Daddy Don't Need No Wii

The other day Weston forwarded me an email with the following phrase in the subject field:

"Why Daddy Needs a Wii" 

 

This video was attached.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_mBLWpdwnI

I responded:

"You don't need a wii for that."

We took the kids to the 

National Aquarium

in Baltimore today.

I hardly know where to begin in my attempt to describe how much I looked forward to this day.  It wasn’t so much for the Aquarium itself, although it is significant because in the six years we’ve lived here we’ve never been able to bring ourselves to pay the EXORBITANT entrance fee.  We chose this as our destination today because in 3 weeks, Adam will turn 3.  Old enough to add another head to the you-must-pay-to-enter count.

But the main reason I was anticipating it so much is because it was a scheduled date with dad.  Weston has so much on his plate these days that I often feel starved (and jealous) for time with him, and our quality time as a family.  He told me this was a day he could set aside for us and I put it in my calendar.  

In pen.

We had a great time touring the museum and examining all the marine life on display.   

Here the boys are investigating the anemones.  

They were also very impressed with the electric eel. 

 Well, we all were.  (Sorry, no good pictures of the eel.) 

My personal favorite was the dolphin show.  

It was so enjoyable to watch the dolphins play with each other and interact with their trainers.

I have a soft spot in my heart for dolphins.  They were always my favorite as a kid. 

After lunch we climbed a flight of stairs and were met by these three penny-squishing machines.  The big black cranks immediately drew the boys to them like the most powerful magnet in the world.  I took one look at Weston and couldn’t help but point out the genes he contributed to the pool.  Somehow he has always found these machines to be irresistible.  Well, the boys are definitely chips off the old block.  Fortunately to a four-year-old, a good turn of the crank is adequate entertainment and doesn’t necessitate actually going through the process of getting your entire dollar ripped off.

We bought tickets for the whole kit n’ caboodle, including the 4-D immersion show.  The thought never occurred to me that it might not be completely fascinating to the boys.  I thought they would absolutely love the 3-D element plus the special effects (rumbling seats, mist in your face, bubbles…)

There were a few startling moments.  In particular you feel a poke in your back when the animal makes a sudden motion on the screen.  We were trying to encourage Peter to keep is glasses on, so he could get the full effect.

We sat through the preview, a fast-paced offering of what was to come.  Then silence in the theater.  Just enough silence for EVERYONE to hear Peter exclaim, “This is NOT a good movie!”  

Annelise was a champ.  She sat cozily in the moby wrap for almost the entire day.  Occasionally emerging to nurse but never quite getting to sleep.  For how zealously I’ve been guarding her nap schedule, I’m surprised she didn’t completely freak out as the hours passed and she gradually accumulated a total of about 4.5 hours of lost sleep.  Well, she did freak out eventually.  Fortunately it wasn’t until we were almost home.

 It was a great day.

Keeping It Real

This is what the boys' room looked like this morning when I walked in.  

Just to set all of you straight who may be thinking that my life is always idyllic.

p.s. that was a joke.

I tried to get them to clean it up this morning but we all know that it's easier just to do it onesself.....so it's still not done.  Now I have two kids sleeping and the middle one will go down in a few  minutes after he's done with his episode of lunch eating intermittent with overtiredness tantrums. 

Three kids napping.  This hasn't happened in about forever.  Oh, wait.  I guess this has never happened.  

It's a miracle.  And not a moment too soon because last week was a bear and right now I feel like a  heifer and I need to get off my feet.  Hmmmm.....which one will win out?  Scripture study and a nap.....or blogging.  I guess you'll know soon enough.