Dama and Beeps Come to Town

Right before Thanksgiving, Dama (Pam) and Beeps came to town to visit and play with Max. He loves his Dama and Beeps and was more than happy to have them around. On Saturday we went down for a free day at the Shedd Aquarium thanks to my company. There was a guy flying around a remote controlled shark that Max was pretty into...until...It got to close to him and then he was straddling Dama's legs to get away. But he couldn't take his eyes off of it.No, No, No shark. Don't eat Max's booty.Beeps and Mama teach Max about fishies and all sorts of sea creatures. I like to give Max an close and personal view of the turtles. Max has really been in to his stuffed turtle recently, so it was good timing.The Shedd Aquarium is basically Max's dream land because he loves whales, dolphins, sharks, fishies, and anything that is in the ocean or has to do with water. He could spend his whole life at Sea World if that were an option.One of Max's other buddies is his froggy - so it was awesome for him to see a real green frog. He loved the frogs. So did I - they were my favorite part.Dama, Max and Caitlin - creating memories galore.Let's not forget our friendly birds of the sea, the penguins. For some reason Max has never been that psyched about Penguins. You'd think that he would love them.Then it was time for the dolphin and whale show. Now let's be honest about something. Once you have been to Sea World...the Shedd Aquarium show is going to disappoint. How could it not? But it didn't phase Max that it wasn't as good...he still was transfixed by the animals. PLUS (like all animal shows), he got to enjoy a big bag of Cheetos while he was at it. So how could life get any better?Dama and Beeps - only moderately impressed by the show, but maximum impressed by Max.Seriously...this show was a bit boring.But hey, if it pleases the kid, then it pleases me. Thanks for coming Beeps and Dama!!! Come again soon!

Trick or SWEET!

It was trick or treat time. Last year when we went out, Max was really too little to get it. This year I wondered if our burger would understand the magnitude of trick or treating - that you get free candy from any house you go to.It took Max about 2 houses to realize what was going on, and from that point he was 100% game. We'd get to a house, say trick or treat, and then choose one candy and put it in his bag. Amazing. Then I'd take him down the steps and he'd say, "AGAIN!"Max's girlfriend Alpha was there with us, and she was also loving it. There were times when she'd run to the next house.Trick or treating in Evanston is awesome because the houses are close together, so you can maximize the amount of candy you get.The Barlows were there with precious Elmo and Satan dog. And let's not forget Seth and Heather Ashton who brought a chicken and Spider Man!There came a point in the evening where Max basically committed to trick or treating until the city officially shut the thing down (which they do at like 7pm or something - isn't that crazy???).So even when the others had given up, he and Alpha were still going door to door begging for candy together. I couldn't have been prouder.The other great thing about Evanston? Full size candy bars...common and bountiful.I also appreciated when a house would go all out with their decorations - though it kind of scared some of the smaller kids. But that's the point, right?

We spent the rest of the evening at the Barlow's house eating soups, candy and letting the kids work out the rest of their energy. It was an awesome Halloween and I can't imagine what next year will be like when Max is faster and stronger. We're going to hit the whole city up for candy!!

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!!!

Life Back in Evanston

So I obviously haven't blogged in a while. It has been quite the transition coming back to Evanston. My new role at my company has been extremely busy and quite daunting in terms of getting up to speed. That combined with a new calling, moving, a broken computer, etc has led to an extreme lack of blogging. But I promise...we have been living. My hope is over the next few days I can catch you up on our world. Let me start by saying that we love being back in Evanston - it really is a place that feels like home. It was wonderful coming back in the fall. There is no season more amazing in Chicago than the fall. Any day we could, Max and I would take a walk to the park down the street from our apartment by Lake Michigan. Sometimes he'd bring his guys (Monkey and Froggy). Occasionally we'd stop to splash in some puddles.This is our new beach (not quite as warm as Fort Lauderdale - but still a beautiful beach). For the first few weeks Max called the lake "ocean" - but he eventually learned that it is called "Lake Michigan" and now can correctly identify it. I think the sand and water helped him make the transition from Florida to Illinois. Seriously, how cute is this kid.Once at the park, it is all slides all the time. The kid loves slides. Look at the smile on that face.More slides. And even the big slides Max will go down alone. He just can't get enough slides.Even when it leads to seriously wet bums in the fall rainy weather. Oh well, small sacrifice for fun.Max is slowly graduating to swings as well...with some trepidation.We started him in the training wheels of swings - the full seat.And it was a hit, but still doesn't touch a slide. Its nice that there are like three parks within a few blocks of our house because Max dug them all season. Can I also say that Max can sport a jean jacket like it is nobody's business?

More to come on Halloween and Thanksgiving.