Dear Henry,
Day 2 of Chicago...
We dropped Dadoo off at work. The second he was out of the van you wailed all the way back to the hotel, all the way up to the room and in the room. I decided we would wait after we met Dadoo for lunch to do any venturing. So we checked out a movie at the front desk, "The Wizard of OZ." You piped down by the time Dorthy fixed her hobo basket and gathered up Toto to run away. You loved it! and made it just after the poppy field. You clapped, got excited, enjoyed the songs, called out monkey and as the yellow brick road first revealed itself you yelled out, "YELLOW!" Since we had stayed around until 10:30 in the room I decided to plan our adventure to give you as many new experiences as possible. We copied down the bus schedule from the front desk and gathered our junk to go. It as a three or four block walk to the bus stop where we sat and waited, and waited, and waited...and I thought, "I need to double check this stop." I asked a lady havin' lunch with a friend next to the building and we figured out that the hotel's recommendation was way off and not even running at that time of day. She kindly directed us up the street and around the corner and just in time we caught the bus which took us up front of Dadoo's building. You didn't mind any of the snags. You sat at the bus stop and played your harmonica. I'm surprised with all the looks, smiles and nods we didn't earn lunch money. It seemed fitting in the city to have your sound track drifting through the air mixing with the rattling of trains, the honkings of horns and sirens wailing. At the bus stop you learning the words bus and taxi.
After lunch we took our new bus knowledge and rode back toward the hotel. Halfway there on our left we saw tents and people so we hopped off at the next stop finding ourselves in front of the farmers market. It was nice enough but makes the Bloomington Farmers look ultra delux. We milled about people watching until you started shouting, "BEES!!!" Sure enough a vendor selling honey had a slab of honey comb complete with swishing bees at their table. We went up close, we stayed calm watching the busy workers, until an older lady with her bright red lips and a thick Polish accent started swatting at the bees around your head. As if Mama didn't see the bees she suggested. "we get away fast, there are bees everywhere." We left the table but it wasn't the bees the prompted it. So what to do next? I jumped on my cell phone looking at a map and decided we would walk to the art museum. I had seen that Thursday was a free day and was excited to go...Dadoo doesn't care much for art museums but I knew you would enjoy it.
On route we bumped into Millennium Park just before the museum and as we turned a corner through the park the big silver bean sculpture was smack dab in our faces.
As we grew closer I decided I needed to release you from the the stroller and let you run up to it. Exited by the people, birds and sculpture you danced your way closer. Throwing your hands up to touch the side and to look at yourself you started inching your way down to the edge as if you were going to crawl under it.
It freaked me out a bit so I pulled you out by your foot and walked to the center. It is such a cool thing this big silver bean! It blobs out a clear reflection of the city but is so shiny it disappears in the skyline so it resembles the off kilter landscapes in the 1920's horror classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. We enjoyed exploring our distorting reflections for a good hour and then it was time to move on. It was an unseasonably hot day and we were both thirsty, hot and tired but revived again as we see a large open space between two sculptures with WATER! I sat down ripping our shoes and socks off as quickly as possible and we ran together into the water. You were smiling and running staring and pointing at the two sculptures that flank the open area. They have changing faces on them that intermittently "spit" water from their mouths. It was so refreshing and you walked around trying the make friends. The cutest little girl came to play with you for a little bit while I chatted with her mom. 
Your favorite thing was to dip your head in the water over and over again. I sat back a minute looking around at the city, our experience, at my boy and again my heart swelled more. You smacked your head into the water flipping it back up quickly and looked at me with a big smile your hair wet your clothes soaked and I realized this was one of those moments I'd put in your pocket for safe keeping.
Worn out, I put you in your stroller and I pushed you on to the art museum with the sweetest harmonica serenade ever. At the art museum we discovered that the free time was 5-8pm. So sadly we didn't get to go. Instead to blow a few minutes and rest we stopped in at a small grassy treed in area next to the museum. I laid out your blanket and you played your harmonica a little longer then threw it down and rolled around. You loved the grass and kept cuddling me, giving me kisses and hugs. We pointed out birds and flowers together. I felt guilty that Dadoo was missing ,out however I felt enormously grateful that I was now. It was such a winning moment. 
I checked my cell phone for the time and figured we better make it back to pick up the van to get Dadoo.
A fair walk back to the hotel we stuck to Michigan Ave for a while. As we looked for a place to get a drink we cross paths of a news station preparing to shoot the weather outside the studio. The camera lady gestured us over and asks us to stand close. We did and about 5 minutes later the broadcaster came out. With cameras rolling on channel 7 news you waved, blew kisses and tried to steal his microphone. It was cute! They asked Mama how she liked the weather because tomorrow it was going to be chilly and windy. So there it is! We were on the news in Chicago. Your cute looks seem to bring you lots of attention. On a celebrity high we quickened our pace to get back to Dadoo as we had dinner plans with old friends Karl and Meg. 
When you saw Dadoo you ran to him...the wind had picked up significantly and was blowin' you around. You found it a good time to chase Dadoo around one of the sky scrapper's pillars. It was fun to watch but time to meet our friends. Dinner was good but you were in rare form clearly needing to GO TO BED in a major way. We always love the conversation with Meg and Karl and we had some years to catch up on but with you throwin' things we needed to go. Day two done we return to the hotel. As we returned to our room via the elevator. You were sitting on Dadoo's lap waving at people as they got off at their floor. You waved good bye to a delivery man and then started to scream. 0-100 in 2 seconds. Happy waving boy to sad screaming boy. I walked around to face you and just as I say, "Henry! What is wrong!" in slow motion my head turns discovering your little pudge of a hand is stuck, STUCK, in the elevator door. I take a deep breath and try not to freak. Mama takes a look to see how it is stuck to discover that your wave must have been at the same moment the door fully opened and it was stuck in between the black movable part you push to keep the door open and the silver door. Smaller than a toaster slot opening but your little bitties made their way in there. Horrified and thankful that a small tug pulled it out. Your eyes wide, face red and your two middle fingers squished and purple Dadoo and I push the down button to the front desk. Dadoo was comforting you and we both tried to choke back tears as I asked for an ice pack. They promptly got you one. And as quick as the screams came they went away. You started movin' your fingers with a whimper but became distracted by other things quickly. Shew! We were a little shaken up but damn! you're a tuff cookie!So the end of day two...injury two...Chicago is a hit!
Love, Mama
No comments:
Post a Comment