Today's big event: taking the train downtown with Robbie and Ellie to visit Rob's office and have lunch!
A day of fun to balance out all the work we've done this month... my mom came over this morning to stay at the house with Madeline while the kids and I left to catch a train just before 11am into Chicago.
Robbie checked the schedule on the wall - yep, right on time.
Ellie consulted her hard copy.
Patiently waiting for the train to arrive - we got to the station with plenty of time to spare. You never know with kids what you'll run into.
We moved to the benches outside when the train was due to arrive, and it was chilly so the kids got all snuggly.
So the train ended up being a little late... and waiting was getting boring.
Robbie threatened to go back inside the station because of the cold, so I told them to find their pockets and pull their hoods up. It's amazing how entertaining things like hoods and pockets can be.
Cozy and warm inside the train on the upper deck. Ok, so I look as tired as I feel. Kind of thought I was pulling off the "I'm awake!" look until I saw this picture. Not so much.
Sharing mom's scone.
These two had fun together on the train ride - everything is so novel to them and they are such buddies. I think they enjoyed having all of my attention as well!
A little catnap on the coats.
Group picture!
They got antsy so I broke out the Dots from their Christmas stockings. Still a big hit, even a day later. And they take forever to peel off and eat. BONUS for mom.
We got to Ogilvie and Rob was waiting for us on the platform! He walked us up to his office (he works in the building), which was just renovated. It was beautiful. We caught up with Aunt Megan inside the office and she showed us around the upper level.
Peeking in at Megan's desk.
All the world's a playground when you're 3.
Hiding under the conference room table.
Of course they found a nook that also had a ladder in it. Magnets for trouble, these 2.
Sneaking up on Daddy at one point when he had to slip away to do some work. I love how Rob's coworker is egging Robbie on and playing along! "SShhhhh... don't let him hear you!"
We ate lunch in their new kitchen area which was adorable, and walked around a little while longer before heading back downstairs to catch our train home.
The kids were exhausted. And punchy. It was a lot of work to ensure we weren't making a scene on the train ride home. Probably bad parenting, but I told them the conductor would not be happy with them if he had to ask them to be quiet / sit down / stop kicking each other on the train. Thank goodness it worked! They shaped up.
Mom, you realize it's well past my nap time, right?
Is this kid a Livingston or what?!
Sadly, our fun outing ended poorly. We walked into the space between cars just inside the doors as we were pulling up to College Ave Station, and I had a firm hold of both kids. Additionally, the conductor was standing just behind Robbie on a lower step, and as we braked I held tighter to the kids, anticipating the jolt. Well it might be my imagination but it was a very abrupt stop and I couldn't keep Robbie on his feet. He fell to the side and sort of down one step right into the conductor, and hit the side of his head on one of the metal poles. The upper part of his ear took the impact and somehow bled from the inside (don't worry, not below by the ear drum area). As I was consoling him and trying to get the 3 of us off the train before the doors closed again, I looked up to see a girl from church that I've gotten to know mostly because we are always at the gym at the same time! "Oh, hey! How are you?!" I joked amidst our chaos, crying and blood. She has twin 4 year old boys and they were there with her husband as well, and they helped us get off the train in one piece. Then they stayed nearby (so sweet!) and her boys actually ended up distracting Robbie from his woes. By the time we headed to the car, the kids were all running around playing and laughing together.
All's well that ends well. On the ride back to the house the kids looked like zombies.
When we walked in the door, I gave them milk cups, tucked Robbie in on the couch with Peter Pan and laid Ellie down for a late nap. Auntie Cheryl was home from her Christmas travels and had come over to catch up with my mom while we were out. So we chatted with her for a little while before she left.
We couldn't play all day... so I emptied out my nightstand drawer after feeding Maddie a bottle and putting her in the exersaucer, and sorted junk and receipts. Called a painter to schedule a visit for an estimate on the things we need freshened up before listing the house. Called the doctor to schedule Maddie's 9 month well check up. Called the storage facility to book another unit (who knew we'd be moving so much out of here before we actually moved?!).
Rob came home and we fed the kids dinner. Overheard at the table:
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Robbie: Mom, it's garbage night tonight.
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Ellie: Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way... Oooohh (pause, trying to remember the next verse)... Old McDonald had a farm (?)...
Robbie: Oh what fun it is to ride!....
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Ellie: {whispering, looking over the back of her chair at me as I cut her more oranges} Trust me, mommy... trust me!
It was straight to the tub after dinner since they were literally dripping with orange juice. We put them in warm pj's and snuggled through one episode of Blue's Clues on our bed after Maddie went down. The kids went to bed, I picked dinner up for Rob and I, and we relaxed for the rest of the evening.
Goodnight!
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