Giraffe feeding

We had an awesome opportunity as a family to go to our local zoo and have a private feeding of the giraffes. It was such a great time! There were three giraffes (2 adults and 1 baby) whose names are Sweta, Jabari and Zawadi and they would walk right up to us and reach down for the crackers. All three Johnson kiddos got into the action and had the privilege of my mom (Nana) coming with to take video for us - which will be really fun to watch someday.


Here we are cautiously walking up to the giraffes (you can see the personalities of the kids coming out in this photo - Mulu: all about it - ready for action - curious, Aaliyah - cautious but curious - wanting to participate, especially since her brother was doing it - and, as you will see later, participating in the end and Aria - just along for the ride - happy to be held - and watching everything happening around her.




Say cheese!



Mulu getting a turn - he loved this part - where he could feed them on his own - getting more confident and daring each time (even petting their noses a couple of times)



Daddy and baby Aria having a turn. Check out how long the giraffe's tongue is! Shortly after this was taken the giraffe picked up his head and took a big lick of Aria's head - making the little bit of hair she has stick straight up. She was a bit confused - but didn't seem to mind.


and at the last second (we were down to the last cracker that I broke in half for her) Aaliyah fed the giraffe herself - super nervous and giggling with anticipation. She was very proud of herself. I missed the actual feeding - but this is the moment right after (you can see Mulu was right there suggesting her to go ahead, and ready to grab it to do himself if she changed her mind)