The Windy City: Highlights

Thursday, April 15
1:55 pm Driving in and out of traffic and on and off of various roads:
Elliot: I not take a little sleep, mommy. I not.
Mommy: Well, it's nap time so I think you should.
Elliot: No. I not.
Mommy: Whatever.
(Five minutes of silence.)
Elliot: Where are we?
Mommy: Omaha.
Elliot: Oh.
(Two minutes of silence.)
Elliot: ZZzzzzzzz

8:10 pm Elliot has to go potty. Crap. We're on a toll road and not near our exit. But not close enough as he whimpers just a bit in the back seat. I did what any mother of a just-trained preschooler would do. Pulled over, put froggy potty on the shoulder and made him go. He thought it was the coolest thing ever to have cars and trucks whizzing past as he was ... well, whizzing.

Friday, April 16
9:20 am We arrive at the Brookfield Zoo. My dad swears that it opened at 9 but the lady that took our money informed us it didn't open until 10.

11: 15 am When presented with two options, Elliot chooses food over any more animals. THAT, my friends, is the gene he got from his mother. Because he asked nicely, and I was in vacation-mom mode, I let him eat a cinnamon roll for lunch. My dad and brother learned first hand what sugar does to a tired 3 year old - hello, restaurant entertainment.

5:15 pm Shoveled in dinner (thank you, again, momma, it was DELICIOUS) like any girl with an upcoming birthday and her FAVORITE cake sitting on the counter waiting, waiting, waiting for her to come take a slice. I know we all say our momma's do something just perfect? Well, my mom makes THE BEST German Chocolate Cake icing. Seriously, it's the best. My dad and I fought over the pot and spoon when she finished icing the cake.

6:10 pm Failed Attempt #1 to get Elliot on the Harley.

6:11 - 6:25 pm Failed Attempts #2 - #427 to get Elliot on the Harley.

Saturday, April 17
3:15 am I am woken up in the middle of the night by a small voice.
Elliot: Mommy! Mom! Mommy!
Mommy: (Jumps up, looks where his bed was on the floor.) Elliot?
Elliot: Mommy!
Mommy: Where are you?!?
(Out shoots a little white hand from under the bed.)
(Oh. Em. Gee. He rolled under the bed.)
Mommy: (Trying not to laugh) Oh no - are you stuck?
Elliot: Yeah, mommy, I stuck! Halp me!
I pull him out and he lays right down - I lay down laughing.

10:25 am Garmin mis-directed us and now my mom and I are driving around while it tries to come up with another route. I give my mom a lecture about the "good ole days" and how people got along fine by READING DIRECTIONS instead of depending on a stupid little machine.

11:15 am We've looked through the quilts at the festival/expo and decided to walk through the shopping area. Commence pushing, shoving, nudging and being stepped on. I'm sorry Chicago. I love you, your city and your fun things to do - but some of your people? Their momma obviously didn't teach them any manners.

5:45 pm Driving to dinner and my Check Engine light goes on. Grandpa's hopes are up that we won't get to leave the next morning.

7:15 pm It's nothing. And it's cleared.

7:17 pm Grandpa's crushed; we're leaving as planned.

Sunday, April 18
5:15 am WTF, Elliot? Why are you UP?

3:35 pm After a late start, we get even later with Elliot requesting four potty breaks in 2 hours. On request #5 I call his bluff. He goes on a tirade about me being mean, him being the boss, wanting no music and so on and so forth. This ended with me BLARING the radio until he nodded off. I was, my work friends, Rethinking My Reaction, because what I wanted to do was pull over and leave him on the side of the road. Without froggy. And with a note that said FREE.

6:35 pm Following a pit-stop at Auntie D's to catch the end of a baby shower, we made it home. Home to Fred and dinner on the table. My favorite place. Home.