Birch Aquariam with Lulu

October is San Diego museum month, all kids get in free!  Today we met up with Elena's friend Lulu and her mom Rebecca at the Birch Aquarium.  The Aquarium is small compared to the aquariums Carl and I grew up with but it is geared toward younger kids.  The girls loved it.

The girls checking out the Leopard Sharks.  It was feeding time!

 Close up of the leopard shark.

 These sharks share their tank with sting rays and other fish.

 Not sure if this is a funny face picture or a fishy face picture :)  Maybe both??

 "Nemo!"

 This tank was huge, maybe two stories tall.  It was mesmerizing to watch the schools of fish swimming around.

 Outside there were a variety of activities.  The space also opened up views of the Pacific Ocean.  It was really pretty awesome.

 Tide pools you could stick your hand in and with two fingers gently touch the critters.

 Elena touched the pink star fish, sea urchin and she caught a fish with her bare hands.  The fish didn't want to be touched, let along caught, but Elena was persistent.  She was gentle, kept it in the water and released it quickly.

 Seahorses

 The girls loved the dragon seahorses.  I must admit, they are pretty awesome.  They are the plant-like things floating in the tank.

 Back outside in another area, there were science stations set up.  This one had a tide running through.  The kids used walls to build rivers and dams, then sent boats floating down.  There was also a music station and a few activities geared for slightly older kids.

 Ah, shark!!!!

Charlie slept in his sling for the few hours we were there.  The girls had a great time but this was bitter sweet...fun today but soon Lulu and her mom will be joining her dad in Japan where he is deployed for at least one more year.