On our family vacation to Myrtle Beach this year, we spent one day at the aquarium! We went once back when Kaya was still just 20 months old, so we figured it’d be fun to try it again, this time with older kids. It turned out to be a lot more enjoyable this time around, and hey, it was a great opportunity for some “homeschooling”.We happened to be there on the day that public school started for the area, so it ended up being a lot less crowded than a typical day, since there were no field trips, et cetera.  It’s always fun seeing their wonder and amazement at everything. Can you find Michael among the fish?
Kaya loved the light-up tunnel that led to the jelly fish room.We spent quite awhile watching all the jellyfish swim. Their movements seem to have some sort of mesmerizing effect, and they really are quite fascinating creatures. We did spend some time learning about them beforehand, so it was fun to review some of our jellyfish facts. (Did you realize that jellyfish don’t have brains?)There were many different varieties……including these “upside down” jellyfish!Daddy, Kaelyn and I even touched some little ones!Kaelyn was beyond excited to see the sharks, and continually asked about them until we finally reached their tank. I’m really surprised at how much affection she seems to have for these sharp-toothed creatures, but she was ecstatic over them.I really loved all the rays……and especially this sawfish! How cool is he? There’s a “shark tunnel” that you can walk/ride a conveyor belt through, which is really neat for looking up and seeing these giant fish swimming above you.Seahorses!And my other favorite, the Sea Dragons! We had a little break so that Nella could nurse. The big kids had fun on an indoor slide while they waited!A random lady asked if we’d like her to take a picture of all of us, so of course, I said yes, but Kaya was still scared of the megalodon jaw replica behind us.We spent some time watching (and touching) the horseshoe crabs!Did you know horseshoe crabs’ blood is used for testing for bacteria in drugs and medical equipment? They’re often referred to as “living fossils”, and are very interesting creatures, if you want to read more here.Nella was a sweetie the whole time we were there, just sitting in the stroller and taking it all in. She might have missed her nap, but she was still a dream baby. We love this contented little girl.