It's Friday night before a 3 day weekend and Keegan and I are talking about what we will do for the extended weekend. The usual conversation "I don't know, stuff around the house I guess." There was a free John Deere hockey night, so Keegan planned to take Lance to that on Saturday night - he was so excited to take him and I was excited for him too! I get a call less than an hour after the game had started "we're on our way home, you need anything?" Lance was ready to leave after his popcorn snack- 30 minutes, bummer! And all he could tell me when he got home was "I saw Spider Man Mommy!" They saw a man in a Spider Man costume for about 5 seconds - the highlight of his night I think.
Sunday morning we pack up quickly and head on the road for a quick trip to Chicago with the boys. We had talked it all out Friday night and were pretty excited for this spontaneous trip, after all we had an amazing 10 year weekend there! Museum, lunch somewhere fun, Disney Store, his first subway ride, Shed Aquarium, swimming at the hotel pool......
It probably wasn't really as bad as I make it out to be, but DISASTER is a word that comes to mind quickly as I reminisce on the feelings we both had during and on our ride home from the weekend. Chase only slept 20 minutes on the car ride up, which is so unusual for him and not what we had planned for (rule number 1, 16 month olds are not predictable and plannable - nor are 3 and a half year olds!) We had a nice but brisk, just short of a mile walk to Navy Pier to the Children's Museum. And after only being at the museum for an hour and a half, which by the way was not free like I was told when we joined the museum here in the QC, the boys were both antsy, a little cranky, and just not enjoying the exhibits to the fullest, plus it really was time for a late lunch.... at a sit down restaurant of course - HA. What were we thinking anyway? (BEER maybe?) I had packed the best goody bag of different snacks and toys and stickers... good thing they brought the food quick. They weren't terrible, just ready to do something else, especially Chase, like nap! The walk back was not bad. A bit chilly, but no crying... we'll just get back to the hotel, check in, get Chase down for a nap and then have a nice evening that we had all planned out.... you know where this is going, right?
No napping of course. Hmmm... much to Lance's disapproval, we packed up and headed out again for a walk to the Disney Store - surely a 3 year old can't pass up a new toy, right? Less than a mile walk, getting colder, Chase tired, Lance a little tired and mad because he ONLY wanted to swim - we arrive at Disney Store. Lance immediately spots Jake and the Neverland Pirate toys, then his eyes drift more and more and more, from one Disney theme to the next and he just can't decide which toy he wants. He finally picks one out, and as we stand in line, he panics and decides he really wants something else..... all while Keegan and I take turns walking Chase around the Disney Store as his eyes grow heavier and heavier! Lance decides on a toy, Chase falls asleep... now what? A cab ride back to the hotel! Lance had a huge smile on his face the entire way back, and excitedly asked if he could sit up on his knees so he could see out. Riding in a car without a car seat is a BIG deal for a 3 year old you know!
Daddy held Chase in his arms in the lobby for a 30 minute nap while Lance and I walked around to check out the hotel. Then, FINALLY, swim time..... Suits on, anxious and then frustrating that we were so out of sorts that we had difficulty finding the pool, really? And then... Brrrrr.... nice heated room, not so nice and warm pool. We managed for almost 45 minutes - the boys could care less. Chase thought it was the BEST!
If we were on "at home routine time" it would be bedtime, BUT pretty sure we can't call it a night in a hotel at 6:45, right? So, we throw the boys in the bathtub. Keegan and I start in on our beers packed on ice, and order a pizza. (So much for that plan of the train ride up to Wrigley ville for a fun dinner - what were we thinking!?!?) The boys play, read books, play on the iPad, eat some snacks while Dad cabs it to pick up the pizza, and then a fun time listening to some whining from the little guy before we all finally hit the hay by 9:30 - WHEW!
Windy and cold walk out to the Children's Museum at Navy Pier.
Pics from the Museum:
A little bowling.
The trip wasn't over after day 1 though.... even though I suggested it should be after some temper tantrums before we even had breakfast! We had plans to go to the Aquarium, and that is what we were going to do. No sense in driving all that way for a night stay and driving straight home, even if it would have saved us frustration and a slight raise in blood pressure ;-) LOL.
Breakfast plans.... changed to Joy quickly getting out at a Dunkin Donuts and eating in the car on the way to the Aquarium - finishing up in the cheaply priced $20 parking garage. Another mile, but much colder and windier walk to the entrance (Two boys crying at this point....) A short wait for tickets, thank you GOD, to find out that general admission does not include; sharks, dolphins, whales or the Polar Play. "Whatever, they aren't going to last anyway!" After one, maybe two fish tanks, Lance says "I want to see the sharks!" "Sorry buddy, we don't have wrist bands for that" Which creates much sadness..... we divert once, then "I want to see the jelly fish!" Umm..... apparently those aren't included in the general admission either. Oh boy, upset again.... Snack maybe? Ok, I'll stop there because I think it is understood how this trip went. In and out in less than 45 minutes.
The boys were buckled in their car seats, the DVD in and playing, Chase with his pacifier.... Ahhhh..... peace, relaxed! And we talked and chuckled for almost an hour about the trip and about future trips, and the reality of those, or not!
Thanks for tuning in on the long one! One for some reason I didn't want to forget, despite the frustration and disappointment.
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