We had an amazing day. When we talked about it what we should do last week, Cody and I settled on something we've been dying to do together: a ride on the metro. His very first metro ride ever. It was just us--Granny and Pop Pop stayed home to play with Cordelia, so we could have birthday bonding. Below are the highlights.
Cody's present from Daddy: Silver Surfer #4!
Then, the metro. Cody's first escalator! His first train ride! He loved every moment.
We took the metro straight to the surprise: the Air & Space Museum.
I thought the idea of rockets and planes inside a building would blow Cody's mind. He loved it. There was a kids' exhibit called "How Stuff Flies," which explained things like friction, drag, force, air pressure. I'm afraid Newton's Laws of Motion and Kepler's Laws of Orbital Motion were a bit lost on him, because there was so much stuff to pull and push and spin and touch. And then, to put it all together...
Cody "flying" a Cessna 150.
He thought it was all pretty cool. He was fascinated by the astronaut tool section, especially by the astronaut shovel, scooper, and drill. When I explained that they used them to drill on the moon to bring back soil and rocks to study, concern shadowed his face. "Mom? Do you think the moon minded that those astronauts drilled it and took away some of the soil and rocks?" I assured him the moon, having so much of both, was happy to share her riches with us earthlings.
But the true highlight of the museum was not the moon rock, or the Spirit of St. Louis, or the engine from the Saturn V. No, no. It was...
...wait for it...
...the "astronaut potty."
Apparently this is quite the attraction. Cody blew right past the planetarium and settled in for a good long natter about the mechanics of how astronauts relieve themselves in zero gravity. ("Do they point their penises into that yellow cone? Do they poop into the canister? How do they flush? Where does it go? Do astronauts use toilet paper to wipe their butts? What happens if they run out of toilet paper? How would they get more?")
Then we broke for lunch. We walked outside and Cody pointed to a hot dog stand and said curiously, "What's that?" I explained that it was a hot dog truck (ew). Cody squinted and said, "You mean, you ask the truck for a hot dog and the gentleman inside gives you one?" I said that was pretty much it. "Can I have one?" He was done with it by the end of the block and said, "Mom, I am four years old so I am really hungry. Do you think there might be another hot dog stand in this city?" Naturally, we found one. And got a banana for good measure.
We picnicked by the fountains, then metroed home. On the way, I asked him what his very favorite part of the day had been so far. Without missing a beat he shouted, "Definitely the astronaut potty!" Scarlet, I murmured, "We don't say 'potty,' remember? It's toilet." He corrected himself enthusiastically, "I just loved the astronaut toilet, mom! Can we go back and see it again? I think Dad would be so interested in it!"
It's hard to believe that four years ago, this was my little buddy.
3 comments:
Oh, so, SO priceless!!! What a hoot!!! I'm glad you had such a fantastic hot dog- and space toilet-filled day together! That sounds like the best birthday a 4-year-old could imagine. Wait. He's 4? When did that happen?
That was Aunt Kelly typing :o)
Also, did the moon mind?? He's a boy after my own heart. Maybe he will come be a conservationist at The Nature Conservancy with Aunt Kelly. There's plenty of space in my cube any time he wants to come visit and hug trees! ;)
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