Thursday, August 29, 2013
The Contra Costa Library offers free or discounted passes to many Bay Area museums. You just have to have a library card and sign up in advance. It’s pretty convenient if you sign up early but still have an okay selection for last minute. The program is called Discover and Go! So a few weeks ago, I signed up for free passes to the Oakland Aviation and USS Hornet Museums.
We started the day at the Oakland Aviation Museum which is close to the Oakland Airport. Some of the planes are housed inside a hanger while some are outside in a side yard. They are older planes that have been restored or in the process of being restored. Here is Simon standing next to a plane painted with an awesome green dragon.
Simon sitting in a child sized model plane.
Outside near a fighter plane. I overheard this is like the plane used in Top Gun? Not sure but pretty cool.
They also have open cockpit days so you can sit inside one of the planes. The next one is September 15th I believe but check out their website to be sure.
They have a play area in the front where you can get inside some planes and pretend you are in the control tower. Simon really liked being in the control tower, pretending to tell the planes when and where to land.
Next stop, the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda. We parked right near the water (but not too close because Simon was afraid our car would go in the water).
Welcoming us.
We didn’t really see much of the museum since it is HUGE. We walked on the hangar deck where a few planes, helicopters, and a space pod were housed then went up to the flight deck (lots of stairs!). Beautiful day out so beautiful view of the city.
We walked from the middle of the flight deck to one end to the other end then back to the middle again.
Simon was exhausted and didn’t want to walk to the car but he made it and we went to lunch. By 2pm we were back in the car and he asked what we were going to do when we got home. I asked if he was tired and he said no. But by 2:02pm, he was out like a light. When we got home, I carried him to his bed and he continued to sleep until I woke him up at 4:30pm.
Kiddos hanging out together this evening.
Iris tummy time.
With all the walking we did today and Iris waking up every 2-3 hours during the night for the last two nights, I am exhausted. Iris must be going through a growth spurt or else she wouldn’t be waking so often and refusing, during the day, to take naps in her pack n play. I hope she sleeps better tonight so I can sleep better too.