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Well, it's been an expensive but pleasant weekend.
Saturday, took Rob into the city for a painting class at the LivingSocial event headquarters at 918 F St (nice place, that). Made ourselves a lovely canvas covered in a vivid blue-green jungle scene with colorful flowers and a Big Yellow Sun. Plus a strange-looking (but happy!) little tree and two tiny parrots that actually look more like seahorses, but that last was my fault. Got Rob a little painting kit to take home, as he wanted to paint another canvas, but this time with Daddy.
Then we walked down to the Air and Space museum and wandered all over while we waited for Jason to overcome Metro's obnoxiousness and join us. Rob had a grand old time pushing buttons and pulling levers (the original is way more fun than the Udvar-Hazy center, because there are many more interactive exhibits, with things to push and pull on...), identifying elemental spectra and looking at planes land from the replica air-traffic-control center of the Enterprise.
When Jason finally arrived (after a trip involving at least one shuttlebus, poor guy), we had lunch at Mitsitam, then he took Rob to the Spy Museum while I, in order to save the $20 for one adult admission, went to the Sackler and Freer instead. Had a grand old time roaming around looking at lovely intricate elegant Asian art. I don't get much solo museum time anymore, and it was wonderfully peaceful. (Not that I don't love my family's company, but it's hard to enjoy the art when I have to keep a constant weather eye out to make sure Rob isn't trying to use priceless artifacts as climbing toys, or playing "Ninja Megazord" with statues of deities, or trying to dive into the little pool at the base of the Sackler from the second story.)
Got caught in the rain, took refuge in Teaism, had a pot of tea (also a blissful self-indulgence), and when the rain let up, walked north, met up with my family, had dinner, took Jason to pick up his car, went home.
Today, we had brunch (I had a deal for Choices by Shawn in Fairfax - decent place, but they had a hard time actually keeping the buffet stocked, and it was near-to-half empty much of the time). Then we went to look at beds for Robbie (one that can fit rails, see, so that he can actually SLEEP on his bed instead of on the floor where he generally ends up even when he starts out on the bed, because he's wiggly). After surveying the contents of three stores, ended up actually buying a bed-dresser set on heavy sale, when we hadn't planned to, because the floor model was the last available, it was a nice set, Rob loved it, and it actually was about the same price as some of the solo beds there were, certainly not a bad price considering what we got. It's a good solid wood bed in a pine stain that he (hopefully) won't be embarrassed by when adolescence strikes, and includes a bookshelf headboard, a substantial amount of underbed storage drawer space, a 6-drawer dresser, and dresser mirror (the latter two will go where the diaper-changing table now is - btw, anyone want a diaper-changing table or toddler bed, particularly anyone willing to haul them away? If not, I'm sure I can find a kids' charity to take them, but I'd rather help a friend if anyone needs 'em). Spent quite a chunk of money, but it was in fact worth it, I think. With luck, this bed should last him until college...and the only other thing we'll need to change for his room is probably to replace his old dresser with a desk, but we can wait on that one.