Chicago!

We just got back from a trip to Chicago. WE LOVE CHICAGO!!! Why did no one ever tell me there could be a city that I actually LIKE?!?! The people, the sites, the air. Everything was wonderful. We went there for work for me, but I dragged the family along so that we could visit some friends I'd never met. When I first was pregnant with Signa, I joined an iParenting email list of other moms due the same time. We've since moved on, but I've stayed in touch with a few of them.

Sheri has been the closest to me- like a real life friend, even though we'd never met. She came from her State with her family and we stayed in the same hotel. Jillian lives in Chicago. So we met up and watched our three October 2002 babies play together. It is a site that will be with me forever.

And the better part is that it seems Sheri wasn't too horrified by me or my family and actually STILL LIKES US!!!

Anyway, more about the trip. It was the first flight for the kids and for us with kids, so I was pretty stressed. We brought too much stuff, thinking they would need to play with toys and eat constantly. Could have left snacks and toys behind, as everything was too much fun. We had pizza at two different Chicago restaurants (Pizzeria Due and then the best- Giordano's). I will never eat pizza here again. We are ordering from Giordano's and stocking our freezer to satisfy my need for pizza. Chicago pizza. REAL pizza.

I went to my meeting at the Merchandise Mart and was there early so wandered the town a bit in that area. Then I got finished early that day and so I tried to find Marc and the kids, but they were out walking. Rather than wait for them, I went out walking and ventured to Magnificent Mile, where I had a nice walk and rather than shop, I looked at architecture and went into some of the old churches. Such a beautiful town!

That night we had dinner at the Rainforest Café, Signa's favorite restaurant. Later that evening, Sheri and her family came into town and we walked for awhile and then sat in the lobby of our hotel talking and watching the kids. I feel like they are all my family now.

Anyway, Friday was a thunderstorm and the Museum of Science and Technology. It was a fantastic museum and Will is still talking about the "Yeyo submarine" (it wasn't yellow, but whatever…). We then had dinner at Ed Debevic's, which if you haven't been to, you need to go. It's a 50s style diner, where the staff is purposefully insulting. They called us names and were all around rude, which was hilarious. We loved it there. Then we had more time in the lobby that night, also featuring a bottle of wine.

Saturday was our day with Jillian and her crew. She was nice enough to host us at her home, where the kids ran rampant and William fell down the stairs onto a balloon that popped, which poor Greg though the sound was a little boy's head. Lovely. Leave it to my kids. Seeing our three kids together was just huge for me. After all this time of imagining them and seeing pictures, to actually see them together and to hold them and touch them was amazing.

After we said our goodbye's with Jillian and her family, we went to the top of the John Hancock building and got a great view of the city and lake (and also a great picture of our two families together). It was amazing. Then we went to pizza and ate very late as the wait was an hour and a half! And so so worth it! We didn't hang out in the lobby that night, as we had to pack for an early Sunday flight, but we missed so much in Chicago, that we will definitely go back for longer. My new favorite place.

Goodbyes were horrible and tearful for both Signa and me. Poor Signa refused to even say the words or hug and just cried most of the morning. She hasn't really had goodbyes before so the feelings were all new to her. I sobbed like a baby, holding Sheri as tight as I could, wishing we lived closer than 2,411 miles away.

So that was our most recent trip. We've several more coming up, but none will be as exciting as Chicago. Cannot wait to go back!