Shedd Aquarium

Tuesday was a very exciting and exhausting day for us. My mom, me, and the girls woke up early to catch a train into Chicago and we were running a little late so we actually running. The train ride was pretty good, just being on a train kept the girls' attention for awhile and then we broke out the snacks.

We were paying attention to the stops so we wouldn't miss our stop and we were standing at one of the exits but the doors didn't open and after we asked some other riders, we found out that we had to be at the front of the train to get off there. We ended up getting off at the next stop and having to walk several blocks back to the Museum Campus where the aquarium is. It was a long walk but we enjoyed seeing some of Chicago, like the Buchingham Fountain, Grant Park, and the marina.

Once we got to the aquarium we got right in because we purchased our tickets ahead of time. I think Lily was a little overwhelmed at first but once she figured out she was going to see sharks and dolphins she was very excited. Our first stop was the Wild Reef where we were able to see some very cool sharks. The video has a lot of background noise but it shows the sharks better than any pictures I tried to take.

From there we decided to head to the Oceanarium before it got too busy. They just redid it and added some very cool things for kids. There was an area where you could touch a starfish and there was the underwater viewing of the dolphins, sea otters, and beluga whales. We also saw the penquins and next to that there was an area to dress up like penguins and play.

Lily just loved this part but it was a little too much for Sadie. She didn't mind dressing up but when we put her on the slide they had there, she just cried. Sadie felt best all day when she was in her stroller. After playing in the lower part of the Oceanarium, we headed up to find seats for the show. Our timing was perfect, we found some great seats and the girls were able to have a little snack before the show started.

The girls loved the show, especially the dolphins jumping. I was a little disappointed because it was very short and it used to be better. They did explain that they were still getting back into it after being closed for so long with the construction. They are working on a better show that won't be ready until later in the summer. I think it was just the right length for the girls but my mom and I were hoping to see more. Lily's favorite part was when the 3 dolphins all jumped at once. I think Sadie liked it when any of the dolphins jumped....especially if they landed with a huge splash.

After the show, we quickly headed to the BubbleNet Cafe and got our lunch. We found a table by the window and enjoyed our food while looking out onto Lake Michigan. We tried to see some more of the main floor after lunch but it was discount day and the main floor was free, so it was more than crowded. We couldn't even get close enough to see anything so we decided to call it a day and head home. As we were walking to the train station it started to rain lightly and after we got there, it just downpoured. Thankfully we were only a little wet. The train ride home was pretty uneventful, the girls had another snack and we talked about our favorite parts of the aquarium. Lily and Sadie fell asleep almost instantly when we got in the van to go back to Grandma's house.

They both fell asleep cuddling with the dolphins we found for them at the gift shop. I think that it was a great day, especially for Lily. Sadie didn't quite understand all that was happening but she did great.