Pretty much everything was bugging us. Andrew was pissy because Emma had her Ipod and he didn't. It just went on and on. When we finally got parked we had to walk quite a ways in the humid heat to the entrance. When we got there we saw that the line was a mile long. I think we all wanted to cry. The thought of having to stand for an hour in the heat was more than I was able tolerate. I almost threw myself to the ground in a tantrum like a two year old.
Side note-Andrew and I really don't do well with the humidity. Paul and Emma love it. I feel like someone has thrown a hot wet blanket over me and I have to drag it along everywhere I go all the while fighting just to catch a breath. I would rather lay down and die then walk around in humidity. Andrew is the same.
We found an employee and asked if that was the line we needed to be in for the City Pass. Luckily it wasn't! We got to go up to the member's entrance. Wahoooooo!!! We got in the aquarium in less that 15 minutes.
It was very crowded but we made the best of it. The kids loved the large tank right in the entrance. We stayed there for a long time while Paul and I sat on benches trying to decompress.
Here are a bunch a shots from the aquarium.
We all loved the beluga whales. They are so cute but very hard to get pictures of.
We got to see a 15 minute version of Happy Feet in 4-D.
I love all the details of the building. I took a ton of pictures of paneling, light fixtures, and doors. (Again)
Here's a little re-cap of our lunch debacle.
We got to the aquarium right around 11:00 am. It wasn't long before Andrew was hungry. I wasn't surprised but Paul sure was. We fought about what to do. Feed him or make him wait?
We weren't about to eat museum food again so the original plan (the plan we came up with before we even left the hotel) was to leave and go to Potbellies for sandwiches. Paul didn't think we would eat until the parking time was up, 2:00 pm. He was dreaming. He also wanted to walk to the restaurant. It was pretty far away! That was obviously not something I was interested in. We compromised by getting some snacks in the cafeteria to hold us over until the parking meter expired.
We DROVE to Potbellies (thank goodness) and got sandwiches. We LOVED eating there when when Paul and I were in Chicago in '06. Andrew wasn't hungry yet. Of course not. Emma was and she ate like a champ!
We ordered Andrew a peanut-butter sandwich anyway and once I saw them making it I knew he wasn't going to eat it. They toast everything. There was no way my son was going to eat a toasted PB sandwich. This ticked us all off because we knew he would be hungry again in no time. Would you eat this?
After the aquarium closed it was dinner time. We all wanted Chicago style pizza, except Andrew. Tension was still at a code orange. As we were driving to Gino's we went past McDonald's and Andrew begged to get him that instead. We did. We got to Gino's and of course we had to valet the car, there was a line out the building through the ally (in other words, hot with no airflow) and a pretty good wait.
Finally we got to go indoors to wait.
After way too long we got seated. We were told the pizza would take 45 minutes. Andrew still didn't have an Ipod to entertain him. We were screwed.
We only had the crayons they gave us to write with. They weren't the best but they helped keep everyone entertained. We let Andrew buy some little dudes from a gum-ball machine to entertain him as well. Overall he did okay but we were still frustrated with him for not eating with us.
Finally the pizza came. I can't remember where we ate last time we were (I'm 99% sure it was Giordano's) there but it was WAY better. I wasn't terribly impressed with this pizza. I guess you go for the atmosphere.
Finally our day was done. We ended it with Dunkin' Donuts and funnel cake sticks in the hotel room. We all needed sugar in a big way.
3 comments:
Wow, you take such beautiful pictues. The aquarium pictures are fabulous, the kids and family adorable. Love reading about all the fun and troubles you had. Great job. I too hate humid conditions. Love your description of the heavy wet blanket, sums it up just right.
Your aquarium shots are so great! Good job! I love that you posted about how the tension was and it wasn't a perfect happy day in family vacation land. I love when other mom's make me feel so normal. I so very much appreciate the honesty! We have at least one day like that out of a few in our vacations. And it sucks.
Gino's was totally not my fave either. I don't "get" it. At all.
I also am not a fan of Potbelly. Yuck. But I totally would eat that peanut butter sandwich. I actually *love* melty peanut butter on toast. Yum! ;)
This post was hysterical. I can totally identify with the tension, both when my kids were young and also now, especially with my picture taking. You have a really humerous, honest way of writing. I enjoy your posts.
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