Our snow angel

Looking through our 31st-floor windows today, we thought the snow would accumulate fast as it came down hard for hours. But it was a little too warm for that, apparently. Nonetheless, Dad and Levynn bundled into winter gear new (his boots, her snowsuit and hat and mittens) and old and walked to the park to play in the snow.

Lev made a snow angel.




We built a small snowman together.



And we threw snowballs at each other.




Oh, and isn't she beautiful?

Somebody's watching me

Big city girl

Mom and Levynn left our downtown high-rise at 7 a.m. today to meet the movers at our new apartment on the North Side, where we'll be living next week. Dad and Lincoln joined them at the apartment after the movers finished early in the afternoon, and we all drove back downtown. We then headed to Navy Pier to eat dinner and take advantage of a free evening at the Chicago Children's Museum.

At the end of the day (which was a long one for the girls), we realized that, along the way, Levynn had traveled by cab, by train, by bus, by foot, by car, by stroller and by trolley.

She's probably a little small for a Segway, and the horse-drawn carriages are pretty expensive here. But those are about all she didn't use in her travels today. Wow.

We're not in Louisville anymore, Toto.

Christmas, Part II

Merry Christmas to the few we were lucky to see and to the many we wish we could have seen at this crazy time in our lives.

Christmas, Part I

We were happy to welcome Gram, Papa and Uncle Dan to our temporary home above the Windy City for an early Christmas celebration.


Lincoln experiences wrapping paper...

"What's this, Dan?"

"Oh, slippers! I love these slippers!"


Yes, we're geeks - or at least Dad is a geek. But this is one gadget that a lot of us, not just Dad, should be able to enjoy.


That's actually the back of a photo of newlywed Aunt Rachel, but the words hold meaning for all brothers. Remember that, little man.

Who needs batteries?

A prime example of simple playthings that don't light up or make siren noises. Perhaps just a variety of laundry baskets for Christmas?

The view from the sky

Don't blink

... or you'll miss the moment. Lincoln can actually hold it a little while longer than this now, but watching him lurch forward is (sorry) more entertaining than watching him just sit!

PS: doesn't he look like a little frog in that outfit, sitting there?

"Chicago, Chicago ... I love it"

We did the Chambers thing (going to the library), the big-city thing (forsaking wheels for feet) and the Windy City thing (braving the chill) today in undertaking our first true Chicago adventure as a family.

We trekked 1.2 miles to the Chicago Public Library's central branch "on State Street, that great street" and 1.2 miles back to the apartment building, stopping to touch the snow, to pose in front of the lions guarding The Art Institute of Chicago and to eat lunch at Prudential Plaza.




And we not only survived. We had fun.

Levynn sang it best: "The cold doesn't bother me, the cold doesn't bother me, the cold doesn't bother me" - borrowing from her own original composition, "The rain doesn't bother me, the rain doesn't bother me, the rain doesn't bother me."

Lincoln showed it best: Bundled in his Gram-given snowsuit, he slept soundly for most of the walk and even lunch.

Meanwhile, Mom and Dad looked at each other and marveled at it all: Yes, we really live here.

Virtual tour

Here's just a quick peek at our new place, in the dark. Hope you can tell a little bit about the view and the condo. More to come; please bear with us as we try to get our bearings!