A night on the town

To think Dad secretly wished that Mom had been off tonight, as she will be every Monday starting next week, or that he had hired our new babysitter for a few hours. Tonight just wouldn't have been the same!

With dinner, a picnic blanket, books and toys packed in the stroller, Dad, Levynn and Lincoln walked to Millenium Park to meet friends John and Carolina for a free She & Him concert in Pritzker Pavilion. Dad expected to spend at least some of the time in the lawn, where the kids like to stretch their legs, but it already was overflowing when we arrived a full 45 minutes before the opening act was scheduled to start.

The seating area in front, however, was wide open (the lawn always fills faster, even though you can't see from there), and that's where we had to sit for the duration - or go home early. And Dad oh so didn't want to go home early on this night.

But the kids were great! For three hours of waiting and music and more waiting and more music, they ate, played, danced and thoroughly enjoyed the company of Dad's friends, all while confined to our seating area amidst a massive crowd that far exceeded the venue's 11,000 capacity. It was remarkable, absolutely remarkable.