At the Aquarium

When we interviewed for my husband’s current job, we were given a free pass to the local aquarium to do some sightseeing with our kids. While Mr. Sneaky Pants was only Banana-size, and Hannah was still hanging out in my belly, Sarah has not forgotten the experience at all. In fact, she can recount it in extreme detail. For a grown up, the aquarium is maybe moderately fascinating, not a bad experience, but not somewhere you need to go back to several times a year. But from the moment Sarah discovered we were moving here, she was begging to go back to the aquarium, which has a very large water table for kids to explore that is shaped like the Great Lakes. You can sail boats on the lakes, and send the boats through the system of locks and lifts out to the Atlantic Ocean. This experience is very fun, very tactile, and very, very wet. It is very popular with my youngsters.

We held off on getting an an annual pass to the aquarium for nine months. We thought maybe our kids would forget about it with all the other fun things to do around here. They didn’t. Every time we drove downtown they begged to go. We reasoned with them that going to the aquarium was expensive. Maybe they could ask for a pass for Christmas from some of our relatives. But our relatives didn’t latch on to the idea. Still, they begged, and begged. Sarah told Mr. Sneaky Pants all about what you can do at the aquarium in great detail. So finally, last weekend we struck up a deal where the three kids could combine their birthday money and we would add some money and would get a family pass to the aquarium.

They were jumping up and down and twisting in the air, and pleaded to go at once. And so we did. They had a marvelous time and were so disappointed when the building closed down for the night. Every single day since then they’ve been begging to go back. Mr. Sneaky Pants is off to Iowa this weekend with my husband to do some visiting, but I told Sarah this morning that we could drive down to the aquarium this morning. She and The Banana had a terrific time looking at seahorses, watching river otters, and of course, playing with the water exhibit.

I’ve learned to just bring a complete extra set of clothing along. The Banana was so soaked only a small circle on the back of her shirt was dry by the time we decided to go, and Sarah’s clothes were in a much similar condition.