Things I Learned in D.C.

• While swimming in the hotel pool, it is possible to go up/down the elevator 5 times in a one hour period, allowing a total of ten minutes of actual swimming before it thunders. 
• A one bedroom apartment is a luxury suite compared to a hotel room, when traveling with kids. (And a nice, big closet technically counts as a second bedroom for baby!)
• If you are without paperclips or bobby pins, the straw on a can of WD-40 can be used to pick a bathroom lock.
• Most everything in D.C. is FREE!
• You can request free tours of the White House, Pentagon, Capitol, etc. from your state representatives.
• Renting bikes on the national mall is a great way to see the monuments and memorials...
• ...If your baby hates the Burley, her wailing is a great way to clear the sidewalk of pedestrians ahead of you, and attract the sneers of judgemental people.
• Aersol sunscreen is considered a potential terrorist weapon when visiting the Capitol and will be disposed of mercilessly, even if it's hot as blazes outside.
• The Capitol dome is actually two domes: the exterior dome, and a smaller interior dome.
• The statue on top of the Capitol is named "Freedom".
• George Washington was 6'2".
• Martha Washington was a widow with two children when she married George. She and George had no children of their own.
• The Washington D.C. temple's majesty never fades.
• The 2 pandas (Mei Xiang and Tian Tian) in the National Zoo are on loan from China for 10 years... just like a lot of our money.
• The original Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence are on display in the National Archives.
• The National Archives also has a really cool gift shop.
• The Arlington Cemetary holds the remains of over 320,000 servicemen and women.
• Martha Washington's great granddaughter married Robert E. Lee (their home is now part of the Arlington Cemetary).
• The White House tour is very family friendly, and does not allow strollers, diaper bags, or purses.
• Anything that happens in D.C. can be increased in significance by titling it, "National". For example: If, while parking, you scrape your car on the garage wall, you can call it a "National Owie" (I give credit to my son on this one!).
• There is a metro stop called "Foggy Bottom". This is a hit with young children... and some adults.
• Even if you expect to walk a lot, you have understimated the amount of walking required when visiting D.C.
• It is impossible to see everything there is to see in D.C. within a month's time.