Challenges, Lessons & New Sights in Washington, D.C.

Our President’s Day weekend/week was an eventful, and adventurous one full of meeting lots of new family and friends (for B), a wedding, and getting to show Slaed and B my hometown.  We ran into some new challenges as we explored Washington, D.C. and Maryland with B.  At the same time, we learned a lot about how to make our travel fun and adventurous for all of us!

First the challenges:

1. B is teething.  Big time.

2. B is now eating solid foods, which adds a whole new dimension to our routine.

3. We found it best to keep B on west coast time, which meant late starts to our days.

Now some lessons:

1. Plan, plan, plan.

Plan for where and how baby will sleep throughout your escapades.  The sleep part was not such a big deal on day 1 and 2 as we were visiting with friends and in and out of the car seeing sights. B could nap in his carseat.  On day 3, we took the metro into D.C. B was not happy in his stroller. Luckily we were prepared.  See below.

Plan for how and where baby will eat. I’m always on the look out for good spots to nurse, and for me, packing a nursing cover is important so that everyone is comfortable. Sometimes private places outside pop up…we found one on a bench at one of the memorials.  We were also able to sneak into a hotel without anyone noticing we weren’t staying there! We try to have a back-up bottle too in case an easy nursing situation isn’t in the cards. Also, now that B eats some solids we pack baby food as another food option.

Plan for how and where baby will have a chance to be active and play while you are out and about.  This is especially important for our rambunctious little guy.  He loves to be on the move, so he needs some time to be free and explore.

2. A teething baby (at least our teething baby) needs comfort, which is why we think B was not happy in the stroller for this trip. Thank goodness we brought along our ergo & bjorn.  We were able to trade off as Bergen sleeps really well in the ergo, and loves to bop around with his dad facing out in the bjorn.

3. While it may be somewhat overstimulating, dance music and lights can be very entertaining and fun for baby!

Three new sights to us that shouldn’t be missed;

1. World War II Memorial: We were bummed because the fountains and water features were not working, but even without that, it was a beautiful sight, and a lot of fun to explore.

2. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial:  We were expecting a large statue of MLK, but this sculpture is literally larger than life; as well it should be! I like how MLK is shown breaking away from the rest of the “rock”, and then from a distance, all three pieces appear to be set right next to each other.

3. The Old Post Office Pavilion: We stumbled upon this place as we were venturing away from the National Mall, and towards a place to celebrate happy hour.  Recently bought by Donald Trump, it features a beautiful glass ceiling, some dining, and fun shops that would be great entertainment for older kids. BUT, the best part of this sight is the Clock Tower tour. With the help of National Park Service Rangers, you can check out the spectacular views of D.C. from the 318 foot tower.  AND…it’s FREE! A great way to reflect on all of the beautiful buildings, memorials, and monuments of our nation’s capital.  With an older child, I can imagine it being fun to point out all of sights you visited that day.

I guess I was too busy taking in the views to snap a picture!

All in all, a wonderful trip.