29th Name Day in DC

If you don't understand the Name Day reference, it's time to pick up a copy of Game of Thrones and get started. In the meantime, the translation is that we spent my 29th birthday in DC with the Barretts! My birthday started off with my last 12-hour clinical for my pediatric rotation. I loved spending the day with some of my nursing friends in the most excellent children's hospital. Later that night, Ben drove us down to DC where Pete and Kara had chocolate martinis waiting. So amazing. I wish I had taken a picture!

The next morning we got to do what we love doing best in DC....play with Miss Annalise.

It's been almost six months since we saw her last and we couldn't believe how much she's grown! 

Ben and I took the metro down to the mall to visit some Smithsonians. We started in the Natural History Museum. 

There was this awesome exhibit about the rescue of the miners in Chile. Crazy to see how tiny the shaft was through which they were rescued.

Next we strolled on over to the National Portrait Gallery. It is attached to an art museum. We had a blast.

This is a portrait of a woman I admire, Alice Waters.

Here is a portrait of our friend, Joey.

Here is Ben in the hall where President Lincoln held his inauguration ball.

There were a few art pieces of the United States that we found really interesting.

"modern art"

Museums always tucker him out. Fortunately there was a bear rug he could rest on.

It was a beautiful day spent out on the mall. I even got to take a cheesy "Ben" photo...usually those are reserved for Philly!

Meanwhile, back at Pete and Kara's, Annalise had been hard at work...

...making chocolate frosting!!

delicious!

She even made me a card

And helped me blow out the candles. She wanted to take them out soon after though in order to eat her delicious frosting.

Yep, still want the candles out.

This girl LOVES balloons.

And, she loves to dance.

But only to the right music...

Later that night she even let us go out with her parents. It was such an awesome day.

To top the weekend off we spent Saturday strolling through Roosevelt park and they showed us around Georgetown. 

Annalise with her beautiful mama. 

All in all, amazing way to start off the last year of my twenties! Can't say enough how thankful we are to live close enough to the Barretts to drive down and hang out for the weekend. Thanks for making my birthday so special, guys!