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It’s very interesting to share your life with a four year old. Some things from the past couple days:

1. Getting in the car after going out to eat (with half of his chicken nuggets not eaten bc he swore he was full), “Mom I’m hungry”

2. Not being able to walk to or from the beach bc “my legs are out of energy”… despite sprinting (like the Flash) at top speeds down every hallway at the hotel

3. “Hey butt-loaf!”  (Then explaining that’s a type of animal – and is figuring out he means buffalo)

4. Making Jordan close his eyes while he waits for Elliott to pee. And then promptly getting off the toilet and striking a Gladiator like pose – 100% in the buff

5. Kissing Natalie’s bear good night (? maybe to procrastinate, maybe because she’s not in the hotel room right now)

“I love you from the deepest part of the underground to the highest point of the highest heavens in the entire world”

Right back atcha bud! (I hope I am always that lucky!!!)

We ticked off three things on our Chicago to do list on Friday. 

1. Polar bear at the zoo. (We even saw him eat hard boiled eggs!)

We saw some other great animals too. We had a lot of luck.  Elliott was especially happy to see his “brother” King who was born around the same time as him – but who likely was moved so this was just another rhino we spent 20 min gazing at. 

Nana and Pop watched the kids while Jordan and I checked out a suburb. 

Clayton held Natalie’s hand throughout the zoo and copied a lot of what she said. Cute. Cousin time. 

2. Chi Che Wang Park, which was our “backyard” when we lived on Diversey

Elliott forgot to look at our old house so we actually had to swing by on our way back from our 3rd to do item

3. Scooters for worms and dirt ice cream!

On the car ride to ice cream Elliott requested “get drunk on a plane”. I think he had been listening to too much country with Alison! 
We had a great and full 2 days with the Linville crew before they headed to South Dakota for vaca and we headed to Green Bay! (3 hr 45 min trip for us – longer than usual due to Milwaukee traffic/ maybe an accident and construction comes – with no construction). Makes us think twice about moving to the SW suburbs!

At Alex and jira’s suggestion, we headed to the bubble fountain at navy pier. The grown ups liked it as much as the kids. 

We needed a rinse-off in the awesome new water fountain. Elliott kept teasing me – coming over to get me wet. Natalie used Jordan as a towel too. 

One of Natalie’s “must do’s” in Chicago was Potbelly’s. According to Natalie the one in Prentice hospital wasn’t as good as the one in Lincoln Park. Maybe it was the ambiance. Or the fact that it’s tough to eat sandwiches with four missing teeth!!

Afterwards Elliott wanted to stop at Trader Joe’s for O’s. He entered saying I recognize this place. Then he was thrilled to see the small grocery cart and was happy to try all the samples.  Grape juice was the only one he really liked. 

In May we stopped by Dartmouth in NH on our way to Storyland in the White Mountains. I have no idea if this is a famous building but it was closest to where we parked on the green. 

In April we went to Boston. Here are the kids at Harvard and in Cambridge. 

Let’s hope for some academic scholarships!

Enjoying homemade popsicles. This one was hot chocolate with marshmallows, recipe courtesy of Highlights. Take a peak at Elliott’s shirt – you’ll see why we are outside!

Elliott’s last day of PK included an amazing performance (including Namaste and dinosaur songs) and bounce house!

The vertical bandaid is due to toppling over on the scooter the prior day. Luckily it was right in front of his school (on the way to Natalie’s school) so Alison knocked on the door and all his fav teachers gave him a lot of extra TLC. (I guess there was a lot of blood). We were also lucky that our neighbor – a facial reconstruction doctor – stopped by for a house call. Is this not the best little community?!!

Elliott will be at LMI full time next year – instead of three mornings, 4.5 days. It will be a big adjustment I think but he is so excited to eat lunch at school. And he has made a lot of progress in his focus and letters. 

I just love this boy!!!!

Superheroes paint nails

And big sister use gum as toe separators 

Jordan is celebrating his 36th birthday… in New Hampshire… in the White Mountains… at Story Land. Best described as a cross between Bay Beach (in Green Bay) and Disney World. I type as he is about to go on a Turtle Twirl…. after I nearly hurled on the Flying Fish. Natalie loves these spin rides. He has probably gone on tea cups a dozen times over two days. Update: oh no. elliott looks like he is about to puke as I watch them on this ride!

My favorite was a 0.6 mile hike to Diana’s Falls. The kids digged it too. Nat was leaping across rocks and Elliott transformed into a robot. 

We also stopped at Dartmouth on the way. Gotta start the College tours young. (Just kidding!). It was an easy half way point and the kids loved climbing on a sculpture.  We gave Jordan his bday presents early. He got a matching shirt with Elliott! Handsome boys in blue v-necks!

My mom came in for Natalie’s recital. I do wish we lived closer to family because I know she has many other fans who would have liked to come. That’s one of the only downsides to western mass, but it’s a big one. 

Anyways we were lucky to celebrate Mother’s Day – and her 39th wedding anniversary with her. Here are some pics from the weekend. She also stayed to read at the kids schools. Both kids have had both grandmothers read at their school this month. Lucky kids!  Natalie’s last time seeing Grandma was at school though so you can see she went from super excited (pic reading) to sad (goodbye hug). And Elliott asked Grandma to be a part of his family. She explained that she was but just didn’t live with him. Then he asked her to move in. She laughed and said maybe one day we will see a lot more of her than we would like. Thanks for being an awesome Mom and Grandma!!

It was also grandparents day at school today. Mom had to head to the airport so I got to be Elliott’s guest. He was surprisingly serious and purposeful in showing me around. Here’s a pic on the wall. 

He is probably expecting a Nana and Pop day next. I don’t think he knows those are simply other names for grandparents!
Ps we are so lucky to have young parents!! All four of the kids grandparents are much more able bodied and active than many of the grandparents I saw tonight. Count our blessings. 
Pps. Kids and jordan gave me a great Mother’s Day too!  Tons of homemade gifts , jewelry and ice cream!