So as I type this, I am sitting in my office and it's 6:42 pm on a Tuesday. I'm about to head home. This is good since I was supposed to work until 11pm tonight and plans changed. It's bad because it's a Tuesday and I was not woking Tuesday and Fridays up until two weeks ago.

What I neglected to mention in my April post is that the last part of our trip to Chicago was complicated with work issues. Those, as well as the departure of my dear friend and teammate, Rachael, has caused not only lots of extra hours at the office, but also the decision to return full-time for the next few months to keep things on track. It's freeing in one way since I have peace of mind and I now can fully engage with the kids when I am home. But it means I am home a lot less. Frankly, it's been such a roller coaster (510k product launches, client meetings and new team members for me to onboard) that I've barely had time to process it. he goal is to at least have Friday's back in a month or so. Time will tell. The work is good and my ddm team is willing to be right hear with me so it could be a lot worse.

In between work is the good stuff. Elise is on the prowl and took to crawling the same weekend Max's Dad and Patti were here. It was an great visit and it meant so much to share this milestone with them. Since the crawling, she's also pulling herself up and will occasionally let go just to see what happens. Sunday though, she spoke for the first time. I walked into the room and just said "Hi Elise,"to which she responded "Hi." in the most dull, every day low voice. We were shocked! She's done it since, so we know it was intentional. If only she'd intentionally sleep through the night.

Ryan is all boy. He's maturing so quick. A boy, about 12, walked past my car the other day and I just knew it was God giving me a glimpse of who Ryan will become. Lately as he explains things, I see this 12 year speaking to me. It's wild! It also means he's precocious and nosey and full of piss and vinegar at times. We wouldn't have it any other way. But I do have to say that as of late, and maybe it's just my sensitivity to working more, he can cut me down in a second as he blames me for why something has inevitably been broken or misplaced (usually by Elise or for Elise's benefit). We're working on "how we talk to the people we love" a lot lately. It's a phase right?

Max has been amazingly supportive through all this work and cooks dinner every night. He's concluded his grad class for the semester after writing 500+ pages (yeah!!) and the planning part of football is well underway. All in all, life is good and will return to balance. We're learning from it all, and isn't that the point?

Love to you all and enjoy the show below,
Court, Max, Ryan + Elise

Ryan's first house, featuring our own garbage truck. Daddy's under it (fixing it)...Ryan and I are on top. I wonder in hindsight where Elise is.

This child needs some hair! The day of her first word.

First cone of the season.

Ryan striking a pose. Maybe he'll model like our neighbor (former Calvin Klein Underware model! However, Ryan had better wear clothes if he does)

Ryan and his new best buddy (thanks to Auntie K). yes, Pluto is strapped in. Why else would we get a vehicle with third row seating?

This is love.

Auntie K and Elise on my birthday.

If you look close, you can see two bottom teeth and the top is coming through now.

Elise growling at Grandpa!

First crawl!

You can't tell, but she let go here and stood for several seconds!

Ryan hard at work with the tools Aunt Jill and Uncle Johnny sent him. He made a wood airplane with Daddy's help.

Look at that chubby baby!

Trip to Chicago

We had a great Spring Break trip to Chicago at the beginning of the week. It was a bit strange acting like a tourist with my husband and two kids in a place I once lived as a single girl. I kept cringing on public transportation as we delayed commuters hauling our stroller and babies on and off. 

The back half the week has proven to be not as much fun (Max threw his back out, Elise and I have the stomach flu, the muffler fell off my car on the way home from the doctors and we lost the cottage we had secured for 4th of July...all in 24 hours.) We're committed to focusing on the positive though! These pictures help me do just that!

Below is little miss, so close to crawling that I had to share. She scoot backwards, but only converts from knees to belly flop right now. So onto the show...

 

EASTER SUNDAY:

Museum of Science & Industry

Swimming

Dinner at Rosebuds on Rush

Ryan aboard a real steam engine!

It was a dream come true to see the MSI's gigantic miniture train exhibit.

Ryan on a human hamster wheel.

This exhibit asked kids to try and make the people on the screens laugh with movement. The more you laughed and moved, the more they did too. Ryan thought it was hilarious.

Even Elise got into things, touching this static electricity globe and having it react with her hand.

The water play place was a big hit...

...As was the life size, REAL John Deere equipment that Ryan got to drive. Both a tractor and a combine made this little man very happy.

After the MSI, we attempted to take Elise for her first swim. This picture of her in her new bathingsuit in the hotel room is about as happy as she was about the entire experience.

Ryan however was a fish and very excited to use his new goggles he got for Easter.

Later that night we had a fancy dinner at Rosebuds on Rush to celebrate Easter. It was strange to be away from church and family for the day, but we had a lot of great talks with Ryan about the reason for Easter and tried to make due (we did not realize it was Easter when we booked everything :)

MONDAY:

Breakfast at Yolk

Bus Rides!

Shedd Aquarium

Swimming

Lego Store & Foodlife Cafe

Hancock Tower

Cheesecake Factory for Dessert

Shedd was a bit crazy and overwhelming since it was Spring break for everyone, but we had fun our second morning there. Here Ryan's impressed with the Jellies exhibit. We also met up for a bit with our friends the Alguires too.

Ryan making his "this is a battle" commander face as he launches a torpedo from the kids submarine.

Watching for sharks...Ryan's real reason for being at Shedd.

Mass transit was a hit with our kiddos. Here's the fam on the bus.

Hancock tower was inspiring near sunset.

My boys navigating he city...hey, maybe this is why Max's back is out?

TUESDAY:

More Buses

Children's Museum on Navy Pier

Bubba Gumps for Lunch

Subway Ride

Giordano's for Dinner

Swimming

 

We got to be pros at waiting for the bus.

The Children's Museum on Navy Pier was the best surprise of the trip. So many unique exhibits for the kids.

Elise loved the crazy mirrors.

And Ryan loved the life-sized fire exhibit. They even had a real Chicago fireman handing out coloring books and a fireman's pole and truck you could drive.

Below Ryan was a staircase, so this is very high up and our brave boy climbed through even though you had to be 5 to do it.

Max and Ryan digging for dino bones.

Rerouting water from a bubbler with tubes. Its a miracle everyone made it out dry.

Bob, I mean, "Ryan the Builder" after making a fort from bolts and sticks.

 My boy and I got to ride the subways for two hours, just the two of us.

 Ryan transferring between red line and brown line.

 

WEDNESDAY:

Breakfast in Bed

One Last Swim

Two Toots Grill

Home!

 

Wednesday was all about food. It started with breakfast in bed...

 

...And ended at Two Toots, a restaurant Ryan has been excited to dine since hearing about it a year and a half ago. Trains deliver your food to your table.

 He could not have been any happier, especially since

the place is right near the metra lines and he saw three commuter trains while we were there.

 

Did I mention this place is 30 miles WEST of the city? Yeah, that's love of boy and trains to drive the opposite direction on your way home, but it made his day and it made our trip.