MOSI- Dr. Seuss Exhibit

We finally invested in a family membership to The Museum of Science and Industry! I was so excited to get into the "Members Only" line this most recent visit and I know we're going to make good use of our membership. I took the girls to see the Dr. Seuss exhibit which coincided with the Christmas Around the World festival. It was amazing. The main tree was a Grinch Who Stole Christmas-themed one (see the Whos holding hands and singing around the base?). I really loved the presents wrapped in plain but brightly colored paper. I may have to do that next year! It almost looks more festive than traditional Christmas wrapping.

Did you know Dr. Seuss never actually got his PhD from Oxford as intended? And Seuss is supposed to be pronounced like "voice." I definitely sympathize with having a German name no one can pronounce! Apparently Green Eggs and Ham was born out of a bet with his editor. The bet was that he couldn't create an entertaining book from 50 words or less. There are 49 one-syllable words in Green Eggs and Ham and 1 two-syllable word (anywhere). Dr. Seuss joked he was never compensated for that bet. He never had any children stating, "You have 'em; I'll entertain 'em." I loved seeing some of his original artwork! I once heard that genius is the ability to return to childhood at will. In that case, Dr. Seuss was the most brilliant of geniuses.

Yes I flipped for the photo, but I got a discount with our new membership!

Aside from the Dr. Seuss exhibit, the museum was decked out with dozens of Christmas trees representing different countries. It was the perfect place to take the girls and get them excited for the holidays. Oh how I love this museum!

The Chicago Do-It-Yourself Messiah

Growing up, the first Sunday of December heralded in the holidays for my family. My parents packed me and my siblings in our rusty van and trekked up to northern Iowa. What was the attraction? A Messiah sing-along. Eventually I grew old enough to sing (rather than just watch) and it became my favorite holiday tradition. I remember how thrilled I was when Mom bought me my very own score. After leaving home, I made use of that score by finding a sing-along here and there (Abravanel Hall in SLC, Harvard campus in Boston), but it's been years since I've been to one. Attending the one in Chicago was my #1 priority this year. Turns out it almost didn't happen due to funding difficulties. The organizers managed to pull it off though, and Mom and Dad came to town to join in the fun.
I didn't know The Messiah debuted in Dublin, Ireland! Even more reason to love it. Our conductor said it is the most performed piece of music in the world. He also told a story about how Handel was known for having a short temper. Handel confronted a man who was having difficulty with one of the solos saying, "You said you could read at sight!" to which the man replied, "I can, just not at first sight."

The conductor Stanley Sperber was fantastic! Apparently he flies from Israel just for this event every year. He was wonderfully humorous, ribbing the tenor section as is only fitting. With just 10 minutes of rehearsal time, he was incredibly patient with the amateur audience. Out here they call it the "do-it-yourself" rather than "sing-along" and rather than end with the Hallelujah chorus, they also do all of Part III minus one song. Initially I was disappointed because the Hallelujah chorus is such a fantastic finish. That feeling was short-lived because after the conductor, soloists and orchestra took their bows, everyone returned and we all sang it as an encore. The soloists joined in this time and even from my balcony seat, I could see the conductor smiling as wide as the Grinch after his heart grew 3 times.

(Credit: Lisa Fielding/WBBM Newsradio/CBS)

The woman seated next to my mom closed her score and sang Hallelujah from memory, which I found incredibly touching. Even in the the heart of a city as diverse as Chicago, it was magnificent to proclaim my faith in the "King of Kings, Forever and ever!" and "Lord of Lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" alongside others. My heart wrapped itself around the music of my Savior and I very nearly started bawling I was so moved. As every one's voice swelled fortissimo with utter rejoicing, it felt like the roof would blow off the theater. Rarely do we get the chance to feel so at one with complete strangers but this was one such occasion. This is a holiday tradition I need to cement!

(the janitor with the yellow caution sign is my favorite!)

Seeing Santa

With nothing on our agenda, Brent and I decided Saturday was the day to take the girls to see St. Nick. Oh what a mistake! Even though we got there relatively early, there was an insanely long line that DID. NOT. MOVE. A trickle of molasses moves faster! The Donner Party moved faster! Continental spread is faster! After waiting for an HOUR, we were told Santa was going to "feed the reindeer" and would be back in 30 min. We'd finally made it into the elaborate Ice Palace and with the girls primped, I wasn't going to lose my spot in line. We hunkered down with lunch and waited. All told we waited two hours. I'm definitely rethinking how I go about pictures with Santa in the future. Brent believes we don't need photos at all and I know many would agree with him. Still, there's a huge part of me that clings to yes--queue Fiddler on the Roof music--TRADITION!

This photo was NOT posed! This is Ireland trying hard to be patient.

Almost as tall as a baby polar bear!

The Ice Palace had this screen which showed
images from BBC Earth.

Inside the Ice Palace was a waiting room with more BBC Earth images and fake falling snow. Every family got to go in alone before meeting St. Nick which was actually really cool

I think everyone (including Santa) looks exhausted.

I'm SO glad Brent caught this footage of Ireland falling asleep in the car. Classic! What a doll for mumbling "cheese" even in her exhaustion!

Which Is Cuter?

When they fall asleep?

I told Liesel to come out when she finished her mac n cheese.
After half an hour I checked on her and found this.

Or when they wake up?

There were never two bows more skiwampus!
Socks are a lost cause when it comes to napping.

I can't decide!

Tidbits

This is another post of random things that have happened with the girls I just can't bear to forget. So without further ado...

Ireland is getting more and more antsy to start gymnastics. Brent and I firmly believe we're not going to invest money into classes for her until she's old enough to understand classroom dynamics and physically can build the basics. That doesn't stop her from trying to sneak into classes though! She's pretty sly about it too. Ireland pretends to be casually observing the class and before I know it she's sprinting towards the tumble track. I told her she could start gymnastics when she learns to use the potty. The other day she asked to go potty 3 times even though she didn't really use the potty. She makes sure to wipe though!

The other day Liesel put Ireland's backpack on her. After she clicked the front strap in place she said, "Okay Ireland, now go to college!" Ireland turned around and walked to the door. When no one opened it, she continued playing with her toys.

We'd been planning to wean Ireland from the binkie in stages: in November she could only have it when she was sleeping, in December she could only have it at night, and then we're throwing them away in January. Just before we implemented this plan, Ireland was hanging out one night and had a binkie in her hand. Suddenly she raised it high in the air and spun around gleefully crying out "beeekieee!" It was like something out of a Broadway play, no lie.

Lately Liesel has only been putting on her seatbelt halfway. Every time I discovered she wasn't really strapped in, I've tried to impress upon her young mind how serious that is. As we headed out for church on Sunday, Liesel piped up from the back, "Mom, you'd better put your seatbelt on or you'll fly out the window!" Brent frowned at me for that one.

Once Brent is home from work, I usually head over to the clubhouse for a workout. When I change into my workout clothes I explain I'm going "running, running" to the girls. Now when Ireland sees me changing, she says something equivalent and pumps her fists as if she's running. So cute.

Ireland is old enough she wants her fair share of prayer time. To alleviate any fighting, I told Liesel she could teach Ireland how to pray. Today at lunch Liesel told Ireland to be "thankful we love our food." I just about burst out laughing because Ireland really loves her food!

The girls laugh like crazy when I say their names like a ghoul. I laugh like crazy when they try to do it.

Gratitude in Vomit

Yesterday, December 7th, 2011--a day which will live in infamy--Ireland was suddenly and deliberately attacked by viral forces from the empire of pneumonia.
It began as a somewhat typical day. Brent showered and dressed for work and then offered to take Ireland while I got ready. Liesel was still asleep which was a little odd but hey, I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth! Ireland was extremely lethargic, wheezy and cuddly which is atypical behavior these days. Brent noticed she seemed sick and asked if he should request to work from home. I firmly told him no. I could handle one sick child on my own, right? Turns out Ireland had something to say about that. She vomited 4 times all over Brent from his head to his shoes and then some. When it was all over she pointed a shaky finger at the mess and pitifully squeaked out "ewe!" I jumped in the shower with Ireland while Brent stripped, scrubbed and garbage-bagged everything else. He was definitely staying home.

A call to the pediatrician's office led us straight to the ER. I've been told by a number of medical professionals the best time to visit the ER is in the morning. It's the least busy because people figure if they've made it though the night, they're going to be okay. With timing on our side, we were triaged pretty quickly. All in all, we still spent a couple of hours there and believe me, it was no picnic. The staff was wonderful but lets face it, Ireland was miserable. After they sucked her nose to test for RSV, she begged for her coat. When Ireland asks for her coat, it's her way of saying, "I quit this job, I'm outta here!" The last 20 minutes of our visit she fell asleep in my arms, exhausted from the sickness and all the prodding.

Our RN brought in toys to keep Ireland occupied. She looked
SO tiny in that big hospital room!

Brent picked up Liesel from preschool and looped by the ER to get us. I gave him as many details as I could remember about all the treatments and procedures she'd gone through (including a breathalyzer and x-rays). I tried to describe what the image of her lungs looked like and what the dr. told me to watch for in the next little while. When we pulled up to the apartment, Liesel opened her door and then got a funny look on her face. She vomited all over the car, the street, and me and then burst into tears. I quickly called the pediatrician's office (again), added my pukey clothes to the garbage bag, and jumped in a bath with her (my second of the day). Luckily, Liesel wasn't having any of the wheezing issues so we just hunkered down for the day. By evening the apartment was a huge mess but everyone was feeling a little better.

Even baby hospital gowns leave your bum hanging out!
Thank goodness she could still wear a diaper.

As hard as it was to see Ireland and Liesel suffering, I'm so very grateful I can be home with them. I remember the dreaded calls at work telling me Liesel was sick and needed to be picked up right away. More than anything, I wanted to BE there for her! But so many times I had to call Brent to see if his afternoon had any huge meetings in them like mine or worse, I had to call a friend. I'm so grateful to be the one stroking back their hair and caressing their cheeks, whispering it will all be okay. I'm happy to pick up the ginger ale and make beds on the couch so they can quietly watch The Muppets as they doze. I'm also grateful for my wise husband who decided to work from home for a day :)

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!

Brent's gonna kill me but it's too funny NOT to share!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Scary Story

My sister Reagan forwarded me this link which is apparently going around Facebook. As little girls, Reagan and I shared a room and often stayed up late talking. Could that possibly translate into all the texting we do now? Anyway, I laughed so hard at the story and the pictures, Brent told me to quiet down. I had him read it and he got a good chuckle too.

There's a tiny bit of language, be forewarned!

Bring Your Kids to Work Day

As it is the day before Thanksgiving, the girls wore their pumpkin
sweaters. They're a veritable pumpkin patch!

Decorating hats. I think Liesel's an
up-and-coming "Happy Painter".

The girls had a rare opportunity to follow Dad around for a day. I think they envy his commute, as a train ride is much more exciting than being cramped into the backseat of a sedan. Brent's co-workers couldn't have been kinder. He tells me he received multiple offers to take the girls... permanently! He really enjoyed showing them off.

What did I do with a morning sans kids? I headed down to the Mag Mile for a little shopping. I ate brunch at the Oak Tree Restaurant alone which once upon a time would have made me self conscious. At this stage of my life, I just stared out the window and relished some quiet contemplation. No book, no bb, nothing to distract me from my own thoughts. Oh my, it was a piece of heaven on earth! I scouted out some of the stores I've been aching to see. Feeling bold, I stopped in at Jimmy Choo, Tiffany's and Burberry. 


Ireland got to work right away.
See? All the mail is delivered!

When I got back to Brent's work, the girls had found a little compadre and the 3 were running around squealing. They absolutely did NOT want to leave!  The promise of another train ride was enough to lure them away. Ireland fell asleep the instant we sat down, exhausted from all the excitement. Liesel chatted endlessly with her new friend (who happened to ride the same train). It was a magical day for all.

Turkey Trot

Those doing the 10K had red numbers while those just doing a
5K had black numbers.

Immediately following my mud run I swore I'd never do anything so sadistic again. But the siren call of a race managed to creep it's way into my brain and I became determined to sign up for a Turkey Trot. To up the ante, I opted for the 10K and began training for the longer distance. Ever supportive, Brent gave me two thumbs up and time in the evening to run. Per usual, I came down with a horrible head cold the week before the run. I could hardly breathe and my left ear was completely plugged. Misery, pure misery. I skipped out on running and went to bed early hoping it would go away. It didn't completely dissipate, but I was functional on the morning of my run.



Liesel discovered the coziest place to be was inside Grandpa's coat.

The course was set up so that everyone ran the first 5K together and there were no wave starts. As we headed up the trail, it was apparent I wouldn't be getting my best time with this run. Many places were narrow and well, it was difficult to run around the people dressed as turkeys! Some random kids decided to join in the fun and would go from running to a dead stop. I experienced at least half a dozen near-misses. Finally all the 5K-ers pealed off at their finish line. My mom and Brent were waiting to cheer me on at the start of the second half which bolstered my confidence tremendously. Once I was in the woods again, everything quieted. At last I was able to find a good pace and truly enjoy my run.


My biggest fan!

All of my training has been indoor on a treadmill which I still prefer to running outdoors. Coping with the cold weather and the last vestiges of my head cold was definitely a challenge. My time was actually within 5 minutes of the 10K I'd done on the treadmill the week before. In the time it took me to finish the 5K portion, some people had done the whole 10K. On the other hand, just 5 minutes before I crossed the finish line for my 10K, the last large group of people finished the 5K. Of course I wish I hadn't been sick and the course had been easier to navigate, but I'm SO glad I did it!

Recently a friend told me about the Chicago Santa Hustle and I was tempted to sign up. Yes it's in freezing weather but it's only a 5K and everyone gets Santa gear to run in! Doesn't that sound like fun? Well, after doing the Turkey Trot I've decided I'm finished running races this year.  My knees could use the rest!
 

With the finish line in sight...