For the second half of Lex’s birthday weekend, we took him to the Cleveland Zoo on Monday. We arrived around 1:30 since we knew it was going to be a short day. Lex wanted to ride in the stroller for a change and we stuffed his winter jacket in the bottom pocket.

We decided that we were going to get a season pass this year. It turns out they actually let you go past the ticket booth and inside to buy a season pass. On slow days the pass booth outside is closed. We purchased our pass and it was only 72.00 for the family (in comparison to the 55.00 it cost us to the aquarium). We made it through the Elephant which Lex enjoyed. For some reason, though he didn’t like the moles that were inside.

We went through the Australian section and he was disappointed that the train and the tree house slide were both closed for the season. He was kind of oblivious to any of the animals since he was all hyped about the slide. He had gone down it last time we were at the zoo. There was a little playground/maze area that he got to play in for a bit.

We then headed with the stroller up the hill to the aquarium/cat / primate house. For the record both Xie and I are not fans of that hill, especially when pushing a stroller. We went into the building and didn’t feel like taking the stroller inside. We left it parked by the door like many people do on busy days.

We went inside and saw the tigers. Lex was really excited at looking at the different types of lemurs. By the time we made it to the aquarium section, he really didn’t want to look anymore. He was tired and cranky. It was signaling to us that it was time to go.

We got outside and the stroller was gone. I did a quick scout of the immediate area and there was no sign of it anywhere. Someone stole the stroller and Lex’s jacket. I was fuming. I wasn’t so much mad about the stroller as I was about the jacket. It was getting cooler out, but we would be back at the car before he would have really needed it.

We went to the administrative offices to report the theft. The receptionist called one of the park rangers to arrive and take our statement. We are sitting there in the waiting area with a three-year-old that hasn’t had a nap and is cranky. It was a fun time.

The ranger showed up 15 minutes later, originally he had gone to the wrong building. I filled in all of my information and the information about the stolen items. The ranger stated that usually the items were left in the park and we would get a call if they turned up. In the immediate timeframe, he was going to go down by the front gates and see if he spotted anything. I showed him a picture on my phone of what the stroller looked like.

I walked Xie and Lex down the back hill that exits behind the lake. Once we got near the junction by the elephant area I sent them ahead to the car. I went back up through the Australian area to see if the thief left it on the hill. I then remembered there was a restroom attached to the outside of the primate building. I then scooted all the way back to check that out.

The bathroom was clear. I checked behind some other buildings up top and then headed back down the hill. I checked every restroom and building along the way back to the car. There was no sign of it anywhere. Xie told me that she met the ranger at the gate and he wanted to know the value of the stolen items. She filled in all the missing gaps and was in the car when I got there.

Great fun times at the zoo…..