Castruccis in DC

Let me start out by saying a few obvious things about our national city:

1. Wow, DC is expensive.  I don't know if it's because I've been living outside of the north east for the last 5 years or not... but wow.
2. DC is beautiful.  It reminds me of European cities.
3. DC is NOT baby friendly.  The restaurants aren't baby friendly, the museums aren't baby friendly, and the people aren't baby friendly.

And now... let me run down our itinerary:

Tuesday, October 19

2:30 PM - We land in Atlanta.  As we are landing... Monkey falls asleep.
3:00 PM - Check in at hotel. 
3:15 PM - Monkey tears apart the hotel room.

4:30 PM - We venture out for an early dinner.  We try Italian.  Little tired monkey has a meltdown in the restaurant, throws food on the floor, spits milk out of his mouth... DC is not amused.

7:00 PM - Silent 7's begins.  Since we were all sharing one hotel room, when Monkey got put to sleep all the lights in the hotel room were extinguished and Brian and I had to be silent until Monkey fell asleep.

7:30 PM - Monkey finally stops crying and falls into an exhausted sleep.

1:30 AM - Screaming Monkey.  Mommy settles him down.

Wednesday, October 20

4:45 AM - Screaming Monkey.  Wide awake - no going back to bed folks.

6:30 AM - First attempt at breakfast with a tired Monkey.  Babies are free at the buffet.  Thank God because we tried scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, toast, omelet, and finally french toast.  Yes... douse it in syrup and Monkey will eat it... at least until he starts spitting it out of his mouth - half chewed.

8:00 AM - Daddy off to the conference, Mommy and Monkey pretend to take a nap (well... Mommy doesn't pretend).

9:30 AM - Mommy and Monkey are off to take on DC.  Cabbie is supposed to take Mommy and Monkey to the Museum of Natural History.  Monkey starts out enthralled by the cab and ends up annoyed that he can't move around and explore - there is some screaming. 

9:50 AM - Mommy pays the cabbie, steps in a gigantic puddle on the way out and as the cabbie moves away she notices they stand in front of the Museum of American History.  But, the good news is that the museums are free and Mommy got to see Julia Childs' kitchen.

 10:30 AM - Mommy and Monkey walk over to the Museum of Natural History where Monkey is awed by the dinosaurs.

 12:00 PM - Mommy and Monkey eat an expensive lunch of yogurt and peanut butter and jelly (Monkey's first) at the museum.  There are a lot of children to watch and this was a successful eating out moment.
12:30 PM - Mommy and Monkey walk around the Mall towards the Capitol.  Monkey makes it very clear he has had it with his stroller.
1:00 PM - Mommy stumbles upon a cabbie who takes us back to the hotel.
1:30 PM - Mommy and Monkey nap for real.
3:00 PM - Monkey plays in hotel room, quickly gets bored and cranky.  Mommy hopes Daddy gets back soon.
4:00 PM - Daddy arrives and Mommy and Daddy get Monkey dressed for the Awards Ceremony that night.  Monkey looks adorable and Mommy and Daddy don't look too shabby either.

5:30 PM - All arrive at the awards ceremony.  Brian's employees and co-workers take Monkey and Mommy doesn't see him again for a few hours (which, considering how cranky Monkey was during the day this wasn't so bad).
6:00 PM - Daddy receives his award.  As Daddy is receiving the award, the crowd goes silent and from the back of the room your hear "Da-Da."

8:30 PM - After having dined on fabulous quesadillas, sliders, and other yumminess at the reception, the Castruccis adjourn to bed.  This time it's "silent 8:30s."
3:00 AM - Monkey wakes up screaming.  Mommy settles him down.

Thursday, October 21

6:00 AM - Monkey wakes up and is ready to go.
6:30 AM - Castruccis make it to breakfast and try the same french toast with Monkey.  This time he eats 2 bites, gets annoyed, and starts to act out.  Daddy eats his breakfast and then takes Monkey to walk around the hotel so Mommy can eat her breakfast.
8:30 AM - Mommy and Monkey nap (both of them this morning).
10:30 AM - Mommy asks the concierge if there is a park or playground close by and (thank the Lord) there is one just few blocks down.
11:00 AM - Monkey, Mommy, and tons of Nannies with their charges are hanging out at the park.  Monkey gets to walk around and explore.  Leaves are the coolest thing ever.

 12:00 PM - Mommy and Monkey meet Daddy for lunch at a restaurant... not a kid friendly restaurant.  Monkey is exhausted and eats some food.  The check is asked for quickly.
12:45 PM - Mommy goes and buys a book at a bookstore (yippee - new book).  Monkey and Mommy make their way back to the park.
1:00 PM - Mommy and a sleeping Monkey hang out in the park.  Mommy reads her book.  Life is good.
2:00 PM - Monkey wakes up and continues to explore the park.
3:30 PM - Mommy and Monkey return to the hotel.  They hang out in the room for 30 minutes before Monkey has a meltdown and then they walk around the hotel... for an hour.
5:00 PM - All go to dinner at a restaurant that Mommy found online that was supposedly "kid friendly."  It was a lie.  Monkey lasts 30 minutes before the start of a meltdown.  The food was bad anyway.
7:00 PM - Silent 7's.

Friday, October 22

6:15 AM - Monkey wakes up... a little bit later every day.
6:45 AM - Breakfast... Mommy eats and then walks with Monkey while Daddy eats.
8:30 AM - Everyone naps.
10:00 AM - All are off to the National Zoo (which, as an aside, I have to say is, hands down, the best zoo I've ever been to and normally I hate zoos because I hate to see the animals captive but I would live at this zoo if they made a habitat for me... a habitat made of chocolate...).  For the next couple of hours, all walk around the zoo in awe.  There are tons of children and Monkey can't decide which is more exciting, the children or the animals... or the statues.

2:00 PM - Sleeping Monkey and Mommy and Daddy start the mile walk back to the hotel.
5:00 PM - Final dinner in DC.  Mommy and Daddy try the Cheesecake Factory... bad idea.  Monkey at his macaroni and cheese in 10 minutes and then was done thank-you-very-much.  Daddy walked with Monkey while Mommy ate.
7:00 PM - Silent 7s... very silent.

Saturday, October 23

7:15 AM - Monkey wakes up.
7:45 AM - Attempt at breakfast.
9:00 AM - Off to the airport... about time.

So, what were our lessons learned on this trip:

1. Staying in a hotel without any family around with a VERY active 14 month old is a bad bad idea.
2. While Brian gets reimbursed for most of his trip because it was a work conference.... Ellen and Monkey do not... it ain't cheap.
3. Babies/todllers don't like eating every meal at a restaurant... they really don't like it.
4. Our baby is still one of the best little fliers around.

Next up... Halloween 2010.

Pharmacologically Supported

Okay... before I jump in and tell you all about DC (in another post) I wanted to finally spill my secret.  So, thanks to Synthroid, Metformin, Progesterone suppositories, and some antibiotic I had to take for a bladder infection I am happy to share with you all that I'm pregnant.

I swear, it's true and somewhere in the highlighted section of the photo below is a little baby at 12 weeks old:

Oddly enough, this was kind of a surprise to Brian and me.  I say "oddly" because as you know from my posts about Evan's conception, I take Metformin to ovulate and therefore I check my ovulation monthly to make sure it is working.  So, one would think that two intelligent people (that would be Brian and I), if they have marital relations (that was the best euphemism I could come up with knowing my mom reads this blog) when the female is ovulating, would then not be surprised when the test comes up positive.  But we were... incredibly surprised and incredulous.  The problem is that it took us so long to get pregnant with Evan that who would have thought... just one time...

Anyway, the first trimester is behind me and this pregnancy is VERY different from Evan's.  Yes, I was EXHAUSTED my first trimester and slept more often than not but I also had nausea and am now having hot flashes.  I'm a little concerned... because with Evan the pregnancy was so easy and I got this even tempered little man... what does this temperamental pregnancy mean?

Anyway, my due date is May 9th (like I need another Taurus in my life - my Dad and Brian) and as it gets closer we will discuss delivery options (I'm hoping that the baby can just teleport from my womb).

And that's my secret...

Things I Should Blog About but Haven't

So I've been a rotten blogger recently. But I promise there is a reason... it's just a secret for the moment. I'll share it with everyone at some point soon... I promise.

To make it up to you I am going to share with you all those things I should have blogged about didn't.

• Went to New Jersey for a visit and there was a purpose behind that visit. My Dad was honored by the Teal Magnolias for his work in ovarian cancer. It was really nice to be able to be a part of that special day with him and my entire family was able to attend. And... my Dad's speech was funny... I mean people laughed out loud and not one pun (one of my Dad's favorite jokes is to ask someone named "Denise" if their brother's name is "Denephew"... understand my joy at his funny speech?).
• Monkey has decided two things: 1) He is fully mobile and no longer needs his stroller thank you very much. Basically he walks almost everywhere and now things take 4 times as long. But he is so cute walking I don't even care. 2) He will no longer eat the same thing 2 days in a row. Or every other day. Or even within the same week. So now this means I have to be super creative about food all the time. I mean, I'm happy he isn't picky... but did he have to go to the opposite?
• Our house is being built... and I don't mean metaphorically. I mean our lot was cleared of unnecessary flora and fauna, there is a hole dug for our foundation, and concrete has been poured. I'll post some pictures once they start framing out the house which I think is either this week or next. I love our builder... he isn't going to make me pick out door knobs. I seriously love him.
• Brian, Evan, and I leave for Washington DC on Tuesday. Brian has been awarded the Young Leadership in Maternal Child Health for the 75th anniversary of HRSA (the men in my life really seem to get professional recognition). The awards ceremony is Wednesday night and Brian will be at a conference most of the time we are there so Monkey and I are on our own in DC...watch out!
• Monkey has learned how to give kisses. Really my mom taught him when we were in NJ AND when he first learned he would only give kisses to my mom but now he does it to Brian and me as well. The upside is that it is so adorable when he does it and he always smiles and giggles. The downside is that he kisses you on the lips with his mouth open and sometimes his tongue hanging out... it's bizarre.
• I understand there is some conversation about the validity of Brian's claim that Monkey, at 13 months, can accurately throw a ball to him.  So, here is some video evidence:

I think that's about as caught up as I can get right now.  I'll try and take tons of pictures in DC and share with you the latest adventures of the traveling Castruccis when we return.

Monkey Business

Look what Monkey can do...