So just like that, on Tuesday, 10/11, Michael headed to DC to start his new job.  Now, dear Reader, while I LOVE my independence, while I am never, ever bored and hardly ever lonely, this is going to be harder than I thought. And not just because there is no, ‘can you put the baby in the bath while I make dinner?’ happening now, but there is no, ‘end of the day time’ happening now. This is the time when the baby is asleep and Michael and I sit on the couch and talk grown up talk even if it’s only for 15 minutes because we are so stinking exhausted. This, I will miss.

But again…we will press on…

Because in exchange for those 15 minutes, there is much fun to be had in the coming year, many adventures. And the most awesome trade off is that Michael is the Resident Director of Les Mis! Hoooray! It finally sunk in when we pulled up to the big old Kennedy Center and saw the giant Les Mis banner that said ‘Dream the Dream.’ I almost peed my pants.

So before Michael had been away 3 full days, the baby and I packed up and hopped on a train to DC. We had a blast, an absolute blast. First of all the weather was tremendous. Secondly, he is the most delightful, little adventurer around. Lastly while Michael worked, we did just about everything you can possibly do in DC shy of getting ourselves three trillion dollars into debt.

We hit the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History where we saw dinosaurs and whales and various other crazy things like the Hope Diamond.

I want you to get a close look at it in case you need any Christmas present ideas for me.

The baby had the most fun throwing his ball down the wide corridors. And while I thought this was a bad idea, other people cheered him on, caught the ball, kicked it back to him. They clapped and laughed and a group of tourists took his photo all at the same time while he posed and smiled as if he were Angelina Jolie.

Finally I had to pick him up and get him out of there before it started to get too weird.

He then played soccer on our National Mall…

In front of the Washington Monument…

In front of the United States Capitol…

Inside the Library of Congress…

We took a tour of the Capital

(those ladies up there painted inside the dome of the Capital hanging out with George Washington are supposed to represent the 13 colonies), and whizzed through the Library of Congress (I only got a photo of the corner).

We went to the National Aquarium which was really disappointing and not our Nation’s proudest moment. We should just leave that to the Cousteaus. We hightailed it over to the National Museum of American History where we saw exhibits on the Presidents, the Civil War and other important things like…

Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers (clearly made of sequins)

Kermit the Frog

Julia Child‘s Kitchen

Archie Bunker‘s Chair! My favorite!

Articles of clothing worn by the First Ladies.

We walked over to the National WWII Memorial where he proceeded to run as fast as he could into to the giant Memorial Fountain right past the sign that says…

Please Be Respectful and Stay Out of the Fountain

So I scooped up the baby and he howled in defiance. Thank goodness there were several WWII Veterans visiting the Memorial that day who took one look at him and threw their heads back with laughter. They didn’t seem the least bit disrespected.

From here I dragged him over to the Lincoln Memorial where he proceeded to climb all the way up to the top while resting onlookers cheered him on.

Oh! And guess who arrived in DC at the Kennedy Center the same day we did? Jacques! He was attending a special performance of Suzanne Farrell‘s ballet company. They were playing a video on a loop in the main hallway of the two of them dancing back in the day. I told Jacques he really needed to stop following us around.