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October 2009

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Summer Vacation '08

Chicago, Home Of The Hated, Hated Chicago Wolves

We arrived in Chicago with just enough time to pick up our luggage, take the action packed rental car shuttle ride to the rental car place, drive to our hotel, pick up some Big Bowl and watch the Penguins get embarrassed by Detroit in game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. I'm pretty sure Niklas had been awake for 42 straight hours at this point, so as soon as we put him down (in this-wise again) he fell right to sleep. Wait, sometimes I say crazy things. He yelled really loud for twenty minutes or so before passing out.

Probably because I stayed up late weeping about the Pens' performance, Andrya got up with Niklas the next day. We were on the "You've Historically Spent A Bunch Of Money At Our Hotel So Have Some Free Breakfast" floor, so Niklas enjoyed some pastries and milk. Eventually, I got up and stopped crying allowing us to work on the day's top priority: getting Niklas's hair cut. Historically, he has hated this more than I used to hate my job (which is to say, more than most mortals can conceive). He got a brief reprieve when we went to the Kidsnips and were told there could be no cutting of Niklas's hair for at least an hour. In the interim, we hit the Baby Gap and loaded him up with some new clothes. After a couple of other stops (including my beloved Best Buy, the Bermudian equivalent of which is about the size of Niklas's bedroom), it was time for the hair cuttery to commence. And commence it did, along with significant screaming that emanated from one Niklas Wayne Smith. One of the hair stylists thought that some bubbles might make him happy. While he did like them, all that really came of it was him screaming, saying "bubbles" in the saddest voice imaginable and us buying a bottle because they were pretty good bottles. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably closer to fifteen minutes, Niklas was looking good and we were out the door. We had lunch at the Goose Island where Niklas had a hot dog and made several (unsuccessful) grabs at my beer. Then we really livened up our vacation with a trip to the Target.

You know what you can't find in Bermuda? Lots of stuff. Lots.

Who wouldn't be wiped out after such an action packed day of action?

We capped the day off with a trip to the Chipotle. Niklas enjoyed a quesadilla. He also enjoyed staring at the ladies who worked at the Chipotle with a lack of subtlety that makes my friend Jeff look discrete.

The next day was Memorial Day (Bermuda Day, locally). In the morning, Niklas and I walked up to the Water Tower. As I was not yet in full blown tourist mode, I didn't take any pictures of that. Later, Andrya went to lunch with her friend Erin while Niklas and I went to Fado for a few beers. And lunch, we also had lunch. After that, we headed up to Jared and Dana's house where Niklas did some playing with Aaron and I tried to eat my weight in burgers (so close, so close). Eventually, the second game of the Stanley Cup finals came on and I was too disgusted to do any further socializing. Luckily, it was time for Niklas to go to sleep, so we headed back to the hotel.

On Tuesday, Andrya had to go into the PwC Chicago offices for some work type stuff. Niklas and I went to Millennium Park where I finally remembered to take some pictures. Also, it was freaking cold.

Here's a picture of Niklas running away from me. Get used to that.

Niklas has no deal with the pigeons of Chicago.

I was able to coral Niklas long enough to force him to pose for this picture with me.

I would have thought that Niklas would love Cloudgate, what with it's reflective surfaces just begging for fingerprints.

Well, he did think it was ok...

...but he was more into yelling at this pigeon.

This arty angle brought to you by Niklas's unwillingness to hold still. Get used to that, too.

A big open field to run in? Niklas loves those.

Niklas approves of the park.

Sadly for Niklas, this is not the Dukes Of Hazzard and my jurisdiction does not end and this bridge.

Here are me and the new office in front of the old office.

Once again, I do not walk fast enough for Niklas.

For some reason, Niklas found it necessary to examine every light fixture on this bridge.

Niklas unveils his "looking to the future" pose.

Here's Niklas in the middle of the Crown Fountain. You can't really tell that here, but trust me. My son is bonafide.

Niklas is torn between his love of juice and his love of climbing on things.

"Running around a pole! Wooooooo!"

"Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Other stuff we did that the staff photographer failed to document included lunch at Chipotle (look, I need to store up enough burrito to last until Christmas) and a trip to the Art Institute. Niklas really enjoyed the children's area there. They have some pieces of statues that you can touch and a big wall with a bunch of magnets that you can play with. His only complaint was that I would not let him take two big handfuls of magnets with him. That night, Andrya and I took Niklas to Heaven On Seven where I learned that he really enjoys gumbo and jambalaya. That's my boy.

On Wednesday, Niklas and I took a walk over towards his first home.

Niklas examines the rivets on the Dearborn Street Bridge.

Two blocks from the hotel, Niklas needs a rest.

As a local, Niklas prefers things like Lower Wacker Drive to more tourist oriented sites.

After playing in the Atlantic everyday, you would think that Niklas would have no use for the Chicago River. You shouldn't try to figure out Niklas's thought process.

This goose did not care for Niklas.

Continuing his tour of Chicago Bridges, Niklas visits Wells Street.

Niklas declares the Kinzie Street bridge to have the best view.

See? Take that, Wells Street!

While Niklas and I were busy goofing off, Andrya packed us up for a visit down to her grandparents house in Smithton.

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