Blob about the Aquarium

I took the kids to the Maritime Aquarium yesterday. I was so tired later that when I wrote a note to myself to blog about it, I wrote down "Blob about the Aquarium."

Basically I've come to realize, though, that if we don't get out of the house and do something on Friday, we all go insane. With Jack it manifests as whining, with Kate it manifests as general crankiness, with me it's a little of both. Anyway, going out is better. So after Kate's nap yesterday I rounded them up in the car and we headed off to the Aquarium. Membership has its privileges.

Jack likes to climb up on steps in front of some displays to see the fish up close. I held Kate up and she was into it but also maybe a little taken aback when they swam right up close to her (which is understandable). But mostly she was into it. This is the first time we'd gone since she's been walking, so it was cool to see her walk around in the rooms with tanks all over the place. I think mostly she liked having a huge room to walk in.

At the starfish and crab tank, there was a huge class of kids, which was frustrating to Jack. And then to both of us when we came back again 10 minutes later and there was a different huge class of kids. Definitely a drawback with the Aquarium: huge classes of kids on occasion. And I could hold Jack up some, but holding up both Kate and Jack was a challenge, to say the least.

At the shark tank, we all enjoy it, but the kids lose interest far sooner than I do.

I'm a little concerned about the tank with the big sea turtles in it. Six months ago there were 2 huge turtles. One even swam up to the glass and waved at us. That was great. Three months ago, there was only 1 huge turtle. Yesterday, there was 1 small turtle. Jack asked me where the big one was. I said, well, he must be out exercising in the yard. I don't know, it was all I could think of.

The Aquarium has a play area/tumble room type place for kids under 5. Lots of mats and things to climb over and jump on. I wanted to take Jack there, one to get him some exercise, and two because he can be shy in those situations. We went, and for a few minutes he clung to my leg. Kate immediately walked around and around and around, and side to side. "Aaaa-aaaa-AAAA!" she said happily. There were two little girls Jack's age. Jack went to grab something near them, and one of them said to him it was hers. Jack, rebuffed, came back over to me. I was as crushed as he was, and then the girls' Mom told them to invite Jack to help them build something or whatever. The girl came over and was all like a teacher: "Hi, do you want to help us? We're building a fort...." Jack was still in a shell. I encouraged him, but it didn't happen. At first. Five minutes later, though, they were carrying some bouncy pad thing, and he went and helped them. And they played together. I burst into song. OK, not really. But I was happy for the little guy and beamed at the girls' mother. Later, Jack talked to their Mom, rambling away about "My Daddy said....my Daddy took us here to.....Yes." (His new favorite word is Yes; I think he'd said yeah for a while, but now everything is, "Jack, do you want to go with us?" "Yes." "Jack, would you like some milk?" "Yes." Very matter of fact, you probably have to hear it, but it's a riot. Anyway.) "Well, I like the sharks and the turtles but I didn't know where the big turtle was and I....."

Kate continued to run around as if she'd been locked up in a cell for the past week. "Aaaa-aaaa-AAAA!" Turning to look at me with a big smile every once in a while. Coming over, then heading back out. She was a big fan. Clearly, they both need Friday activities, even if it's just running around a mall play area or something. Maybe next week.

I think they both liked it more than the Aquarium.