Science City

Yesterday Science City at Union Station was having a $5 day. I spent the morning unsuccessfully looking high and low for a second adult to go with me. I contemplated leaving Si Guy at home. I contemplated not going. I did the unthinkable. After lunch I loaded up all six of our kids, ages 2-11, in our van and went, alone.
Challenge 1, parking. We were blessed to find parking fairly easily in an outdoor lot behind union station. Just as well our van isn't parking garage friendly. I had a friend share about the gate getting stuck and trapping all the cars in for a while on the same day.
Challenge 2: getting tickets. The kiosk outside wouldn't take debit cards. So we waited in line for about ten minutes so I could write a check. Then we walked across the building to find the elevator, and to the opposite end of the second floor to get in. Yes, we were in.
Challenge 3: Mom's endurance vs. kid excitement. Science city is like Wonderscope on steroids. Our kids loved "making" clouds, going on a dino bone dig, and plaing with giant musical instruments. There was a playground and play room geared towards younger tots, so a couple of times I kept the tiniest two (or three) while the older ones went to an exhibit that was more appropriate for their age under our oldest child's supervision. I could feel my heart beating in my head and my clothes felt like steel wool until they returned...which they always did. He is a responsible kid, really...and the others are very cooperative when future privileges are on the line. The only major mishap of the day was when the older kids were trying the pulleys princess P wandered out of my line of sight.
Our dear oldest child said "Don't worry mom. She's probably just in the pipes." The plumbing display was adjacent to where we were.
Sure enough, one smiling four year old face shows up in the upper level window of the pipes. Brother retrieves her, all is well....except where is princess D? Over on the other side of the pulleys playing the croc sculpture. Hasn't she ever heard never smile at a crocodile?
At this the point the museum was getting too busy, and my nerves too frayed from feeling like I'd lost both my daughters to keep it on.
So up the elevator we went. Played a couple tunes goodbye, then off to snack.
Kids full of ice cream and french fries. Mom had a diet soda in hand. All was right in the world.