KaBoom

I was thinking again about how exciting it would be to go to a launch at the Kennedy SpaceCenter. I love that stuff. The launch scene in Apollo 13 makes me cry every time. Reading through Krissie Cook's blog and looking at her pictures made me remember the last time our family went there. I know I've told this story before, but I want to record it for posterity...

Lucy was only about 9 month's old, and had spent the previous day eating sand at the beach. As we parked at the Space Center, we realized that the last tour of the day would leave in about 15 minutes, and we could just make it if we really hustled. In a blur of efficiency, Chris picked Lucy up from the stroller and I moved to fold it up... only to be distracted by a large puddle of grey, grainy stuff in the bottom of it. "Hmm, what's that?" I remember thinking, and then the wheels in my brain clicked. Everything went into slow motion as I reached out for Chris who was just snuggling her up to his chest "NOOOOoooooo!" But too late, and as he peeled her away from him, I distinctly remember the baby outline imprinted in sand poo on his T-shirt.

Of course we had no change of clothes, so as Chris stood there holding her at arm's length, I sprinted into the gift shop. I found a new shirt for Chris, and started scanning around frantically for baby stuff. Unfortunately, the only thing they had in baby size was this:

What could I do? With Chris in his new NASA T-shirt and Lucy in this, I've never felt like such a geek. I could see people pointing and whispering. "Look, that family loves space so much they dress their baby up like an astronaut!"

But hey, we made the tour. I wonder if they sell these in size 6, for when we go to the launch this fall?