Playing catch-up

Oops, I have been so busy, that I have been naughty, and not updating my blog. So I will try and recall all that has happened these past 2 months. Sorry if it sounds so choppy and jumpled up, but my little brain it trying hard to remember all the wonderful things we did.

After my friends, and mommy's best friend left, my mommy and me went to see my friend Nathan, before he and his family moved to Colorado, from our old neighborhoood, Andersonville. Mommy thought it would be a good idea to get a playdate in before they left. While we were playing inside their condo though, we could see the sky was getting very dark, and the mommies put the news on, which was telling us to get in a sheltered room because there were tornado warnings in the city. Since we were in a living room with huge glass walls, we decided to go into a back room, and wait for it to be safe. We stayed there for about 30 minutes.





A few hours later at about 8 pm, mommy thought it was safe to drive home, and go pick up daddy at work. It was still raining, but not as hard. Though Glenwood Ave. was pretty flooded, and up to mommy's ankles. We started driving and got onto the expressway, and all of the sudden traffic stopped, and I feel asleep. Next thing I knew, it was 2 hours later, and we had moved 1 mile. Mommy got off onto an exit, but that just took us into very flooded roads, with no electricity, downed power lines, and trees down everywhere. Everything was dark, and scary. Some man, helping to direct traffic, told mommy the expressway was closed to traffic going north. After, several phone conversations between mommy and daddy, we turned back and returned to Nathan's house for a sleepover. I was so excited to go back to their house. But when we got there, Nathan and his sis were already asleep, so mommy and I just watched some tv, and then went to bed. Poor dadddy, he had to sleep on the floor in his office, because we could not pick him up. This was my first night ever of not sleeping with both mommy and daddy. I thought it would be tough at first, but eventutally, sleep won.



At 6 am, mommy woke me up, and we got back in the car and tried this whole picking-up-daddy thing once again. This time we made it...but we saw tons of fallen trees on the way. It looked like a battle zone. Mommy kept saying she was surprised a storm like this happened in the city.

One the way home we stopped and had a huge breakfast to make up for the missed dinner the night before. When we got home, I knew mommy and daddy were really tired, but we had tickets to see Thomas the Tank Engine in Union, IL. We were supposed to go the Friday before...but it got rained out. Mommy called to make sure it was open, and the roads were safe, and then on very little sleep we went. I was so excited. Thomas has become one of my favorite toys to play with!

When I first saw Thomas, I was really weirded out. At home, he is a small train, I can fit into my small hands. And now, he was bigger than our house! I had to grab onto mommy and daddy to keep me safe.



Once we got on the train though I became a pro, and didn't want to get off. The day was a bit gloomy, but we were lucky and had no rain, and best of all no crowds!

Two days later, we went to Ravinia to see Rufus Wainwright for my second time. Lily was there too, and we had lots of fun dancing and playing.





Daddy's friend, Jim, came over from England, and was doing the sound for Crowded House. One night we all went to Indian together, and I did really well. I actually sat in my seat the entire time, when usually at that restaurant, I love to run around. Maybe it is the carpeting, or the lighting, orthe smell, hmmm.......



For the show, our friend, Cornelia came over and played with me, so mommy and daddy could have a much needed night out. I pretended to cry and be sad when they left...but once I saw the car go down the street, I perked up and Cornelia and I had a great time together.

We also had a bbq at our house with Lily and Benny and their parents. It was a lot of fun. We made daddy fall into the pool! I was laughing so hard.



I always have so much fun with my two, very first, friends.







Daddy tossing me in the air:


In September we had lots of fun with our friends in Kenosha, and lots of really warm days. One day we went out on my friend, JD's boat. It was my first time, and at first I was really nervous, but then I got the hang of it, and really liked getting in the lake with daddy. I even got to drive!







We had a good-bye dinner with Nathan, Sydney and their parents and wished them well in Denver. I will be so sad though..he really was my first boyfriend. We have eaten together so many times, and usually we feed each other. We have even gone on vacation together, and now he is leaving :( I always have so much fun with him.





We had another bbq at our place with all our new, wonderful friends in Kenosha. I had lots of fun playing the backyard with all of them!



We went to the Wine Harvest Festival in Cedarburg, WI with some friends, and it was so much fun. I got to hang out with JD, and his cousin, Emily, and their friend, Gavin. I want to adopt Emily as my older sister! I didn't want to hold mommy or daddy's hand, but I loved holding Emily's hand, and following her everywhere. There was so much fun stuff to look at. Mommy kept saying she thought the town was really pretty, and wished Kenosha looked more like that.

big sleepover fun!!

Last weekend was one of my favorite weekends ever!! Mommy's best friend, Erin, for more than 20 years, came to visit us with her 3 daughters, Hannah, Emme and Sarah.

I was in love right away...with their backpacks :p Kidding...I did love to play with their backpacks and the contents, but I was so happy to have so much attention lavished on me. I can never get tired of that. Right away, I knew we have fun, and get in trouble together.

They came over Friday afternoon, so I showed them the backyard and we immediately played on the swings, with the hose and ate some icy pops. They also gave me a really cute denim jacket. I can't wait until it is cooler and I can wear it.

After playing outside, and then coming inside and taking all my toys out to show them off, our parents took us to the harbor to walk around and show them the sites. Us kids all decided we were hungry, so our parents brought us to this fun restaurant, Pazzo. They have a huge outdoor deck, and huge couches and tables. I just sat there and colored most of the time, while mommy and daddy and Erin drank something with leaves floating in it, and talked.

Afterwards, we went back to my place, got in our pajamas, ate ice cream, played some more, watched some tv, and reluctantly went to bed.

The next day, we all got up...very slowly, and went out to a yummy brunch.



I even got fed!



Then I got to act as their tour guide and show them the Kenosha museum with the dinosaurs. That is one of my favorite places to go. I love to look at the dinosaurs and the huge Mammoth. We also walked through the farmers market, and mommy bought some fresh veggies for the week.

Uh oh:


Daddy feeding the dinosaur, maybe this will calm him down so he doesn't eat anymore teddy bears:









After some more playing, and fun, they had to go home. I was so sad to see them go. They each gave me a hug, which made me feel good, but I was still really sad.







I hope we see them again soon!!

social calendar

Mommy and daddy say I have a busier social life than they do. I am not sure that is true, but I have had a lot of fun this month.



My best girl friend had her 2nd birthday, and we had lots of fun. Benny was there too, so we all got to play, chase balloons and splash together.







Next, grandma Joy came to visit. I had so much fun with her. "Granma" is now a regular word I have added to my vocabulary. I really wish I got to her see, and then rest of my family more often.

Mommy took grandma and me to Lincoln Park Zoo. Right now I am in quantity-over-quality phase. I just want to go to the zoo and see as many animals as possible. I really don't care to stand, watch and observe them. So, why does mommy? Why does she want to watch the rhino walking around in its habitat? I don't understand.









For 2 nights in a row, mommy and daddy told me that had to go to work, and I ended up playing with grandma until she put me to bed on my own. And then I didn't see mommy and daddy until the next morning. I am not sure what they were trying to pull, but I really don't think they went to work. I think they ditched me while they went out to have some fun at places where I am not allowed. But little do they know...I may have cried when they left..but I wanted to put on a good show...I had a great time with grandma.

For grandma's last night we went to Milwaukee to this Indian restaurant they always take me too. And for the first time since they have discovered this place, I behaved. Something at this place just makes me want to run around. It may have helped that mommy brought all my fav toys and crayons from home, but I sat still until the end. I figured mommy and daddy deserved an easy meal..for once :) Mommy kept saying it was her favorite meal, she had the salmon tikka, well until she bit into something that made her guzzle down my mango drink and had water coming from everywhere on her face. She ran into the bathroom in a rush, and did not look happy. She finally came down and finished her meal, but it was touch and go there for a while.



I attempted to dress Silvio:



But then we took a little rest:



I hope grandma Joy comes back soon!







ps - I actually am able to sleep on my own (shhh...don't tell!)...I did it 2 nights in a row, when grandma put me to sleep. I sure hope mommy and daddy don't realize this though, because I still like sleeping with them!

Next time...my fun weekend with my good friends from Seattle.

Cheap Blue See

A week ago, on Friday the 13th, mommy and daddy took me to an interesting place. We drove over an hour on Wisconsin country roads (and passed at least 3 Wal-Marts) to get to some small (and a bit scary) town, Beloit, WI. They were having what they call River Fest, and we went to see Blue Öyster Cult and Cheap Trick.

I think my favorite thing was the people watching, it was pretty unbelievable. It seemed like mommy and daddy did more of this than watching the music. My second favorite thing was the elephant ear (mommy always has to get these whenever we go somewhere they are available), I tried to take a picture of it, but I was distracted by my feet:



Then I turned the camera around and took a self-portrait (note elephant ear on face):



Daddy made sure I had my ear protection so I could really get into the music.



Note the interesting Beloit hair on the right (I was trying to be subtle so mommy & daddy could get a photo of the evidence):



I had a lot of fun, and Blue Öyster Cult even sang a song just for me, Godzilla...how did they know about my passion for dinosaurs??

They had fireworks afterwards, but we wanted to make a quick getaway so we tried to leave before they started. But as we walked out, we walked by a bunch of children amusement rides. Mommy kept saying how dirty and unsafe they looked, but I insisted I needed to try it out myself! Daddy got me one ticket, and I went on the merry-go-round with mommy. I really wanted to go on the horse that went up and down, but I thought it was too scary once mommy put me on it, so mommy and me sat on a bench and went around in circles. It was so much fun...I waved to daddy every time we passed him. Of course I wanted to do more after, but mean mommy & daddy made me leave.

I think I fell asleep in the car right away....I was sleepy. Good thing, because I think mommy & daddy got lost on the way home.

My new toy!!

I now have the luxury to get driven all over town in this:



This morning we rode to a yummy brunch place where ate outside, and I got to make a mess with the syrup and sugar while mommy and daddy tried to eat their food.

vacation!

Last weekend we went on a mini-vacation to Door County. We stayed at a really nice bed & breakfast, called the Eagle Harbor Inn, it looks much better in person than on the web site. The food there was really yummy, we ate full breakfasts on the patio every morning. Well, I would walk around, and mommy & daddy would eat breakfast.



We saw this rainbow as we drove in the first day:



The first day there, we went to Peninsula State Park and mommy & daddy brought their bikes and rented a bike trailer to take me along on a 10-mile bike trail through the park. At first, I was scared to get in it...but once mommy pretended to leave without me, I was convinced. It was really fun, I got to go up and down hills really fast. We stopped so I could play on a playground, and stopped at a beach, and I even got a chance to take a lazy nap, while mommy pulled me around.

We also went swimming in the pool at the hotel, and walked on beaches. I loved chasing the "fu-flies" (butterflies) on the beach. They would never sit still though, and made me do a lot of running. Daddy took a lot of video of me, but of course it is still on the video camera.



A nature preserve...this is walking to it, from the beach:



I would never stand still, I didn't want mommy to get too good of a picture!





On our last night there it was mommy's birthday, so we went to dinner at a really nice restaurant called Mission Grille. It was mommy's choice, and she kept saying how much she loved it, and how everything was so good. But, I did not want her to enjoy her time too much and forget about me, so for the first 45 minutes I walked around, and refused to sit. We were sitting outside, so I kept going inside, and trying to see what was going on in the kitchen. Finally at the end, I decided to sit at our table, and ate most of our shared berry cobbler dessert.

This is across from our bed & breakfast. The day was overcast, but the water was actually clear and blue:



If you look carefully, you can see the little town, of Ephraim, that we stayed in:



Mommy and daddy kept saying how their favorite part about Door County was that there were no chains. No Starbucks, no McDs, no strip malls, no hotel chains. It was really nice, and I know mommy is already talking about how she wants to go back up there when the leaves are turning. I want more yummy ice cream and cherries. I can't wait to go back too!