Week 3 of Summer Fun: Tourist in Our Own Backyard / Summer To Do List in DC

Last week, the kids & I visited Mount Vernon with my friend Cristin & her son. Our visit was more like a scouting trip, as we didn’t see much due to time constraints. After we arrived later in the afternoon than we had anticipated (as usual my timing execution was a tad bit off!), we had to unload the car (stroller, water, diaper bag, etc), apply sunscreen, find a bathroom for diaper changes, and then feed the children. So an hour later, we were FINALLY ready to see the estate. Unfortunately, I had to meet Hubby at home by 4:30, so we really only had an hour or so to walk the grounds.

An adult ticket is $15. An annual pass is $25. So with the idea that we will return one day with a better understanding how to time our trip (as in start earlier in the day!), both Cristin & I bought annual passes. The view of the Potomac River is stunning! I can’t wait to go back to take the tour of the house. We only had time to walk the grounds. The kiddo led us around, referring to his Treasure Map. The factoid taken away by the kiddo is that George Washington was our first president. He also liked the donkey & horse in the stables.

I have started a list of sights to see/things to do this summer in between our summer travel:
• C&O Canal in Georgetown
• DC Duck Tour
• Tour Mobile
• Mount Vernon
• National Capital BBQ battle
• Open a savings account with kiddo (ceremonially emptying of the piggy bank)

As an aside, in the fall baby & I intend to visit (sans kiddo):
• Tea @ National Cathedral
• Spy Museum
• U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
• National Portrait Gallery

So much to do, just need to get organized!

It's summertime, and the livin's easy!!

Week 1 of Summer Sanity Test (aka Summer Break has begun!)

Day 1, Tuesday

It’s 2:00 in the afternoon. Already we have been to the Splash Park in the morning, had lunch, and the boy is happily watching Tom & Jerry cartoons. After 2 recorded episodes (love the DVR!), I put in Tom & Jerry “Shiver Me Whiskers” and have promised myself that once it’s finished we will do something productive (i.e. no TV!).

Something Productive:

(Yes, I am fully aware that the boy has his shirt on inside out and backwards. Pick your battles, people.)

Continuing the pirate theme, we opened up one of his birthday gifts – a pirate chest painting kit. I tried to give a lesson on primary colors and mixing paint which was totally lost on him. He did take great delight mixing all the colors to make a very dark brown-black color. While he painted and fiddled with the lock & key, I put on some Reggae music, which was a flop. Then I tried the Tropicales music channel which he tolerated a bit better. Our little parrot girl loved the music as well as being held by Captain Mommy. Right now she is hanging out on the poop deck (i.e. floor mat). The boy has disappeared down below to play. I turned off the music and here I sit with the blissful sounds of a baby cooing waving a rattle, a boy playing make-believe and the click-clack of my nails hitting the keyboard.

And no sooner as I get into groove and organize my thoughts, the parrot is squawking. Too much poop? Is it time for another diaper & outfit change? Seriously, the velocity at which poop comes out of the girl is like rocket propulsion, as evidenced by the aftermath. But here I digress. I’ll be back….

4:30pm. What to make for dinner? The grill is open now, so that widens the menu choice. Hmmm…the fridge is a bit bare, requiring a grocery trip tomorrow with both kids. Lovely.

INVENTORY CONTROL:
One of my many non-stop job duties is managing inventory. My current project is throwing overboard all that is weighing us down. We haven’t played a CD in years. The CD player got packed up two moves ago and never got unpacked. Now it’s all

And we now take a break to play “Hide and Go Seek”

DAY 2, Wednesday

So I never completed writing about Day 1. Once again, writing complete thoughts on the minutiae of my life is not meant to be and frankly is not that interesting. But I do want to highlight and remember the constant shifts in my attention during this blissful time at home.

All mothers have been drilled into their heads that their children should not watch too much TV, unless you want them to be obese, lack social skills, and be more aggressive. (I’m sure I read that somewhere in a government-funded study!). I just want my child to stop reciting commercials back to me. The kid is a big advocate for OxyClean because “It CAN clean through the toughest stains.” I’ve heard this more than my fair share. Which makes me wonder, really how many times has he seen that commercial? This is my indicator that my boy does indeed watch too much television.

But the TV is the fallback for me. I want 20 minutes extra of sleeping time in the morning – TV babysitter. I need to make a phone call – TV babysitter. Can I just get 15 minutes of uninterrupted time so I can start dinner?! -- TV babysitter. And then the next thing I know, it’s hours and hours of TV. SO one of my goals is to redirect the boy for imaginative play without necessarily involving me. For the record, I am NOT good at re-enacting any of the Star Wars movies. My attention span for playing Star Wars Legos unfortunately is about as long as a Billy Mayes’ Oxyclean commercial!

Less TV is an admirable goal but one that requires organization and planning to execute. Today we had scheduled a play date with one of his preschool classmates. No one of sane mind would be outside today though with temperatures in the mid-90s and a blanket of humidity. We opted for bowling indoors with A/C (and a beer for the Moms). The kids had a blast. My own kiddo declared “Mom, bowling is my new favorite sport!” Almost 3 hours of fun! I know it’s been a good productive day when the Boy falls asleep in the car on the way home! But then right back to that TV babysitter.

What’s on the agenda for tomorrow? Day 3 Park with neighborhood friends in the morning and then an afternoon of errands of which I need to mentally prepare myself – the mall for a hopefully quick in-and-out of one store, library, and grocery store.

Next week camp starts. Whew! I will only be responsible for half a day. Thank goodness!