Another Summer Reading reader

Lincoln has participated in previous Chicago Public Library summer reading programs (now dubbed Rahm's Readers), but not as a reader - until now.

When this year's program opened today, with the healthy living theme You Are What You Read, we were there to get started. And Lincoln signed up not to have 25 books read to him but to read 10 books himself.

Yes, still 4 for another three weeks or so, and he's reading!

We'll try to get you video of him doing it soon.

The first few days of summer vacation

... have worn us out, we easily could say.

Let's run down what we all did.

Thursday:

Lincoln played with an ex-classmate - his third of the week! - and that was a 45-minute trek each way by train and foot. After that, Dad and the kids walked to a playground and a library in our old neighborhood. Then, on the way home, we went to Whole Foods to get fruit to make a salad for the Brownies Bridging ceremony and party in the evening.

What is a bridging ceremony, you ask? In short, kids moving from Daisies to Brownies or from Brownies to Juniors were officially released from one and welcomed to the other (although Levynn is staying right where she is); also, each kid was recognized for what she accomplished during the year. And then we ate and were merry.

Friday:

Levynn got straight As!

And, as we expected, she was very excited to find out. Mom and Levynn went to school to get the report card, but they didn't look at it until we all could see it together at home. It seems like a lot of buildup for grades, agreed, but Mom and Dad were confident of a big payoff.

We also went to the beach for the first time this season. We met several of Levynn's friends there.

Later in the afternoon, we grabbed an I-Go car and went to the north side for birthday shopping - for presents for other kids' parties this weekend and for items for our own kids' parties that are right around the corner.

Saturday

Dad volunteered at the Tribune's Printers Row Lit Fest, the largest such event in the Midwest (or so the Trib says).

Meanwhile, Mom and the kids went to the farmers' market for Club Sprouts and lunch and then stopped at Baskin-Robbins for ice cream.

Sunday

Simultaneous birthday parties!

Mom brought Levynn to American Girl for an old friend's party, and Dad took Lincoln to Garfield Park Conservatory for an ex-classmate's party.

There were animals to see and touch at the conservatory party - an armadillo, a boa, a bat, a chinchilla and others, like whatever this guy is.

The last day of school, Part II

And now we have a third-grader!

Levynn finished her school year today, and we're very proud to say that she did it with a BANG!

Mom and Dad anticipate straight As again, which would give her straight As for all four terms. But that's not the whole story. She had a rough patch early in the term, across several subjects (we suspect distractions in the classroom), and she had a B in math on her recent progress report. So she doesn't think she'll have straight As.

But we can view all her grades online, as they happen, and we've seen a tremendous turnaround. So we've been telling her for a couple weeks now that we're very pleased with her effort, no matter what comes of it in the end. We just happened to peek at her grades again this week and notice that she got a 100 on a math quiz last Friday that appeared to put her over the top.

So we think she is going to be very excited at report card pickup on Friday.

Now, back to the last day. It actually was a half day of school, and Levynn went to her BFF's house afterward (but not before Dad and Lincoln gave her a big hug as she came out of the building). That left the boys with a long afternoon to themselves, and we went to the planetarium.

We stumbled on a section of the museum that we don't recall ever seeing.

It had some neat things. Professor Lincoln particularly liked this replica of a medieval astronomy class.

Does he miss school already?

Day School lovefest

Lincoln's school picnic today was at a playground we previously didn't know even existed, tucked between two "hills" and sitting alongside a pond on the northern end of Lincoln Park.

It's a spot we'll have to keep in mind.

Anyway, all four of us were able to attend, and it was a nice goodbye. Parents thanked teachers, teachers gushed over said parents' kids, parents promised other parents they'd stay in touch, and kids even showed a little love for each other.

This girl on the tire swing, smiling for the camera? She kissed Lincoln goodbye! (But let's not confuse her with the girl who thinks she is his "one true love.")

Oh, and do you like the kids' new hats?

The last day of school, Part I

We have a kindergartener!

Today was Lincoln's last day in the Pre-K program, although we'll be at a school picnic tomorrow. But it's the end, and it dawned on him tonight. He cried as he told us that tomorrow would be the last time he'll see his teachers. Growing up is hard to do.

But he really did have nice teachers, and it's safe to say he'll never have teachers quite like that again. They love those kids.

"Maybe it's just that he's a nice boy"

Lincoln's class went on a little field trip today to the fire station that's about a block from the school.

It was relatively unremarkable, although the fire truck was out on a call when we arrived. So we took this photo and then spent some time at the playground next door, good old Seneca Park.

Back at the station, the kids got to climb into the truck. (There is only one here.)

They got to climb into the ambulance, too.

They also got to shoot water from a little hose and tour the kitchen - which was huge, by the way.

Then we went back to the playground, and that was more interesting. See for yourself.

Notice anything?

A lot of girls, perhaps?

This was not news to Dad, of course. In his first true school experience this year, Lincoln really has bonded with the more mature girls in the class. We assume having a big sister is the reason for that.

But other parents have noticed, too. In that last photo, the mom of one of the girls made a remark about all the girls hanging around Lincoln. And someone else joked about a "ladies' man." But then the mom of the other girl said, "Maybe it's just that he's a nice boy."

That's what we think.

Anyway, Dad then took the nice boy to Navy Pier to see Batman's Tumbler (and Bat-Pod) from the "Dark Knight" movies. The field trip continues!

No, Lincoln has not seen, nor will he see for many years, any of those movies. But he still thought it was cool.

Crazy Week, Part II

Phew!

Gram and Cousin Chloe rode the train to the airport without incident early yesterday afternoon, ahead of the NATO rush - Dad and Lincoln accompanied them part of the way, just to make sure - and the summit ended quietly later in the day. We survived!

We made one brave outing while they were here, taking the bus far north to Cricket Hill (away from the NATO hot spots, so perhaps not so brave) for the annual Kids and Kites Festival - which was an official NATO event and Mayor Rahm Emanuel was present (so, yes, it was brave of us after all!).

Otherwise, we stayed in the neighborhood.

Although, our neighborhood was interesting, too. Upon leaving our building, we were surprised to see that our street had a lane blocked for NATO motorcades. That wasn't in any of the reports!

So this, really, was the best place to be.

Crazy Week, Part I

Usually, the spring assembly is another reminder that the school year is ending. But yesterday's performance at Levynn's school was a reminder of something else this time: this is a crazy week!

Among the highlights, Levynn's culture project - on Southern culture - was due Tuesday; Family Culture Night at Levynn's school was this evening; Lincoln's class bunny also came home today for the long weekend, which may not be a long one for you but it is here in Chicago; because the NATO Summit begins Sunday; Gram and Cousin Chloe arrive for a visit tomorrow, NATO be darned; and they will depart Monday afternoon, along with all the NATO delegates and protesters and who knows who else.

The "who knows" element of the summit prompted Lincoln's school, among many businesses, to shut down Friday and Monday. Hopsy Cabbage, the bunny, couldn't be alone that long so we volunteered to bring her home.

Lincoln is allergic to bunnies, we discovered right off the bat this afternoon - see his right eye? - but oh well! At least she made it easier to spend more time in the apartment, thanks to the summit, than we usually do on a weekend.

As for Levynn's assembly, Dad and Lincoln attended. They couldn't tell you the names of any of the second grade's three songs or, perhaps, even any of the words. But here's the most spirited of the three. Enjoy!

Spring break(s)

Spring break ends in our home today, after Levynn's week, a shared long weekend and then Lincoln's week. Next year, the two will be in the same school and mercifully will be off at the same times. We can't wait!

Levynn spent much of her week at Grandy's house, a special experience indeed. And much of that time was spent with cousin Clark. So, many thanks to Grandy (for the photos, too).

Grandy then visited us, after accompanying Levynn on the train to Chicago.

Here's Levynn on the train - looking very, uh, not seven years old.

Grandy was never busier in her previous visits, perhaps in all of them combined, traveling hither and yon with Mom - mostly, it seemed to Dad, to see the May flowers that our 80-degree week in March delivered nearly two months early.

Throughout it all, Dad and Lincoln tried to keep busy - with LEGOs, museums, playdates and a birthday party.

But now it's time for the stretch run at the schools...

Weekend without Levynn

Being at different schools, not that that's any excuse, Levynn and Lincoln have different spring breaks.

So, while Lincoln is here with Mom and Dad, Levynn is spending her spring break at Grandy's house. We know she's having fun, and we're trying to have some, too.

Lincoln's class hosted a mommy party as Dad was driving Levynn to meet Grandy on Friday, and Mom says it was very nice. (There will be a daddy party later this month.) Then Mom and Lincoln walked across the street to the Lego store to buy him a new Creator set. Have we told you that he loves Legos?

Dad, Mom and Lincoln went to Lincoln Park Zoo yesterday, and, despite the chill in the air, the three of us will remember that visit for a long time.

We saw a black bear we don't remember ever seeing, and he was playfully wrestling with a log stuck in the ground. Then we saw a polar bear who, on our prior visits, always was either doing nothing or not there at all. But he was swimming and seemingly showing off for the crowd, gliding by the window and playing with a giant whiffle ball and a tire. It was really neat.

And, since the mommy party, a stuffed dog named Dot - one of Lincoln's class mascots - has been accompanying us. So he even came to the pool with us today.