July 4th Staycation

Dear Friends and Family,

SUCCESS!

The kitchen island does not have a single thing on it.

Well, I take that back. It has a book and two shirts on it that we have to bring to school today. But, other than that, it does not have a single thing on it.

BLISS.

I forged an agreement with Mr. mouse.

I agreed that if we cleared off the kitchen island, I'd be game for a staycation.

I woke up and the island was cleared. We packed our bags and headed out for the day.

First on the list was the aquarium. This time, P enjoyed it. She was okay enough with the jellyfish to hang out at one of the tanks looking at the jellyfish swim around. And, she sat on a bench and watched the penguins. She loved playing in the kid's zone and we let her wander around the boat and tent they had set up. I'd consider it a ringing success even if she still wasn't crazy about the whales. I'm looking forward to going again.

Second on the list was lunch. P fell asleep while we were waiting for a table. But, she was game for trying the pastrami when she woke up. She's becoming more accommodating about trying new foods. I'm so proud of her for this.

Third on the list was hotel check-in and pool. Mr. mouse took P down to the pool while I fed the meter and got the car seat. When I got to the pool, she was with Mr. mouse, on her belly, practicing moving her arms in the water. Oh, she's precious.

Next on the list was dinner. We took a cab, got in early, and beat the parking meter back. P was game for trying Mr. mouse's fish. And, while I don't think Mr. mouse ate much of anything, I won't grumble too much.

Not on the list, but a very nice add, was a stop at the lake to walk in the sand and dip our feet in the water. P had a ball carrying sand to the water and throwing it in. She was soaked and covered in sand by the time we left. Looks like someone overcame their fear of the water.

Last on the list was the fireworks. We watched them from our hotel room window. Perfect view. We finished off the evening by singing Happy Birthday to the United States and sharing a cupcake.

I watched a red moon rise while Mr. mouse put P in her pajamas. And, I got to see the morning lake which is so peaceful.

I can't say I've had this much fun in a long time. It really felt like a vacation even if we didn't "go" anywhere. And, bonus, the kitchen island should be completely empty when I get home tonight.


Cheers!
mouse