Fun with Abby

Jack got an extra dose of Abby this weekend, with back-to-back adventures at Fairyland and at Fleet Week. Our first trip to Fairyland with my parents was a year or so ago, and I think he enjoyed himself then, but being a little older and having another kid to run around with makes a big difference. He was entranced. He loved it so much. I think I understand now why people who grew up here still talk about it with a certain gleam in their eye. What seemed a little run-down and trashy the first time I visited was suddenly transformed to this place of magic and wonder through the eyes of my 2-year-old. He told me, very emphatically when it was time to leave, "I don't want to go home. I want to stay here forever and ever." Can you blame him?



I tried to soothe his wounded spirit by promising we were going to go see airplanes with Abby the next day,  but it was not a fair trade in his mind. I'm not sure he's that crazy about airplanes. He sort of half-watched them as they roared over our heads, but he was more interested in our picnic, specifically the grapes, and in running up and down the pier at Fort Baker, knocking over people's fishing poles, splashing around in dirty pier water, and testing out what mommy and daddy would deem "too close" to the rocks and the water below.



Eventually I gave up, since I was the least interested adult in the airplanes roaring overhead (as evidenced by the fact that I apparently failed to get a single picture of one), so I took Jack over to the very conveniently located Bay Area Discovery Museum, which I think might have been more of a fair trade for Fairyland. He had a blast. There was a fake tidepool that he spent a good 20 minutes at, amassing and then hoarding a giant pile of crabs. There were giant toys (like the enormous foam lincoln logs pictured below) that made for very interesting play equipment, and a music station where he rocked out. I like how he's started sticking out his tongue while concentrating.
We could've stayed all day-- in fact, Jack repeated his complaint that he wanted to stay forever and ever. But we had to get out before the Blue Angels grand finale because we got stuck in that post-show traffic last year and did not want to make the same mistake again. Poor Jack had another tough time leaving, not helped by the long day in the sun and no nap. He passed out before we had left the parking lot. Sadie slept for ten minutes in the stroller and then chatted enthusiastically the whole way home. She was the one I expected to be a wreck, but I think she had a great time.

Now we need a weekend to recover from our weekend.