Columbia, District of: Day 3

Jon had classes again Saturday morning, so as on Friday, Maddie and I were up bright and early, wandering the streets in search of food. (I like melodrama. I think it adds a certain, special something to my posts.) Having slept until a normal waking hour and also having just mastered waving, Maddie proceeded to greet each. and. every. single. person. we. met. In fact, in the coffee shop, there were too many people to wave at, so she sat in her stroller with both arms stretched over her head, smiling like a maniac. It was seriously adorable and probably number one on my Top 5 list for D.C. We took our breakfast to the pier again, shared the muffin, played in the sand for the first time (and with a sculpture for the first time, for that matter), and headed back to the hotel for a little pool time before her morning nap.

Following her nap and the return of Daddy, the three of us took a water taxi over to Alexandria, VA where we were supposed to catch a 2:30 p.m. river tour to Georgetown. While Maddie and I played in a square, Jon went in search of lunch, which we ate while waiting at what we thought was our dock. It was not. So, we missed the boat we were scheduled to be on and had to take the 3:30 tour.

Once on the boat, we thought Maddie might enjoy sitting in the bow where she could see the water, feel the wind, etc. There was a voice in the background going on about splashing or something, but we were sure it would just be minor spray. (Also, we had elected to play Russian Roulette with Maddie's nap that afternoon. We thought she might nap in her stroller, but we also knew that without a quiet room and a crib, there was a very good chance she might not take her nap.) A note to fellow travelers: Always listen to the voice in the background talking about "splashing", do not interpret "splashing" as "spray", and remove your already tired and cranky baby from a splash zone that would make Sea World jealous. About 15 minutes into the trip, a HUGE wave washed over the bow (okay, it was probably just a large-ish splash, but again, I love melodrama), soaking both Maddie and me. Being covered in dirty, smelly Potomac water, she, of course, began to wail, which is exactly what I wanted to do, but sadly, we were in public, and I had to act like an adult. (Acting like an adult means complaining about it to Jon for the remainder of the boat ride.) We took her back into the covered, dry portion of the boat, and Jon and I proceeded to play another grueling round of Pass-the-Baby. This was the intermediate level in which the baby is wet and angry and the parents are hot and frustrated. (To be completely honest, I was also pretty wet and angry having taken the time to straighten my hair which now had to be pulled back into a less than attractive knot after being combed with a baby comb...) Finally, on the trip back, Maddie nursed and then fell asleep for about 30 minutes.

Thank God for that because at 5 p.m., we were supposed to meet Larry, Nancy, and Chris at the Chart House for dinner. As we staggered in late (because our return boat didn't leave on time), bedraggled, and tired, I think all three of us were in less than pleasant moods, but Maddie cheered everyone up by being completely silly through most of the meal, and dinner ended up being fine.

After dinner, Maddie went back to the hotel with Nana and Pa, and Jon, Chris and I walked around oldtown Alexandria in search of a few souvenirs and a good beer. We ended up at Murphy's, an Irish pub complete with a man performing traditional Irish drinking songs. (He was wearing a tropical print shirt, but we decided to ignore that little atmospheric faux-pas.) After a few rounds of the previously sought after libation, Jon and I headed back to Maryland to sleep for a few hours before waking up to pack, pick up our daughter, and get ready for the trip home.

Here are a few pictures from Day 3. For the complete pictures from our trip, check out the link at the bottom of Columbia, District of: Day 1.

Maddie, playing in the sand and with a sculpture titled "The Awakening"

Maddie in a square in oldtown Alexandria

Wet, cranky Maddie on the boat, post Potomac baptism