Cheeseburger in Paradise

One thing that Max really struggled with (and I struggled with) when we returned to Evanston was getting used to me not being around as much. In Florida I saw him for two hours every morning. I came home daily for lunch and was home usually by 5 or 5:30. Now I am gone when he wakes up, I don't come home for lunch, and I'm usually home by 6:30 or later.

So Saturdays have become sacred. He has already learned that Saturday means I'm around. If I walk into his room in the morning he'll say, "Saturday!" Its cute, but a bit sad if you ponder on it. So we take advantage of Saturdays to their fullest. One Saturday around Halloween we went to the Botanical Gardens to see their model train exhibit.
Max, the Boca Burger. He got all dressed up for the occasion.

The Botanical Gardens are one beautiful place, but this was my first time in the fall and the place was off the hook.I mean, you don't get much better days than this.They had died the water orange/fall yellow for the occasion. It kind of made the water look like glass.Max was all about his walking stick that day, and poking me in the eye with it the sneaky devil. Cutest burger on earth? Makes you want to eat him and love him.Then we got to the exhibit. There were hundreds of trains in this place going through all sorts of villages and towns and mountains. To say that Max was in heaven is the understatement of the century. He literally watched these trains in a trance for an hour or more.They were pretty impressive and intricate. Max would run from train to train watching them and then get distracted by the next train. He couldn't be bothered with photos or being held - he just wanted more, more, MORE!Then he learned that some witch was giving out suckers, and that pulled him away from the trains for a minute. This was his first look at what trick or treating could really mean, and he liked what he saw.Wait, you just walk up and someone gives you candy? Halloween is the BOMB!!!Then it was back to amazing trains.I think that Max is starting to realize that Halloween is truly the best holiday ever.They also had a costume dog parade at the gardens, and there were hundreds of dogs and their owners. I only got a few pictures, but it was pretty cute if you are in to that sort of thing. Which I am. And if you aren't, you heart is cold.Cowdog with chaps.I have to say that if I had a wiener dog it would be dressed up like a hot dog or possibly a phallic symbol. It just seems appropriate.Maybe one of Max's favorite days of his life. Also, how cute are winter hats on kids?The fam.Saturdays with DADA are the best!!!