Another fun day in DC

Yesterday was a really hot day here. We walked all over the place so I stopped to let Sam play in the water.

We went to the National Aquarium. I was a little disappointed with it (because it was really small), but Sam had fun watching the Alligators.

 

Here is Sam in front of the Washington Monument

Oh the Smithsonian...what an incredible place. Here are some of my favorites...

The Greensboro Lunch Counter

I will admit, I was a little bit choked up when I saw this! I love Michael Jackson.

The Star Spangled Banner was the neatest thing at the museum in my opinion. You can't take pictures in there so this is just the outside. I can't believe that they have the actual flag that Francis Scott Key wrote the National Anthem about. What a neat experience to be able to see that and learn all of the history surrounding it.

The First Lady section was also one of my favorites.

The Ruby Slippers are the only thing I remember from the museum when we came as kids. So neat!

I have to say that I am liking being here more each day. I love all of the fun exploring that Sam and I get to do. The only real downfall is our apartment. It's just gross and I struggle being here. I try to leave for the whole day so I don't have to be here. I will continue you to keep you posted on our adventures!

Nightly Walks

Every night we go for a walk with Sam before bed time. It's a way for her to run around and get her energy out since we are stuck in a small apartment all day. Here are some pictures of our walks...

Here is our walk last night to the White House

Here is Sam at the park by our house. She looks like a boy in this picture (she is wearing a "Take A Bite Out Of Crime" shirt that Nic bought her at the Crime Punishment Museum. She loves watching the skateboarders. 

 

Sam Updates

Since we are away from our families I thought I would so some updates on Sam and what she is doing right now.

She is 11 months old (closing in on a year soon)

• Loves walking/running everywhere
• Is kind of saying: "Hi" (which sounds like eye), "Daddy" (which sounds like ahdah), and "Doggy" (which sounds like duh).
• If you sing or say "la la la" she will imitate singing
• Is drinking whole milk now
• She LOVES books
• She loves her new doll-she literally has it with her all of the time!
• She waves & says Hi to EVERYONE we see, especially since we got to DC
• She loves all animals
• She is very social and happiest when she is with a lot of people
• She loves spending time with her dad
• She is a really good eater--loves vegetables and everything!
• She is obsessed with the Disney movie "Three Caballeros" she will sit still and watch it anytime you put it on. Don't ask me why, I have no idea!

What a weekend!

I have so much to blog about! We have been on a dead run since we moved to DC and this weekend was no exception!

Saturday Morning=White House
Yes, we got to tour the White House. It was kind of an emotional experience for me. Standing in a building that symbolizes so much. Standing where so many men and women of history have stood. Not to mention it was so beautiful. I would highly recommend going there if you ever get the chance. It was so awesome.

Uncle Tim & Carol= SO MUCH HELP!
My Uncle Tim had saved my cousins crib, high chair, and a bunch of toys from when she was little. When they found out that we were moving to DC they offered to let us borrow their baby things for the summer. So Tim & Carol drove down from PA just to deliver everything to us. We are so grateful to have those things for Sam, they are already making our life so much easier. We spent the rest of the weekend with them, seeing Annapolis, Chesapeake Bay, LDS Washington DC Temple, eating at great restaurants. It was so nice to see some familiar faces and have the opportunity to spend time with them.

Here are a bunch of pictures for you....

Sam with her new toys from Uncle Tim & Carol

Chesapeake Bay & Boat Tour

Sam having her 1st Dunkin Donut...now she's a Brown!

Our new church for the summer

Washington DC Temple

National Museum of Crime and Punishment

Ok, if you go to DC you have to check this place out. They have real murder weapons from famous cases, actual crime scene photos, tons of weapons, bios on criminals, finger print analyzing, a lie detector machine, jail cells, electric chairs, so much I can't even write about all of it. The coolest thing about the place is that it is where America's Most Wanted is filmed! Nic and I watch that every Saturday night, so it was pretty cool to be there on the actual set.

Here are some pictures of our day yesterday...

Getting on the subway

Nic at the Cop Shop

Sam checking out Ted Bundy's Car

Me escaping from my prison cell

It was so cool to see the section on Interpol, which is who Nic is working for this summer!

Us at The Mall...Nation's Capitol to one side, Washington Monument to the other. So cool!

We had lunch in Chinatown...such good food and awesome shopping.

D.C. so far...

OUR FLIGHT:
Better than I expected, but I still wasn't a huge fan of flying with an 11 month old. We had an angel of a flight attendant who was so good to us and we were able to sit together in the back of the plane WITH a seat inbetween us, so Sam basically got her own seat. She did throw up on Nic and pee on me, but we made it through ok.

OUR APARTMENT:
Totally gross, but Nic has worked so hard to make it comfortable for me. The first thing we bought when we got here were cleaning supplies and rubber gloves. I am trying very hard to feel comfortable here, but I will admit it has been hard. We are living in a great location and we really can walk everywhere so I am grateful for that. To describe our apartment, it's next door to a Pica Taco, and it's a serious "basement" apartment. It's basically a studio, very small. Nic and I are adjusting to a double bed, and right now Sam is sleeping in a suitcase until my Uncle brings us a crib (my Uncle is so generous and is driving down from PA to bring us a crib, high chair, and toys for Samantha!). The apartment has a full kitchen and I am grateful for that. Right now I am just really missing having a TV and a kitchen table.

So it sounds like I am just complaining...and so far that's all I have done ;) I think it will just take awhile to adjust to. It's just hard to not have a yard, a car, and all of your comforts from home. Sam's schedule is all thrown off and I am struggling on how to put her down for her naps without a rocking chair. I don't know if I am homesick or just taking awhile to adjust. I am trying to focus on the fact that this is a really neat opportunity for us and that we will probably never get to do this again. I also think things will get better as I feel more comfortable in this city and learn where everything is. I wish I knew someone out here to do playdates with, maybe we will make some friends at church that have some young kids too.

Here are some pictures so you can see what we have done so far...

Ben's Chili Bowl, a famous DC cultural eatery, was SO good. We loved the food and I am sure we will be back again. It's only about 3 blocks from our house.

Here is Nic going done into our hole apartment. The steps are killer, they are so steep its almost a ladder!

Here is Sam exploring our new place.

This is our view looking out our front door, nice!!

Our trip to the Zoo has been the highlight so far. It is so huge and we didn't even come close to seeing it all. I am glad that we have a lot of chances to go back!

Here is a beautiful park by our apartment. I LOVE that there are squirrels everywhere. I have never seen black squirrels before and they have them here.