Garfield Conservatory

In our ongoing quest to find cheap, fun things to do in the city, Paige and I took a field trip today to Garfield Conservatory. She was very curious on the EL ride, looking out the window and making "conversation" with other folks on the train. And she wasn't even the youngest one! We met another mom with a 1-month-old baby on the train!

The conservatory is featuring a sculpture exhibit by Niki De Saint Phalle through Oct 31, and many of them are available for touching, sitting, or climbing on. I would definitely recommend this for other families with little kids. Here are a couple of shots of Paige enjoying the day.

Paige inspects Louis Armstrong's leg

Paige explores inside an alligator

Paige finds a tunnel

Everyday Adventures

Paige loves the bath. Here she is having a little fun.


Paige & I took a field trip to Lake Michigan last Thursday afternoon. She was really curious about the sand. She couldn't figure out how she could pick it up, but by the time she got her hand to her mouth, it was gone! She also liked the feeling of the waves lapping over her feet.


Thanks to Grandma Joy & Grandpa Joe for the lucky black patent leather shoes!

August Family Visits

We've been busy since our trek up to Milwaukee for the Wisconsin State Fair! We took a road trip to Ohio to visit family. We spent a day with Grandma Sara & Grandpa D, drove over to meet Great-grandma Kay, spent a day with Granpda Joe & Grandma Karen, and had an adventure at the Ohio State Fair with Mike, Molly, Payton, and Blake. Below are some photo high-lights.

When we returned from Ohio, Grandma Joy & grandpa Joe were in town for a visit, but we forgot the camera. They brought Paige her first pair of patent-leather shoes - a sure sign of good luck! We look forward to seeing them again in Sept & we will take lots of photos.

Paige with Grandma Sara & Grandpa D

Paige meets Great-Grandma Kay

Paige (alseep in mom's backpack), with mom & dad, Uncle Mike, Aunt Molly, cousins Payton & Blake, and Smokey the Bear at the Ohio State Fair

Paige with mom & dad, Grandpa Joe & Grandma Karen

Wisconsin State Fair

We took Paige to her first-ever Wisconsin State Fair on Saturday. Granted, she went last year in utero, but she doesn't remember much :) We took her through some cow and horse barns, where she stared wide-eyed at the animals. They were a lot bigger than the dogs she usually sees in the park around home! Steve and I ate the obligatory corn on the cob, bratwurst, and cream puff. We offered Paige a sample of the cream puff, but she refused, causing me to doubt that she actually IS my daughter! We'll write it off as being too tired to care about food.

Note we also recently purchased a new baby carrier, called an Ergo, and so far, we're big fans. We like the extra padding and the easy clip-n-go buckles. You can see the new contraption in the photo below with the cattle.


Paige gains a new appreciation for "Old MacDonald Had a Farm"


Paige and Dad at the Fair

Wiggleworms in Millenium Park

Paige and I went to Millenium Park in downtown Chicago on Friday for a free Wiggleworms concert! Wiggleworms is a high-energy singing/dancing/full-participation music program for kids. The Old Town School of Folk Music offers dozens of classes for kids, and Wiggleworms is a perpetual favorite. So, before we signed Paige up for 16 weeks of this, I thought it wise to check out a free version first. She had fun, I had fun, and clearly all the other kids were having a blast! We went with friends Kerry & Theo, who also thoroughly enjoyed the concert.

Friday also marked Paige's first ride on the El train. She was fascinated and made several new friends!


Paige checking out the hula hoops after the concert

Kerry, Theo, and Paige at Millenium Park

Paige and mom posing in front of the Millenium Park Amphitheater

Bears Training Camp

The Chicago Bears started their training camp this week in Bourbonnais, IL. The three of us took a little road trip down there on Friday afternoon to watch.


Father-Daughter bonding


Paige's first driving lesson

Morton Arboretum

Paige, Hannah, and I took a field trip to the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. We had a great afternoon, eating our picnic lunch and checking out the trees. There's a great children's garden that we'll take Paige back to explore when she's a little bigger.

Paige with Hannah at Morton Arboretum


Paige with Mom at the Morton Arboretum

Swings!

Here's Paige having fun on the swings at the park. We've been there every day this week!



And here's a link to Paige swinging in live action! Turn on your speakers - I was making her laugh with sound effects.

Paige's teeth

As of Monday, Paige has two teeth in the middle of the bottom of her mouth! She spent last week chewing on everything and fussing about it, and now the teeth are finally here. However, we have not been able to capture them on film yet. Instead, here is a Hollywood glamor shot. Actually, this is a picture of Paige at the Chicago Botanic Garden last Tuesday. She enjoyed being outdoors and seeing the brightly-colored flowers.

Paige also went to the zoo last week. She slept more than half the time, so I can't really tell you how interested she was in the animals. The screaming school children running around did hold her attention. Oh, and it was rather chilly. Here we are bundled up.