Aquarium Re-Opening

 Like many families in the Salt Lake Valley, we have anxiously waited for the re-opening of the Living Planet Aquarium.  I feel like we were a little more anxious than most as Faye's shark obsession started shortly after the old location closed.  Since we had purchased membership passes last year, our family was able to attend the weekend before the official opening!  We met up with Heidi, Ryan, Viv, and my mom.  Thank heavens Mom had her camera, Faye and I had come from a baby shower and I had forgotten mine.

We were so excited to see Faye's reaction to the exhibits! 

Tucan.  I am loving Mom's new camera lens; you can hardly tell she shot this through the mesh.

Unfortunately, two thirds of the exhibits were empty and what would be fun play areas were still under construction.  For instance, here we stand at the "helm" of their giant ship.  The wall behind us still had the builder's scribbles of planning on them, no helm was in the room, just a white empty room with a window. 

 

However, the three big exhibits were filled with animals and so fun to watch.  Faye was so excited about the penguins!  She was so intrigued by the refraction of the water and was continually playing with looking above the water level and underneath it as well.

The floor below showed plenty of swimming room for the penguins. Faye and Alan loved finding the penguins as they were swimming.

Viv was entranced by the swimming penguins, too!  So fun to watch her little head whip around as she watched those penguins dive in.

The otters were just as much fun and seemed to enjoy the attention.  They swam laps right next to the glass where all the children were.

Loving the crawl tunnels.

 

The shark tunnel was the last exhibit on the tour.  Luckily it was filled with just what we came to see.  Faye was ecstatic about the sharks!  She jumped and cheered and pointed every time one swam by.  We stayed at this exhibit for at least half an hour, it was brilliant watching Faye's excitement.

Showing daddy a shark.

It was so strange to be at the opening event for the aquarium while so much of it was still incomplete.  Even the shark tank was covered in construction paper as you can see in our little family photo.  Love the photoboming ray.

Faye is speaking so well as of late.  She was very excitedly telling Grandma Lisa all the parts of a shark: tail, belly, teeth, back, fin, nose, eye, etc. So adorable.

Since today was the first time back to the aquarium, we splurged and let Faye pick out a toy.  She quickly found a plush tiger shark to never left her side.  It was hard to limit myself to only one shark related prize, but we happily indulged in the shark books on the reading table.

Hopefully the aquarium will have their other fish in soon, we can't wait to see it all put together.