Arlington National Cemetery

John and Rachel head out with their group before Oscar even

wakes up the next morning, so I guess we’re getting a slow start today.  He wouldn’t go to sleep last night, so I guess he needs to sleep in.  We finally get going just as John calls to say that getting to Arlington National Cemetery and in it is 

 easy in a walk from the hotel, so we don many layers and set out.  I can’t figure out how set up the stroller straps on the diaper bag that a friend was nice enough to loan me for wakes up the next morning, so I guess we’re getting a slow start 

today.  He wouldn’t go to sleep last night, so I guess he needs to sleep in.  We finally get going just as John calls to say that getting to Arlington National Cemetery and in it is easy in a walk from the hotel, so we don many layers and set  

 out.  I can’t figure out how set up the stroller straps on the diaper bag that a friend was nice enough to loan me for this trip and have probably ruined it, but juggling the stroller, Oscar, and my gloves, his gloves, my hat, his hat, and sunglasses makes this harder 

 than running around in the warm Italian sun or in Central America.  There’s so much that can be lost and it’s so cold here in DC and the weather said that we would get into the 60’s, but they’re liars. We head into the cemetery after petting the lions at the Netherlands Carillion and

 most likely the only pictures that will come with me in them, so feast your eyes….Got to see the new grave for Ted, because he wasn’t dead the last time I was in DC and then Oscar and I caught the trolley that goes around the grounds.  Once Oscar laid eyes on a new form of find the group at JFK’s  gravesite as they come down from the Lee mansion.  These are transportation, I was doomed.  We had to take it and we had to get off at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier because I guess it sounded too appealing for him to pass up.  We got off and found the group 

 

again, but someone could not understand that mother wasn’t not asking for silence because she was being mean.  When we got yelled at by the soldier for Oscar crying about not getting his way, we had to leave.  This has been the only time that he has acted up so far, so I’m letting it go, besides it’s breakfast time and I probably pushed my limits there.  So, we head back out to the trolley without seeing the changing of the guard and get off at the visitors center.  A quick call to my hop-on, hop-off bus company and we find out

 that their shuttle is orange and will take us into DC.  We get on our first bus and Oscar has to be told several times that there are many

 different bus companies and not all of the huge red buses are ours.  It’s hard enough for adults to understand this, but we finally get up on the top deck of our big orange bus and someone is a happy camper.  So am I, because the top is enclosed and heated.  We get the lay of the land in Washington and head to a stop that is close to the National Art Gallery.  After a confused call to the leader of the group where we’re trying to 

describe what domes on what buildings we’re looking at, I hook up with Rachel, John, Sandy and Greg at the sculpture garden and ice rink.  Oscar is fascinated by the rink and the Zamboni, both of which he has at home, but not outside like this.  We have an awesome lunch in the garden pavilion including mimosas and dessert, because why not?