Trip to Chicago-Day 1!!!

Today we woke up early and headed straight to Chicago in the pouring rain to spend a wonderful weekend with Brian's sister, Anita.

We got to her condo, unloaded what felt like a full carload of kid stuff, and relaxed for a few minutes.

Then we made a super fun trip out of our required grocery store visit, fed the kids lunch and put everyone down for naps.

Here is Alaric and Aunt Anita talking intensly when Al first woke up.
Mara and Aunt Nita tour the condo from up on top!

We then spent well over an hour playing hide and seek in what I thought was a small condo. It's huge when you are playing with a 3 and a 1 year old! We hid dozens of times and never hid in the same place twice. Alaric won the award for most creative spot when he decided to hide underneath the cabinets in the kitchen.

Alaric, Amara, and Nita play Wii-Guitar Hero!

I took advantage of the high ceilings and threw Amara up in the air, over and over!

THEN...the unbelievable happened....Alaric POOPED IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!!!!!!! We yelled, we screamed, we danced, we sang, we called grandparents!!!! He got one Oreo cookie right away and we plans for a party the next day.

Daddy, Amara, and Alaric get serious with Wii bowling ( look at Amara's droopy pants)!

After I put Amara down, my friend, Monica and her boyfriend Jeff came over to babysit so we could go out. It was wonderful. Anita, her boyfriend Joe, Bri and me, and Anita's friend Natalie went out for Tapas and pitchers of Sangria- HEAVEN!!!

Then we went to Blue Frog Bar

Anita and Joe

Anita's friend, Christy joined us

Then the real reason we went to the hole in the wall bar...to Kareoke. I had never done it. I know- hard to believe. My first song- Madonna's Like a Prayer. Christy and Anita joined me ( THank God) and it was so fun!

Nothing like shots on a Friday night with a bunch of people over 30 when your kids are at home with a babysitter.

Joe and Anita get serious with Joy to the World.

We got home late, had a wonderful time, had to deal with huge poopy clean-ups at 2AM and Amara who didn't want to sleep anywhere but in our arms, and a slight hangover but wow was it worth it!