Weekend in DC

The second week of March, we decided to take a weekend trip down to DC to see Johnny's aunt and uncle. We figured it was our last little getaway as a family of three, and we were excited to get out of NYC for a few days. However, as the trip drew closer, everything seemed to be working against us. The day we were supposed to leave, Sally started running a fever and was diagnosed with an ear infection. And a huge snow storm hit. But if we didn't go that weekend, we wouldn't be able to go at all since I was already 35 weeks pregnant. So despite Sally not feeling great and the weather being terrible, we decided to go for it. 

The trip down to DC was super sketchy. The roads had a coating of ice on them for almost the entire trip. And our rental car's windshield wipers weren't working well, and the snow was still coming down. Johnny drove really carefully, but we saw a few cars spin out or pulled off to the side. Thankfully, we made it to Mike and Jill's safe and sound. When we got into their town, Johnny was starving and insisted on getting McDonald's at 11 at night. And their parking lot was by far the most dangerous of all the streets we'd been on. But fast food french fries never tasted so good, and we didn't crash our car, so I guess it was all worth it. 

Sally was in a mood the entire trip. She would be her happy, fun self for a little while, and then cranky Sally would surface. And a tantrum would ensue. It was a tough trip. I think it was mostly because she wasn't feeling great, and she'd been potty trained just a week earlier, so she had a lot going on. We took her to the Natural History Museum one day, and she got to see all kinds of animals and hold bugs. Mike and Jill were great hosts as always, and Sally really loves both of them, which is fun to see. Even though the trip wasn't as easy as we'd hoped, it was still great to get away from it all for a few days.

This is how Sally felt about the bugs:

DC Part IV: The Wedding

This is the final chapter in our DC trip. The wedding was for one of Johnny's friends from high school, and it was an all-day affair. Because of Sally, Johnny attended solo, and then I drove to the reception that night (in downtown DC traffic!). Johnny's aunt and uncle were so kind to offer to watch Sally for us. I had been planning to bring her along, but after getting to the formal dinner and reception, I realized it would have been a nightmare if she'd been there. So thank goodness for them!

It was kind of a romantic getaway for the two of us for a few hours, which was really fun. Johnny looked so very handsome in his tux, and just the simple act of dancing together was simply perfection. We also loved getting our specialty non-alcoholic drinks (ha!) from the bartender and then taking them outside on a balcony and enjoying some peace and quiet together. It was really the perfect night.

Until I ruined it. Of course. I started to get a headache at the beginning of the night, and as the night progressed, it turned into a constant throbbing, and the loud music wasn't making it much better. By the time we left, it was an all-out migraine. Johnny had to pull over, and I threw up in some bushes on the side of the road. How ironic that I was the one throwing up at the end of the night when I hadn't had even one sip of alcohol. Whatever. And then I threw up again in a Chick-fil-a cup in the car. TMI? Yes, sorry. When we got home to Mike and Jill (Johnny's aunt and uncle), I took a few Excedrin and put a rice sock on my head until it went away, which it did. I rarely get migraines, and I swear I only get them in humid weather. But of course I had to get one that night. Still, those few hours alone with Johnny before the throwing up fiasco were blissful. I love my guy so very, very much.

DC Part III: Petting Zoo

Johnny spent the majority of a day in DC doing wedding rehearsal stuff, which left me to come up with something to do with Sally. Luckily, Johnny's aunt and uncle already had a brilliant idea in mind -- a petting zoo!

It was the perfect activity for Sal, and we all had a great time.

I can't believe how much Sally has thinned out since this picture was taken! It makes me kind of sad.

The bird portion of the petting zoo was not Sally's favorite. The birds were really freaking her out. They were very friendly little creatures, and they'd just land on her head, which was too close for comfort for her. Still, she tried to be brave and enjoy herself, which was pretty darn cute. 

The birds scared her, but the goats eating right out of her hand was no big deal. Oh, Sal. What a funny little girl you are.

DC Part II: Mount Vernon

When we visited DC for the first time in November 2012, we mostly toured around downtown DC, walking the Mall, visiting the Smithsonian's, seeing the Constitution and the White House, etc. This time we wanted to do something different, and so we headed to Mount Vernon one day.

Mount Vernon is also super touristy, which made it hard for me to remember how old the place actually was. It almost didn't seem real.

We went on an extremely hot day, and before long, we were all dripping in sweat. I was actually kind of worried about Sally in her stroller because she looked os overheated!

It was fun to see the inside of the house (which we couldn't take pictures of) and to walk the grounds. It was kind of messed up to realize our first president owned slaves (slave quarters pictured above). One area of Mount Vernon is currently being excavated for unmarked graves of slaves, which was pretty sad. We also saw Washington's grave (pictured below), which just sits in this open building at all times for people to walk by. It seemed like such a casual place for our first president to be buried. 

By the end, we were so very happy to get back in an air-conditioned car and try to slowly stop sweating. Until we meet again, Mt. Vernon!

DC Part I

Johnny and I headed to DC for a week in July... and brought Sally long! We were pretty stressed about flying 6+ hours with her, but it went surprisingly well. I was well-stocked with snacks, books, and toys, and the iPad. The iPad saved us, really. And Sally took a two-hour nap both times, which was extremely helpful. And those naps weren't no accident. We had to move heaven and earth to keep her from napping before the flight. And it paid off big time.

But, DC! It was such a heavenly trip. We just had the very best time, and we didn't want to leave. We stayed with Johnny's aunt and uncle while we were there, and they were perfect hosts to a young couple with a toddler. Sally had her choice of stuffed animals and books at their house, and they even had toddler-friendly snacks and meal ideas just for her. It made the trip so easy. And we did quite a few toddler-centered activities... several different parks, a carousel and train ride at the mall, and a petting zoo! 

We also attended a wedding and celebrated the 4th of July while we were there. It was an action-packed trip! The first night in town, we went to the WWII Memorial (which was beautiful) and the Washington Monument. Here are some pictures of that and a few other random pictures from our trip: