D.C. Toddler Time!

Chris and I went to D.C. last winter with his aunt and sister.  However, before that, it had been about five years.  Maybe longer?  I think the last time we went, we were in undergrad.  Chris's parents live in northern Virginia, so when visiting them, we used to enjoy catching the metro in Springfield and riding all around with our $6.50 all-day passes.  We went to college in a little town called Farmville, so getting to go to DC and checking out Urban Outfitters, having so many food options, walking the streets while looking up at tall buildings, and watching the bustling city filled us with excitement.  It felt special.

Years later, I was excited to take Eliot into the city for the first time.  We wanted to take him to the Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaur bones, and I knew he'd really enjoy riding the metro.

Things change, friends, and I feel old.  The all-day pass is now $14.  Goodness!  It was less expensive to just buy the exact fare, which was no big deal--I knew Eliot couldn't handle wandering the city all day like we used to.  From Springfield to the Smithsonian stop, it is a straight, quick trip.  A handful of stops, but nothing too far.  This weekend, though, they were working on a few lines, so we had to get on at Springfield, get off at Braddock, take a bus to Crystal City, get back on the metro, and continue on our way to Smithsonian.  At least the bus was free....

Also, we had been hoping the forecast would stay in the 40s, which it dipped to 30, windy, and there were actually snow flurries!  Chris and I trodded the city many times in the cold, and I'm sure I was a bucket of complaints then too, but it is different when you have a toddler.

Eliot was so excited for his "choo choo ride," and kept saying, "Allll aboard," a phrase that I didn't realize he knew.  We were all having a good time until the bus ride.  It was crowded, Eliot wasn't happy, and we had a long road ahead of us.  I think it took us two hours to get to Smithsonian--right at Eliot's nap time and he hadn't had lunch (no eating on the metro!).  We managed to get subs and he was in better spirits (exhausted, but happier).  We made it to the museum...  And it was worth it.

Eliot loved seeing all of the dinosaurs.  He gets stoked to take pictures with my phone (seriously thinking of making him his own Instagram), so he told all of the fossils to say "cheese" and took their pictures.  So funny.  Chris's dad paid for Eliot and Chris to ride a carousel outside of the museum too, which was really cute.  I love seeing the wonder in his eyes.

Then it was time to begin the journey home.  It was long, tiring, and my pregnant bones were exhausted by the time we made it back to Chris's parents' house about 5:30 pm.  We had left at 10:30 am to begin our trip, so Eliot took a much-needed (but short) nap.  Throughout the commute to and back home, Eliot had a few manageable meltdowns, but considering everything we put him through, the kid was a champ.

Next time, I'll wait until it is warmer and make sure the metro isn't being worked on.  They say having kids changes things, and, yeah, it takes a lot more planning, but it wouldn't have been so difficult if the metro had been in working order.  And while our trip was more commute and less "fun" than I hoped, going to that museum was so much more enjoyable with our son than it ever was with just the two of us (and that was fun back then too!).  Life with a babe requires logistics, but it is so much more rewarding.