Vacation Part 2 - Chicago!

I've been dying to visit Chicago for years, so an EP board review course for Greg was just the excuse.  We arrived early and had a glorious fall day to tour the city together via boat and on foot.

Our boat tour guide pointed out Ferris Bueller's dad's office building.  I was pretty excited.

Andrew in midair, bounding up and down the bridge to the Art Institute:

Our favorite site was undoubtedly the bean sculpture in Millenium Park.  We have 74 pictures that are variations on the ones below.  Andrew really got a kick out of it, but truthfully Greg and I were equally enthralled.

Partway through our tour we bought Andrew a little firetruck at a souvenir stand.  The fire engine is now well-acquainted with all of Chicago's top tourist destinations.

 

 While making our way to Buckingham Fountain below, we crossed the street in
front of an actual Chicago firetruck and all the firefighters honked and waved at Andrew.

While Greg was in class Friday-Sunday, Andrew and I visited the Children's Museum at Navy Pier as well as the aquarium and river front with my cousin and his two children.  Andrew tore through the aquarium exclaiming, "I found another fish!"  The three of them were absolutely giddy during a "4D" Planet Earth movie, featuring rumbling seats, wind, and even a little mist.  The kids couldn't believe that an elephant had the gall to spray them.  I am just glad we weren't thrown out of the film because Andrew wouldn't stop wondering aloud, "What's going to happen?!"

Vacation Part 1 - Cape May

During Greg's week off last week, we spent the first few days back on Cape May, enjoying beautiful weather, the beach, Rita's water ice/custard creations, several fun dinners out, and the good company and hospitality of Gami and Gampi.  Andrew continued to just love all beach activities including moving vast quantities of sand with his front loader, going in the "pool," and looking for pretty sea glass and colorful little rocks to put in his bucket.

Are these photos starting to look familiar?  We've established some fun traditions on Cape May.

First Day of School

Andrew dons his new backpack for his first day at preschool.  It was just an intro day with the parents present, but he seemed to like it!

The fact that there were landscapers with lawn mowers and leaf blowers working around the periphery of the playground, as well as a visit from the garbage truck, clearly made school all the more appealing for the little boys.  There was a near stampede to greet the garbage truck.

Andrew and one of his new classmates (a former daycare buddy) had a celebratory lunch at Ruby's.  The elevated train running throughout the restaurant -- and the pancakes for lunch -- capped off a fun morning.

Apple...dropping

Andrew, Carrie and I went to Linvilla Orchards to pick some apples, peaches and tomatoes.  The best apples were high up in the trees where the riff-raff couldn't reach them, so I used a helper to get them.  I was quite dismayed when my plan was foiled by little butterfingers here.