Are We There Yet?: A Weekend with The Kid

My sister has informed me that she is sick of the Mishmash post being at the top, so here you go. Forgive me for not having had time to update, since we were running around the city nonstop for 72 hours with 4-5 children in tow. (Although, Beth would say that's no excuse, since she was practically live blogging the whole thing.)

My cousin's daughter, Megan, was granted a 10th birthday wish of flying to Chicago on her own to visit us. Big stuff, no? We did not want to disappoint. I tried to explain this all to Georgia beforehand, but since she was too young the last time that she saw Megan to remember it, her first question was, "Is she a kid or a grown up?" She proceeded to refer to Megan as "the kid" all week, that is, until Megan arrived, at which point Georgia immediately became her obedient worshiper, addressing her at all times by her full first and last name.

We had a blast, but it was exhausting. Not just for me, either. Apparently, Weissbluth could publish a new book entitled, "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems: RENT A TEN YEAR OLD." The 12 hour snoozes from Georgia this weekend were icing on the cake to an otherwise already fantastic time.

Now, I would not call us homebodies, but Joe and I are wont to stick to our usual routines. First of all, in our old age, we have come to accept the fact that we're just not really festival people, unless it's some music or food that we are particularly interested in, which is rare. Plus, with little ones in tow, taking on the city's biggest attractions sometimes just does not seem worth the hassle. However, I also bemoan the fact that we don't get out there and take advantage of our surroundings more often, and basically beat myself up for it. The point of all this is just to say that this weekend was the perfect solution: cram ALL of your adventures and city exploration and tourist destinations into ONE jam-packed weekend, and then don't feel guilty about sitting out back by your own kiddie pool for the rest of the summer! I highly recommend it.

The pictures require little explanation, but here's what we managed to hit: Shedd Aquarium, Sears (er, Willis) Tower, deep dish pizza takeout at Beth's, Millenium Park, Ed Debevic's, local farmer's market, playground, kiddie pool, back porch bbq at our place, Field Museum, a picnic, and the beach. Not bad when you factor in traffic, lines, and a huge chunk of the afternoon being set aside for toddler naps. Joe stayed home with Juney each day to accommodate her morning nap, (and to accommodate his fear of heights). I took Monday off work to stretch our fun longer.

Outside the Shedd Aquarium.

Sears Tower.

No, Georgia and I did not get in the glass box. I was under threat of divorce and losing all custody rights. Please don't ask me to explain; take it up with my goofy husband.

I think I've featured the Cloud Gate sculpture like 6 times already on this blog, but I can't get enough of it for some reason.

L to R adults: Lach, Beth, Kate
L to R kids: Alice, Sam, Megan, Georgia

The side view. Those little specks in the middle are Georgia and me.

When you hit the fountain right after a rain storm, you get the whole place to yourself!

Check this out: 10 year olds apparently smile sweetly and look at the camera!

With Sue, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

If you only knew what a big deal it is that Georgia has allowed herself to stray a full 20 feet away from me in this picture. Can you say leg clinger? On the plus side, she does not run away in crowds or large spaces, so I never have to worry where she is.

Okay, this is really bad, but this picture cracks me up. The sign said to remove your shoes out of respect before entering the Maori Temple. I do not think it said, "Remove shoes. Run wild. Hug figures."