends that the terrible twos are somewhat of a myth, and it's the threes that are more difficult.  We haven't even hit three yet (tomorrow!), but I already feel the change coming.  

The best way I can describe it is that Trey has really bad PMS.  He's moody, dramatic, emotional, irrational...to list a few adjectives.  Monday we were at the park, and he lost it because we didn't have his musical instruments at the park.  After we got home and he found his instruments, he proceeded to have another meltdown because we weren't at the park.  Sigh...

Randy wanted to go fishing on Father's Day, so we celebrated early as a family.  On Sunday, Trey and I went to the zoo for our first trip of the summer.  With a zoo pass, we tend to go about once a week to see the animals.  This past Sunday we were the first ones through the gates and zipped down to the Africa section.  We were essentially alone for the first 30-45 minutes we were there, and it was awesome.  

 All three lions were out this morning!  

I think the lions are one of my favorite things to see at the zoo.  They are so regal!

 We went down inside the lion exhibit, and Mama Lion was standing right there! 

This is as close as I could get Trey to the lion.  It was AMAZING having her so close.  

 I've never been this close to a lion before.

 The hippos were close too.

 All three giraffes were even out together!

Trey spent a good chunk of time standing right here.  

Didn't want to go anywhere else but just wanted to climb up and down these rocks.  

Maybe this is our new "steps by the elephant exhibit" where he has spent a ton of time in the past. 

The only way I could get him away from "rock climbing" was a trip on the train. 

Trey got a tent from Uncle Bob and Aunt Lisa for his birthday last year.  For some reason he thought of it a few weeks ago, and it's been set up in our living room ever since.

It's hard to tell from this picture, but I think the next thing coming into the tent is the kitchen sink.

Getting close to three has also resulted in the question stage.  Last week when we were at Kris and John's, Trey noticed a big vase with tall bamboo coming out.  

Trey: What's that?

Me: Those are decorations.

Trey: What does decorations mean?

Me: You use decorations to make things look pretty.

Trey:  What does pretty mean?

Me: Pretty means beautiful.

Trey: What does beautiful mean?

Me: (sighing...he knows what beautiful means) Beautiful means it looks nice.

Trey: What does nice mean?

Me:  Nice means pretty.