A perfect Rachel and Mommy day

Wednesday was Veterans Day, and Drew had to work (as did I, but not until 3:30), and Drew said he didn't know of any camps being held, so I told Rachel she had her choice of what we could do together. She said, "I want to go to where you and Anne went the other day."

"You mean, the sculpture garden?" I asked.

"Yes," she replied.

And that is exactly what we did.

She ended up having a sleepover at Ivy's on Tuesday night (we have GOT to coordinate this better; I had to work, thus giving up a prime opportunity for Drew and I to have a date night -- dinner, a play or a movie, sigh) and then I picked her up at 9:30 a.m. I showered while she read, and then packed some snacks and books (she was going to go to Drew's office in the afternoon) and then we started our walk to the Metro. She said she wanted to take me to a new park she'd discovered while walking with Ivy and her grandma the other day, and I said sure.

Another time I would have urged her keep on task, that we had to get to the Metro so we'd have enough time at the sculpture garden, but I am trying an experiment to not be so stressed out with her and just let our moments together take us where they will. So I followed her -- and, oh, it was quite a walk, about a half-mile to a mile, but it really was a lovely little park. (Mom and Dad, it reminded me of Jones Park in a way, the way the light filtered through the fall leaves, and the warm weather.) Then we had to hike back to East Falls Church, and we both agreed that we were looking forward to sitting on the train for a while (I was lugging all my work bags and my back was starting to hurt.)

We got to Federal Triangle and it was quite a hike to the sculpture garden near the Pavilion Cafe, a lovely little lunch place near a skating rink that I really wanted to take Rachel to. But when we arrived, there were practically no people, even though it was a holiday!! We had a great lunch and sat for a while, just admiring the sun outside, and then walked around to look at the sculpture. She was enchanted with a Roy Lichtenstein House, a set of granite chairs that are the only sculptures you're allowed to sit on, and a giant typewriter eraser, and a spider. We had a lot of fun talking about the sculptures while I read the artists' names aloud.

At one point she turned to me suddenly and said, "You'll never be 25 again." Weird.

THEN we decided to go to the Hirshorn, where I'd gone with Anne and David, but we only had a little bit of time left so we sort of cruised through part of it (although I did get to take her by a musical exhibit of a woman, on tape, singing alternate versions of two early American songs about people who refused -- or were refused -- marriage proposals, drowning). Not sure she completely understood it, though.

And as we were leaving, she saw a carousel and really wanted to go on it, and I said sure, only one ride -- even though I was worried about the time -- and as I watched her go around and around and touch the pony's golden mane, and saw the delight on her face, I thought, the hell with it, so I'm late, does it really matter? And then we walked very fast to the station, while she said over and over again, "Mommy, I love you. This is the best day of my life."

As it happens, I met up with Drew at The Post, we did a quick handoff (to the delight of some of my colleagues, one of whom saw Rachel through her arms around me and exclaim, "I love you!") and I was in my seat by 3:30.

Absolutely perfect day. I wouldn't have changed a thing.