Grateful that our Saturday at Wrigley turned out beautiful, I almost welcomed the gloomy backdrop for our Sunday in the city. We didn't have any set plans, had a slow breakfast at our hotel, let the kids swim one last time before we checked out, and decided to spend the day at Shedd Aquarium. We hadn't visited Shedd since Cruz was just under a year, and knew it'd be a place we'd all stay well-entertained for the day.
Although I think this girl would have been happy in our hotel room all day. :)
The aquarium was packed as we predicted, but we took our time meandering in and out of each little pocket of the huge space. And when we felt a little claustrophobic, we snuck outside to admire the amazing views, climb the stairs, and pop a squat on the green space with our last Chicago dogs of the weekend.
I think my most favorite part of traveling as a family is getting to be in the same element together, without a lot of other things to distract us and pull us astray. The city was busy, the crowds were big, and there was much to do, but we were all in it together. I am a type 3 enneagram - an achiever, a lister, a doer, and with that I have to work really hard to just be. This weekend, I listened closer to all of Cruz's long, drawn out stories and connections he easily makes to everything, laughed and made them laugh, asked questions because I really cared to hear what they had to say, and just had fun being with them.
And trying to make faces that resembled some of the unique faces we found at the aquarium. Like this guy...
We had a great day, but were ready to get to Mark and Janet's by late afternoon. But not before a few last pictures with the skyline in the background.
We spent Sunday night and Monday at Mark and Janet's in the suburbs. Our plan was to spend the day introducing the kids to the big roller coasters at Six Flags Great America, a plan Beau has been looking forward to since Cruz officially hit the height required for the big ones. But the rain we had been expecting all weekend came, and fell for most of our day Monday. After a few on-the-go days in the city (and spending big city money to go with it), I welcomed the opportunity for a slow day with family we love so much. Poor Beau will have to wait for another weekend road trip...
One of my favorite memories of our entire weekend. After a delicious home cooked meal around the table, Mila found a snuggle spot in the crook of her Great Uncle Mark's arm, and proceeded to banter back and forth with him forever as they looked at family photo albums. He showed her pictures of her Great Grandma J and her daddy when he was her age, and then we all marveled at the uncanny family resemblance between Beau and his dad and Mark and Uncle Gabe! We ended the night with ping pong lessons in the basement, and lots of girly toys brought up for Mila.
We spent our rainy Monday getting a tour of Mark's airplane hanger and the private plane he flies, pretending to be on lifestyles of the rich and famous, and later cozying up in a movie theater for the new Aladdin movie. We took off after dinner time and enjoyed a quiet car ride home with two sleepy kids. Before they fell asleep, though, we quizzed them on their favorite part of our big city weekend. Mila easily squealed, "Swimming in the hotel pool!" and Cruz followed up with "playing ping pong at Mark and Janet's house." :)
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