The Big Red Dog

I learned that the current rotating exhibit at the Portland Children's Museum was Clifford the Big Red Dog! His books were favorites of mine as a small child, and Alton has read some of them and liked them, too. But I noticed that the last day of the exhibit is the Monday after Valentine's Day, so we needed to step on it if we wanted to have some fun with the whole gang from Birdwell Island. We planned a Friday morning trip to the museum with Karen and *P , Elizabeth and *B and *F. As I drove there it was pouring down rain, which I knew meant the place would be packed. They did not disappoint, although I think we got out of there before it got completely nuts.
This was not Alton's first trip to the Children's Museum (see photos from previous visits here, here, and here), but everything gets "refreshed" for him in between visits because he grows so much! It was fun to see how well he could reach things and see over parts of exhibits that were too big for him the last few times.
We started our tour at the big crocodile, where all three of the "big" kids helped to brush his teeth.

Next was the water feature, of course! Alton's favorite spot, and he'd spend the whole day here if we'd let him. Made me excited for bringing out our water table again this summer.
Alton and *B test out the fountain.

Alton finds a little orange boat to sail around.

*P is ready for her close-up!

*F laughs at the kids getting their shirt cuffs soggy with cold water while he's all warm and dry on mama.

Shopping time! *P and Alton commandeer a cart and proceed to fill it overflowing.

Alton tries to sample the merchandise before buying. Blech, this bagel tastes like plastic.

*P tries to make a break for it with her shopping cart.

*B the checker shows us that she knows exactly how this whole "buying" thing works.

Alton and *P put their items on the conveyor belt and shake their heads incredulously at the price of food these days.

On to the Babies Garden! A gated-off oasis for the Under Threes with lots of fun things to touch, shake, and climb on. *F was in standing-up heaven.

*P hands you a tube full of colorful feathers; Alton contemplates an upside-down puzzle.

*F and Elizabeth having fun.

Moving on out--it was time for a quick trip through the tunnel, up and down some stairs, and then on to Clifford!

The Clifford exhibit was a cartoon world come to life. There were little houses, sheds, boats, trucks, a post office, a giant dog bowl, and of course Clifford himself, all appearing to have been drawn by an artist but actually created sturdily enough for tons of children to climb on. Alton was immediately drawn to the little pick-up truck, of course. It had a nice flatbed for hauling oversized dog bones for the big red guy.

*B shows us that she knows exactly how to use a rake and hoe--maybe I can hire her for our garden this summer.

*P plants some fuzzy flowers.

Alton does his best with the gardening tools--maybe that things skips a generation, Charlie? Good exterior shot of the little "cartoon" shed behind him.

Alton makes friends with Emily Elizabeth, the little girl who owns Clifford.

Posing with the big dog statue--his tail was a slide!

Alton and *B standing inside the gigantic dog bowl.

Alton wonders if he should take one home to Minerva.

*P and Alton at the mailbox taking turns opening the door for one another.

Time to go home! Wish we could stay longer, but we've got naps to take, movies to watch, and monster truck rallies to attend.

Um, what?