Sweet Home Chicago

Well, not our home...but the suburbs have been home to our friends Joe & Nora for a couple years now. We just made our first visit to them!
We had such a great time. Paige did an amazing job traveling...especially when we unexpectedly got stuck in traffic for an hour and a half (turning 3 hours in a car seat into nearly 5, bless her heart). She even compromised for swimming in the bathtub at the hotel we stayed one night in when we found out the pool was part of a gym and didn't allow kids (really??).

Joe is a college chemistry professor. Nora is a veterinarian. Together they are pregnant with what is sure to be the smartest, funnest, most adventuresome boy ever...and we couldn't be more excited for them! We didn't get to spend as much time with Nora as we would have liked since she had to work at her busy clinic (and we don't know how to plan a trip more than a month ahead of time), but I'm looking forward to the baby shower. She's decorating the nursery with her favorite animal...sea turtles...I'm scouring the Interwebs for cool gifts!

(Unfortunately this was the only pic I got of both of them...Paige is boxing their dinner for them at Weber Grill restaurant. She does that.)

 Paige made sure to give them some toddler experience...chasing their cats, throwing food to the dog, pulling every book from the bookcase, and running. Always running (or going up/down/up/down the stairs). And begging Joe to hold her hand or carry her...but wait a minute, you never did get that diaper-changing experience, did you Joe? 

 We also introduced Joe, his sister, and her boyfriend Justin to the awesomeness that is Yo Gabba Gabba.

Pep's current fave is Foofa, with Toodee a close second.

Joe made us an excellent dinner and introduced us to some of their local favorites. Paige couldn't wait for dinner, so she ate an entire tomato, like an apple.

We checked out Harper College, where Joe teaches Organic Chemistry. Pep might collaborate on a few experiments soon.

  Then we were on to the Chicago Botanic Gardens...I never knew such a great place existed! We highly recommend it! Admission is free (parking is $20, but we had 6 people in our car). Over 2 hours and we still hadn't seen it all. Plus it's the perfect place for letting peppy toddlers run free(ish). Observe:

Yes, that is one happy girl who slept GREAT that night. Plan on seeing this picture at Paige's graduation open house with a senior picture in the same pose right next to it.

Sunday I got my IKEA fix (thanks for humoring me, everybody) and then on to the Brookfield Zoo. The African exhibits were wonderful...Paige has been stretching her neck like a giraffe and pointing her finger from her nose and yelling "wino!" (rhino) since we got back.

A few tips: if you do go to Brookfield, do yourself a favor...pack a cooler, go early (on a weekday if possible), and secure a map early on...also look for coupons toward admission!

Thanks Joe & Nora! We're looking forward to the next trip--and meeting baby!