Chicago 2016?

Are any of you aware, as we so keenly are, that the International Olympic Committee will select either Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo for the 2016 Summer Olympics on Friday? It's big news here, as you can imagine!

Our weekend

Dad and Levynn got a taste of the Chicago History Museum during a summer reading party in August, but he had been thinking for some time that it's worth a more thorough visit. So he took the kids there Saturday morning.

There's an old "L" car you can walk inside, and here are the kids sitting outside with, uh, an old passenger, maybe.

There also is an old locomotive engine, and the kids climbed into that, too.

We actually saw swan boats like this in a pond the first time we visited the Lincoln Park Zoo. But we didn't seem them again, and we discovered the reason in this exhibit: the zoo ended the rides sometime last year. So this "ride" is as close as we'll get.

After we returned home, Mom prepared a picnic lunch for all of us to eat at the park across the street. The Banned Books Week Read-Out - sponsored by the American Library Association, the McCormick Freedom Museum and the Newberry Library - was starting there.

During our picnic, Mom tossed a small piece of apple to the ground on a whim, and a squirrel snatched it. Check it out!



On Sunday, Mom took the kids to the beach for a while. Later in the day, Lincoln, smart boy, did this:

Another week in the books

Did we mention that Levynn's READING?!

She's handling school well, too, through her first three weeks of a full-day schedule. And it seems that she's ahead of the game; they're not reading in class, in case you're wondering.

Meanwhile, Lincoln has started a Chicago Park District program, a twice-a-week playgroup in a nearby park's gymnasium. Monday was his first day.



Maybe he'll make some friends!

Today, we decided to revisit our old neighborhood because Levynn did not have school. On the train ride to get there, she started comparing the "city" (where we live now) and the "suburbs (where we used to live, four miles north). Funny girl.

We played at the two parks we frequented back in the day and stopped at The Little Gym, where Levynn delivered a picture she made for her favorite instructor.

The suburbs were nice. But we like the city.

The body and mind of a kindergartener

Mom and Levynn went to the bookstore this morning to buy an early reader book - one that Lev hadn't already memorized. She's been bursting at the seams to read, to really read, but she knows our books too well. And we don't know when - or if - full-scale reading will be part of her kindergarten class. So we decided it was time to let her loose.

They came home with a compilation of five Disney Princess stories, two of which are Step 1 readers (Cinderella, Snow White) and three of which are Step 2 readers (Belle from "Beauty and the Beast," Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine from "Aladdin")... But then it was time for soccer. So you'll have to wait just like we did.

This was Week 2 of soccer, and Levynn stuck it out. She even scored a great goal during the game, a moment we unfortunately didn't get on video. But here is what we did get:



Can you guess what she did as soon as she got home? She and mom hunkered down on the couch with the new book, of course! Dad and Lincoln had to stop at the grocery store on the way home, and Lev already was reading the fourth story when they returned!



It's a whole new world, as Jasmine would say.

See you later, Gram!

(Is that better, Dan?)

Gram's brief but bountiful stay with us ended today. It started with Levynn's soccer debut on Saturday and also included a visit to American Girl, many treats (and a lovefest between Levynn and the owner) at Mom's fave More cupcake shop, a swim in the pool, time for Mom and Dad to enjoy a birthday date, two treks to school, and two trips to Millenium Park and the Art Institute.

One trip to the Art Institute was for a Mini Masters class. Levynn, Dad and Gram had guided tours of the nature-themed Cy Twombly gallery as well as the Lurie Garden across the street, before Levynn went to work with beautiful tempera paints. We need some of that!


We hope you had fun, Gram. Thanks for everything. See you again after Christmas!

So... who's next?

Levynn played soccer today!

We had registered her for the Chicago Park District's soccer program, and it started today at a nearby park.

Just look at that girl!

She was so excited to play, and most of the experience was fun.



She did get knocked down a couple more times, which eventually led to some tears and "I don't want to play soccer" pouts on the sidelines. But what are sports without it? Best to get it out of the way and come back all the stronger for it. And we think she did. She rejoined the group for circle time at the end, shouted "Team!" with the other kids, and seems ready for Week 2.

Cubs vs. Sox

We're not talking about the crosstown rivalry in Chicago. We're talking about the Cubs-RED Sox family rivalry in this household.

Gram is visiting us this weekend, and Lincoln naturally asked Dad what Papa is doing.

"Maybe he's watching a ballgame on TV in Massachusetts," Dad said. "Maybe he's watching the Red Sox. He likes the Red Sox."

"I like the Cubs," Lincoln said.

Et tu, Lincoln?

Success!

Just looking at Levynn's expression after she exited the school building to meet Mom yesterday afternoon, it should be obvious that she had a great first day. Click on the photo to enlarge it and get a better view of her excitement.

She named two girls who were new friends. But then she ran into another girl from her class before school started this morning, and she acted like the girl was her long lost best friend. So she's right at home.

The First Day

On another beautiful morning, Levynn's first day of kindergarten was humming along smoothly until just after that video ends.

We had been told that parents were not allowed to accompany their kids into school, and we didn't - until we saw almost every other parent and child holding hands right into the building. So, after everyone else had entered and Levynn was out of sight, we headed for the door.

And there we came upon Levynn, crying and talking to a school employee who was holding the ream of paper (requested school supplies!) Lev had been dragging along the ground. The plastic bag had ripped open, the paper had fallen out, and Levynn had lost her class. For Dad, who still remembers crying for mommy before several first days of school, it was his worst nightmare.

But Levynn being Levynn, she regrouped, found her classroom with Mom and Dad, made sure her tears were all wiped away, and joined her classmates at a table with a spot just for her.



Fortunately, no other tears were shed, at least not until Lincoln said, "I miss Levynn." We were still on school grounds, and Mom suddenly got misty-eyed.

But we have no reason to think Levynn didn't have a great first day, and we'll hear all about it very soon.

The day before the day

Tomorrow is Levynn's first day of kindergarten!

And she's so excited that she can't sleep. Literally.

We were afraid of that. So we hoped a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo on the last day of summer vacation would wear her out, not to mention provide some fun on a beautiful holiday. And away we went.

At least the lions were worn out.

This way, buddy!

Mom said no photos of animals without a child in the shot. So we didn't take any of the seals during their training show. Instead, we took one of the kids and a fake seal.

See the puma prowling? It chased a squirrel at one point.

The otters are always entertaing.

So are open grassy areas.

Awww!

AWWW!

Goodbye, Dan

We had fun...

On the couch.

At the beach.


In Grant Park.



In Millenium Park.

And wherever else we were this week. Thanks for coming!