Finding Nemo

Our year-end hunt for a stuffed animal Nemo came to an end, while at the Shedd. We found one in the gift shop! Dylan loves his Nemo, and sleeps with him every night.

After we left the Shedd, we walked down towards the waterfront, and Kristin and I were chatting away. Suddenly we realized Dylan no longer had Nemo, so we started backtracking. We came around the corner to see the scene above. :)

(Kuddos to my husband, who came up with the title for this post. Nice one, honey.)

Swing x6

We went to a park in Ravenswood Manor (pretty close to Gov. Blagojevich's house!) the other day, and there was something in the air that made all the babies & toddlers want to swing. At one point, almost everybody at the park was doing the swings at the same time. It was kind of funny.

 

Play Ball!

On the way to the park last weekend, we took a pitstop at a ballfield and watched a little of the game. (This has to be my most exciting blog post yet.)

Buckingham Fountain

D had his first visit to Buckingham Fountain last weekend. One of Marc's good customers did the installation of the pavers!

Shedd Aquarium

Our former neighbor Kristin used to work at the Shedd Aquarium, and "escorted" us there 2 weeks ago. It was such a fun day, and Dylan truly loved the fishies! Thanks for a fabulous day, Kristin!!! You are the best.

Bubbles

We got a bubble machine at Walgreens recently. These are pics from when I first turned it on. Dylan was one happy boy.

Taking Grocery Shopping to a Whole New Level

The Jewel we go to now has these "car" grocery carts. D felt like a rockstar doing the driving. I felt like a total mom, driving this honkin' big thing around. But we were both very happy.

(Little) Men in Tights

These are some of Dylan's new PJ's. Aren't they funny?

The New Welles Park

Welles park "complex" just added a second park, and we've had fun exploring everything it has to offer!

 Swinging "big boy style"!

There was a worker watering the grass one day that attracted lots of kids. He started spraying them a little, and they all thought that was the bomb. (Yes, I still use that expression.)

This piece of park equipment is like a ride at an amusement park. The kiddos love it.

Hang

Dylan saw the big boys hang on the bar above the slide one day, so now that's his thing. He grabs the bar, swings from it, then goes down the slide. You can tell he thinks he's pretty big stuff.

Choo Choo

Daddy and Dylan take walks down the street to watch the choo-choo pretty regularly. Dylan looks at it and says "Pommas" (for Thomas the Train).

Raincoat

It's been a rainy week, so Dylan's been wearing his raincoat a bunch lately. I just think it's so cute!

5 minutes after the top picture was taken, he fell in the mud, so I had to strip him of his pants and shoes before coming into the apartment. But then he ran on up the stairs before I could get his coat off, so he did a little stairclimbing dressed like this. :)

Priorities

Marc wrapped up his workday doing email at Starbucks yesterday, so Dylan and I stopped by to say hello. Marc was pretty focused in on his emails. Dylan was pretty focused in on his cheddar puffs.

Hangtime

Fantasy Kingdom

A rainy day sent us to a new (to us) indoor playland in Chicago called Fantasy Kingdom. Dylan had a ball!

 Dylan loved the tube slide, and mostly chose to go down it head first.

The Caifano Moms

We celebrated M's Day by going to brunch at Mia Francesca's on Taylor street.

Ahh - yes - life with the Caifano family. This is what it's like every day.

After shoving the balloon weight down the hippo mouth in the toy to the right, Dylan gave me this balloon.

My Beautiful Mother

Happy Mother's Day, 

To My Beautiful Mom!

 

This is my mom and me in the hospital after I was born. The expression on her face genuinely captures her approach to motherhood all of her life - joy, awe, and happiness. She somehow seems to make every single kid - and now grandkid - feel as if they're the most special child in the world. I am grateful beyond words for her unconditional love in my life.

Mother's Day Humor

This is funny stuff. Check out this YouTube video from comedian Anita Renfroe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYukEAmoMCQ.

To All Moms: Whatever You Did For the Least of These....

A friend recently shared a devotional from Manna for Moms that was so encouraging. To all you mammas out there who silently serve your families day in and day out, and in honor of Mother's Day, I hope this poem encourages you. I think the background reference for this is from Matthew 25:40:

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

I started my day early,
Before the room was light.
I lifted my son from his crib
And wished it was still night.
But as I held him close and said,
"Hi, Kenneth, precious one,"
I knew that as I greeted him,
I greeted too God's Son.

When my daughter woke up later,
Calling, "Mommy!  Mommy!  Down!"
I picked her up and hugged her
In her worn Elmo nightgown.
I know she felt the closeness
That a mother's touch affords.
I welcomed not just Ellie,
But so, too, the Lord of Lords.

That day, I mixed some formula
And opened jars of peas.
I fixed some "pizza butter" bread
When she grinned and said, "Pleeeeease."
I heated up some leftovers;
I had to nuke them twice.
And when I fed my children,
I was feeding Jesus Christ.

I made some funny faces,
And "played puzzles" on the floor.
I dressed kitties, ran around outside,
And played with them some more.
We laughed and jumped and tickled,
Making memories to be stored.
When I spent time with my children,
I spent time with my Lord.

I wiped up sticky cereal
And washed the dishes clean.
I straightened, picked up, put away,
And dusted in between.
I did six loads of laundry
And folded it like new.
When I cleaned for my children,
I cleaned for my Savior, too.
 
When my children were both crying,
I held them in my arms.
I cuddled them and whispered
That I'd keep them safe from harm.
I told them how their Father saved them
With His perfect Lamb.
When I comforted my children,
I comforted I AM.

Later on that evening,
I put them in the bath.
I washed their little bodies
As they kicked around and splashed.
I dried them in soft towels
And put their jammies on.
When I had washed my children's feet,
I'd washed the Holy One.

I cooked and cleaned and rearranged,
Made beds and taught and played.
I made sure that we had food to eat
And that we often prayed.
I died to self.  I made a home
From ordinary things.
But when I served my children,
I served the King of Kings.

To some, I have done nothing,
But to two, I've done the world.
I made eternal difference
To my precious boy and girl,
And to the One who watches over
Every pathway that I've trod.
For when I've loved my precious children,
I've loved Almighty God.

-    Megan Breedlove
(mannaformoms.com)

South Dakota Trip

The week after moving into our apartment, Dylan and I traveled to South Dakota with my grandparents, who had been in town for Easter. We had a fabulous week with family and friends.

Playing games with Uncle Ryan and cousin Trey.

Grandma borrowed a bike trailer, so D got his first bike ride! 

He loved it.

He also got his first wheelbarrow ride from Grandpa. :)

If you look closely, you see the "object" my mom is chasing, and that the "object" is fully ready for bed, dressed in his PJ's. I had gotten Dylan ready for bed and let him go out to say goodnight to Grandpa and Grandma. We were about to begin our wind-down routine in his room. The next thing I knew, this was the scene.

Shooting hoops.

Having a tea party with Grandma.

Checking out the cement that was just laid for a basketball court at Uncle Ryan's house.

My dear friend Jamie and her two youngest kids - Kaleb and Kai.

 My other dear friend Jaymi, my sophomore year college roomie.