To the Zoo

(Petrified after begging to ride the carosel)
On Friday, the Powells 3 1/2 journeyed to the Birmingham Zoo to celebrate the fact that Emma had slept in her big girl bed 2 nights in a row. I know that many of you are wondering why this is a monumental occasion, but I must preface this by letting you know the battle that we are enduring currently with our baby girl. Since Jeremy's trip to the hospital at the beginning of July, Emma has struggled with security and comfort. We decided to not really battle this challenge until we made the move and now that we have been here almost a week, we are already seeing changes for the better.
(Daddy is showing me a spider spinning a web. He still loves them.)
Emma ended our stay in Fort Worth sleeping on a palet in the floor by Mommy and Daddy's bed occassionally waking up during the middle of the night with nightmares. Before we brough her into our room, she was refusing to go down in her bed and violently fighting us as we attempted the regular routine we had maintained for 2 years before. She claimed that there was a dinosaur in her bed and would refuse to stay in her room at all, even if Jeremy and I were in there with her.

Since arriving, we are able to put her in her own bed at night, even though we have to wait until she falls asleep (about 10 minutes). I still count that as progress because we were unable to even aproach her room before, much less lay her in her bed. She went down for a nap in her bed today for the first time in WEEKS. We are still working towards the finished product and are prayerfully hoping to achieve it before Abbi gets here. So join us in that prayer.

(probably everyone's favorite exhibit - even Mommy. He really showed off for us as we had our own private time with Mr. Tiger. Daddy attempted to pet him through the glass and Mr. Tiger seemed to like that.)

In the mean time, enjoy these fun pictures with Emma and her first, of many, trips to the Birmingham Zoo.