Portland With Kids: Airplanes, Splashing and a Meltdown

After staying up later than they ever have before, you would think that our kids would sleep in on July 5th. Not so much. I got up and dressed with them, and we headed out to, as E put it, "have an adventure."

Both kids were thrilled to see the city, and wanted nothing to do with breakfast until it finally started sprinkling. Luckily we were across the street from the Pearl Street Bakery, and we ducked in. The Pearl Street Bakery makes bread for local markets and restaurants across the city. While you wait in line for your morning pastry or loaf of bread, you can watch the bakers load, unload and sweep the industrial sized ovens in back. I don't have to tell you how fascinated both kids were, or how the only thing that finally distracted them was their first ever chocolate bread. I will tell you that we end up at Pearl Street, either for a pastry, or for one of their excellent sandwiches at some point during every trip.

Our next stop was the weekly farmer's market. It's always fun to wander through a farmer's market with the kids, pointing out the wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that we don't see in our local market. D was fascinated with all the different types of mushrooms, but E was captivated with a man making balloon animals. While I walked D in the sling to get her to sleep, E waited in line with his dad for a balloon. We returned just as he got to the front of the line, and chose an airplane for himself and a bunny for his sister. That airplane came with us everywhere for the rest of the trip, and both kids loved throwing it in the air and watching it fall back to earth. The rabbit, not surprisingly, popped after a few hours of slightly-too-rough love from D.

We spent the afternoon splashing in the wading pool at Jamison Square Park and playing with toys at Sip and Kranz. I have written so many nice things about that park in the past, that I won't bore you with with more here.

Does the day sound a little too perfect? By evening, E was so exhausted that when we were seated at a table he didn't like at Clyde Common he had a complete meltdown. We probably could have had the table changed, but we pretty quickly realized that he was in no condition to have dinner at a nice restaurant, so my husband took him back to the hotel while D and I ate together. I felt bad for my husband, we've been looking forward to eating at Clyde Common since our last trip, but not bad enough to miss the meal myself. D and I had a giggly, fun time together, and I realized that I don't often get to eat a meal out with just her. She was thrilled with all the attention and we both devoured food from the surprisingly toddler friendly menu (what kid wouldn't like a menu that includes popcorn!). We shared some homemade ice cream and cookies for dessert before heading back to the hotel with takeout for the boys.

0 comments | Posted on July 12, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

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