How far?

Have I mentioned that I am pregnant? 27 weeks, to be exact. Keep this in mind as I relate my tale of woe.

X's company is based in Reston, VA, but because X LOVES me so much and he has a major client in the Kansas City area anyway, he deigns to live in Kansas. What a swell guy, eh? At least I think so. AnyWHO, I had this grand idea of tagging along with X on his business trip to Virginia this week - we had a free plane ticket, so we figured "why no?". We decided we would stay in D.C. and I would just "hop on" the Metro to do the Smithsonian Museums. I had even toned it down a bit in deference for the little Freeloader - I was just going to concentrate on 3 museums. Easy-smeasy, right?

So, this morning, I hop out of bed with excitement and get ready for my Day of Fun. I schlep my pregnant ass to the Metro station 4 blocks away. I walk down a 2-story escalator and buy my ticket. I walk down ANOTHER escalator (only 1 story this time) and wait for the train. I get on the train, wait for my stop so I can change lines(I was riding the Green and needed to get on the Blue). Many escalators later and a train later, I emerge on the Mall, blinking in the bright sunlight, sweating like a teenager an hour past curfew. Folks, at this point, I am already EXHAUSTED. GOOD GOD. I did not count on the heat. Mid 90s and humid.

Well, I did make it through the Museum of American History and the Museum of Natural History. I have mixed feelings on both. I had hoped for a far greater pop culture exhibit in the American History museum, so frankly, I was disappointed. The Museum of Natural History was really cool, too but I have been to the Field Museum in Chicago so many times, which I would consider to be comparable. Don't get me wrong - I am glad that I got the opportunity to see both museums today, but I guess I had expected to be "blown away".

What compounded all this was the constant mayhem of screaming kids. Folks - if your kid is screaming during what clearly should be the middle of his naptime, letting him slurp the rest of your Coke is not going to help. I don't consider myself a Granola Head, but it does shock me how many people let their kids drink soda and other sugary, high-fructose corn syrup crep these days.

Tomorrow, I am going to several of the art museums. I am hoping these museums will have less screaming kids and more inspiration. Regardless, it is clear that I am overdoing it and I probably need to start slowing down to take better care of myself. I felt pretty sick this evening when I got back to the hotel. Therefore, X and I decided I should go home on Thursday instead of Friday. This really works better as apparently I need to do some furniture shopping - STAT. X and I drove separately to the airport on Monday, since we were coming back at different times on Friday. On Monday, when we met up in the airport, X informed me that our FUTON BROKE just before he left. Now, we are in desperate need of a couch. Yes, yes, yes - I KNOW that it is about time I entered the adult world and got a couch instead of a futon, but I LOVED that futon. Actually, I had a nice couch during college. After college, I decided to get a futon because it was more convenient when out-of-town guests came to visit so they would have somewhere to sleep. Anyway - the futon has bit the Big One and until we get a new couch, we have absolutely nothing to sit on in the meantime.

So, wish me luck tomorrow as I drag my pregnant ass through more museums.