Chicago

Last week, we travelled to Chicago to accompany Mommy on a business trip. She got to hang out with us at night, but we were by ourselves to wander the city by day.

We went to the Sears Tower, which is now the building formally known as the Sears Tower, or the Willis Tower. Who will ever call it the Willis Tower, probably nobody. It would be kinda like renaming Soldier Field, no one would remember the new name. Actually, the courts decreed that Soldier Field cannot legally be renamed because it's a national landmark...but I guess the world's tallest building for more than a generation doesn't count as a national landmark?

Oh, and while I'm whining about the naming thing, I might as well mention...the movie they make you watch tells you how many floors, how many windows, and how many bathrooms are installed...but I think they forgot one bathroom...like the one on the skydeck? No bathrooms...a quarter mile in the air and not one bathroom. Is that too much to ask...I'm just not one of those change my baby in public kinda people, I hated those people growing up. Tell you what, Sears Tower people...you want me to call it Willis Tower, bathrooms on the 104th floor.

Oh...did I digress?

Ah yes, Sears Tower. They have these cool glass rooms protruding out from the observation deck, so you look down and it's nothing between you and cement but a thin layer of glass and a 1/4 mile of thin air. It's sweet, check out the picture.

My brave little girl...she actually stood on the glass floor and jumped, just about gave an old woman a heart attack. She eventually looked down long enough to realize how very high she was and stepped off...but I was proud.

We went to a Japanese restaurant north of the city...hauled our little girl on a subway where she promptly made friends with everyone who didn't have their nose buried in a book. I think a captive audience of mentally exausted commuters is something 2 year olds dream of. Anyway, the food was incredible and cheap, and my daughter out-ate both of us. I swear someone was looking in the phone book for the CPS number, because you would have thought we never fed her.

She profusely thanked the nice waiter, much to the annoyance of the other patrons (I said profusely didn't I?) It was one funny interruption, and the exception to the rule for her. I was starting to get worried that I wouldn't be able to go to dinner anymore...because she was beginning to get worse and I'm not going to be one of those people who brings their demon children to restaurants. I think we've gotten her trained a little better (or we've remembered to bring the backup methods like crayons and finger food to distract her from a meltdown).

Chicago's a sweet town, stop in if you have time. Kids love stroller rides through the city at mach 2...it's fun people really just move out of your way when you walk really fast with a stroller.