Our weekend got off to an early and sort of rough start. Can you see how red Gavin’s cheeks are (and how sad his eyes look) in the photo? He had a nasty fever on Thursday and Friday with no other symptoms. We think it was related to teething, but it meant he had to stay home from daycare. I took long walks with him both days and worked a bit on Thursday afternoon when he took a monster 4-hour nap. We also went outside in the late afternoons and waited for Sweets to come home from work.

We wound up skipping our soccer class and cancelling Saturday brunch plans, because Gavin had a terrible night of sleep on Friday, meaning he was up from 1am-4am. So, when he finally fell asleep, we wanted to let him sleep as long as his body needed. By the time he woke up at 10am, he was feeling much better.

Sweets and I have been researching bike trailers for Gavin. We tend to buy bigger ticket sporting items from REI, because (a) they do a lot of research for us, so we can trust the products they sell and (b) they have an amazing return policy. We checked out one trailer at an REI store in the city, but it was on the (super) expensive side, so we decided to do a little more research and think about it a bit more before making the purchase.

Then came this weekend, when REI had a massive sale plus an extra 20% off one regularly priced item for members. We decided to travel to a suburban REI to check out another (much less expensive) model that they carry. This is Sweets’ domain, so I let him talk to the sales guy, while I picked out a helmet for Gavin (yes, that’s a big smiley face on his helmet!). After Sweets filled me in on their conversation, I left the decision up to him. We walked away with a new bike trailer, a helmet for Gavin and biking jerseys for Sweets and me.

We then headed out to Sweets’ parents house. Sweets spent a couple hours assembling the trailer. As you can see from the photo above, there are wheels on the front, too. Those wheels remain in the upright position when the trailer is attached to a bike, but can be easily switched down to make the trailer into a stroller (because, you know, we needed a FOURTH stroller to add to our collection!). Don’t let Gavin’s seeming indifference fool you, either. He actually LOVED the trailer, probably because we gave him a bag of Cheerios to eat while we rode.

Speaking of a ride, we went on a great 15-mile ride with Sweets’ parents on Saturday late afternoon. We followed portions of the Illinois Prairie Path and the Great Western Trail before finishing  up our ride at a local eatery for dinner (there’s nothing quite like a post-workout meal!). Although there were a few gaffs to the day—Sweets’ dad collided with another cyclist (thankfully both were OK) and Sweets made the trailer ride over the base to a lamp post (not once, but twice), forcing the trailer to do a wheelie each time (Gavin nervously laughed, but was fine)—overall, the ride was a blast and we look forward to more long rides this summer (let it be noted: since we decided to go with an expensive (to us) model, I told Sweets we are booking specific days each month for bike rides, to make sure we get as much use out of this trailer as possible!).

Sunday was a crazy whirlwind day (because, clearly Saturday was our relaxed day – ha!). We went to a huge neighborhood-wide garage sale looking for one thing (a tricycle with a post at the back, allowing parents to help guide the bike – they retail in the hundreds of dollars, which is ridiculous!) and wound up buying two things: said tricycle ($35) and a small collapsible chair for cookouts and camping ($5). I’d say that was a win!

After walking around the neighborhood garage sale, we raced over to a birthday party for one of the kids in Gavin’s class. They had a woman singing songs and leading activities for the kids, which helped divert Gavin’s attention away from the juice boxes (he’s never had one) and the cake (he doesn’t need it). Me, too! We left the party early, so we could go to Gavin’s music class. Apparently, a very tired Gavin = non-stop Gavin in class. It was a fun class. After lunch, Gavin crashed. Daddy did dishes. And Mama went grocery shopping. Near suppertime, Sweets went to play soccer and I took Gavin on a walk with our neighbor and her daughter to grab an early dinner.

Another weekend and another “where did the time go?!” come Sunday night. Seriously, I need a vacation. Good thing we have a long weekend coming up!!

Thursday, my parents flew from Boston to Chicago. On different airlines, arriving at very different times. My mom stayed with us Thursday night, while my dad stayed in a hotel. Weird, given they’re still married, still live together and are still on speaking terms. My dad stayed in Chicago less than 24 hours for a conference, while my mom spread out her stay until Sunday to see all her grand-babies.

Friday evening, Sweets, Gavin and I grabbed dinner with a high school bestie, also visiting from Boston. Funny enough, our parents live across the street from each other. And my parents adore her. But, since they see her in Boston, there was no dire need to see her in Chicago. Trust me, though, my parents are likable people.  =)

Saturday, my mom joined us at Gavin’s soccer class. This was also the first time Sweets got to participate in class. Like last week, Gavin refused to complete one of the first activities, thereby exhausting Sweets (who did it for him). Other than that, it was a fun class and Sweets is glad we signed up. Once again, Gavin was exhausted by the end (so were we!).

We went to REI to go shopping without spending money (where’s the fun in that?!). We’re shopping for bike trailers, so we can go cycling with Gavin this summer. Gavin was immediately drawn to the bike helmets (no surprise, since he plays with Sweets’ at home all the time) and kid bikes (too bad his feet can’t reach the pedals). Did you know you can easily drop a grand on bike carriers? We’ve picked a model we like (hint: it doesn’t cost $1,000) and we’re waiting to buy it until next weekend when our 20% off coupon activates.

That afternoon, while Gavin was napping, Sweets and I decided to catch a quick nap. Assuming, Sweets would nap like he normally does (less than 30 minutes), I didn’t set an alarm. Bad move. Gavin woke us up over 2 hours after we fell asleep and, more importantly, 10 minutes before family and friends were supposed to begin arriving at our place for dinner.

Good thing they’re not a super prompt bunch. We managed to shower and clean up before anyone arrived. After dinner, we left Gavin and his cousins with a sitter, while the adults went to see a great rendition of Rent (so says the girl who doesn’t really like musicals)!

Sunday, Gavin slept until 9am (score!), allowing plenty of time for Sweets and me to clean the kitchen from our house full of guests the previous night. We met my mom, nieces and their mamas at my aunt’s house for brunch. It was a downright beautiful day, so we spent a bunch of time outside blowing bubbles, playing hide-n-seek and exploring the greenery. It was a fun chance to take out my camera for some official May photos.

After brunch, my mom came with us to Gavin’s music class, where he was essentially a non-participant until the teacher pulled out blocks for building (while singing London Bridge) and Gavin was the first kid to knock down the tower.

Our last stop of the day was Sweets’ parents house. We had a mid-afternoon cookout with them and lots more playing and exploring outside. I sort of checked out here and hung out inside by myself. I was utterly exhausted from coordinating and participating in all the weekend events. From there, we dropped off my mom at the airport, returned to the city and tried to get ready for the week ahead.

And that’s all she said. I leave you with a link (because I’m also posting today on Lisa’s Expandng blog) and a piece of Gavin from Monday morning, when I realized his new (to us) track suit fits well enough to wear to daycare.

So, Sweets and I had to decide what to do. We both agreed we were not ready to leave Gavin in someone else’s care for three days and two nights. But, the question on the table was whether Sweets would stay home while I traveled or whether I’d drag them with me. I decided I wasn’t yet ready to be away from my boys for so many days/nights, so they were coming with me! Overall, the trip was both great and incredibly challenging. There definitely were some lessons learned about traveling with a toddler.

We tried to arrange our flights to align with Gavin’s nap time, which was especially important given the flight was 4 hours on the way to Vegas and over 3 hours on the way home. Gavin slept for 30 minutes on the way out and didn’t sleep at all on the way home. Even though we purchased an extra seat for him (best move we could’ve made!), it was still a huge challenge to contain him to our row of seats. He doesn’t yet “get” the baby apps we downloaded to Sweets’ iPad. Books go only so far. Lesson learned, next time we assume he won’t sleep at all (and bring appropriate activities to accommodate).

Another challenge? Staying in a hotel and planning meals for a toddler. When it’s just two adults in a hotel, the conversation goes something like this: We’re hungry. Great, let’s pick a restaurant and get something to eat. It’s then easily an hour between choosing where to eat, getting there, getting seated, ordering your food and getting served. With a toddler, it’s not as easy. Because, when the toddler is hungry, it’s go time immediately. There is no hour to give. So, we had to be ahead of the game, which can be challenging when you’re staying in a hotel, let alone a freaking casino in Las Vegas!

That said, the rest of the trip was pretty amazing. From a work perspective, I had worked really hard to organize this trip for my company. I only had six weeks to get hotel rooms, restaurants and meeting space for our company. In any other city, that short time frame probably wouldn’t be a big deal. But, in Vegas, where they host conventions in the tens of thousands, no one really cares about a 20-person meeting. I spent a week being seriously ignored by a number of different casinos. But, I eventually figured out a way to be heard … and everything fell into place.

We had amazing suites in the Palazzo (Venetian) hotel that included marble bathrooms with double sinks, separate bath/showers, vanity tables and private toilet rooms; sunken living rooms with sectional sofas, coffee table, desk and a table where we could eat; three flat screen TVs – one in the living room, one in the bedroom area and one in the bathroom; and view to die for! Our room overlooked a $600 per round golf course and a beautiful mountain range. Feedback about the trip has been amazing so far and my bosses both told me they were very pleased with how everything turned out. Phew!

From a personal perspective, it was hard balancing my work obligations with my personal commitments. But, we managed to make it work. Sweets was very accommodating – taking the bulk of the parenting over the three-day trip. And, Gavin was a CHAMP given his nap schedule was non-existent and his routine had vanished. He turned on the CHARM with all my work colleagues – seriously made some of my co-workers and the significant others of my co-workers fall in LOVE with him. It was sort of ridiculous how good he was. Especially since he didn’t go to sleep until 9pm on Thursday night (11pm Chicago time) and 10pm on Friday night (midnight Chicago time). Let’s not mention that our morning flight back to Chicago on Saturday was delayed, which turned into an all-day affair at the Vegas airport. Gavin didn’t melt down once during our trip. He’s my personal hero!

Here are a few photos from our trip. One thing is for sure: even though Chicago is having a mild winter so far, it was darn nice getting away to a place where a coat has no name!

The view from our 39th floor room. Not bad, especially when the sun was rising over the mountains!

In celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Palazzo has a Red Dragon display.
Every night, there is a display with lights and fire coming out of the dragon’s mouth.

After my work meeting, my company took a trip to tour the Hoover Dam!

Of course, we got back late Saturday night and both Sweets and I got really sick. I can’t believe I’m sick AGAIN! So, I apologize for my otherwise lack of presence in blogland. But, between the trip and my lack of good health, I haven’t been checking in with the internets. I hope y’all had a great weekend, too!

On Friday, Gavin began his transition into a toddler room, spending a few hours with the bigger kids. We then had a nice snow storm that decided to peak during the afternoon rush (thankfully I left work at lunch and it only took me an extra 25-30 minutes to get home). We then dressed up Gavin in his snowpants and boots for the first time to take him outside to play in the snow. He HATED the snowpants and boots, so he cried whenever we put him down. But, he LOVED the snow and was happy to explore our yard and all the places where snow was accumulating, so long as he was in our arms! Between the new room at daycare and the snow, needless to say, Gavin slept like a champ that night!

We were supposed to do a family-only thing on Saturday. It involved snow and being outside and ice sculptures and music and other fun things. But, my hair appointment (I got my hair chopped, y’all – photos coming soon) bled into Gavin’s nap. And then, it was suddenly late afternoon and we weren’t going anywhere. We even skipped a birthday party that evening, preferring to stay home, order in ribs and hang with our neighbors (who were equally as lazy and showed up in pajamas!).

But, we made up for it on Sunday! We went to Gavin’s first music class – he’s now in the 12-24 month class. We have the same teacher (whom we love), but the class is in a bigger room with bigger kids! The structure is much the same as the infant music class, only the songs focus more on words kids say, rather than sounds babies make. Gavin was a bit overwhelmed at first, but warmed up towards the end and had a blast banging on the drums. We then headed out to the suburbs to meet up with Gavin’s city cousins at a children’s museum. It.was.awesome!!!!

Apologies for the number of photos – it was hard to choose which ones would best reflect our day!

The Car Room, with race tracks galore.

The Art Room, where Gavin preferred music!

The Nursery, where Gavin fed babies and stood up to bigger kids when they wouldn’t share the baby bottles.

There was lots of talking on the phone. Even when no one was listening.

Gavin learned how to stamp library books.

Gavin competed with his cousin on dueling computers.

Gavin and his other cousin on dueling video phones.

Pretty much everything was either too big or had to be explained. But, Gavin was a good sport and seemed to have fun.

And then, Gavin discovered the water room.

Where he proceed to get.soaking.wet!

But, was fascinated with the buttons and handles and other hardware that made water appear and disappear.

And it didn’t matter that he was too small…

… because all he wanted to do was play with water.

And so, at the end of the day, he was an exhausted little boy. As we were exhausted parents. But, it was so worth the energy to see our little guy have so much fun. I’ll leave you with a few of my favorites from our day!

And, now I want to know how on earth it’s already Wednesday? No, seriously. I’ve got packing to do (a work trip – more on that next week) and photos to take (y’all want to see the new locks, right)? And that’s above and beyond the pile of work I have and taking care of an especially tired toddler (it’s Gavin’s first full week in the toddler room – we are all going through the transition together!). And, oh wait, Gavin turns 15 months today! Good—NESS!! I hope everyone is having a great week and you can count yourselves lucky if you see another post from me this week!

However, every once in a while, it’s good for us to get out. So, when friends asked if we wanted to join them to see Trombone Shorty in concert, we jumped at the chance. We discovered Trombone Shorty a few years ago on the HBO show, Treme. He’s a New Orleans jazz musician who has now gone national. We have two of his CDs and love the energy that his music brings.

Last night, we went to his show. All night long, I kept turning to Sweets saying THIS IS SICK! Trombone Shorty and the Orleans Avenue band came out swinging and never slowed down. Two solid hours packed with high-energy, get your dance-on kind of music!

One of my favorite moments was during the encore when they played musical chairs. Imagine this scene, the show consists of Trombone Shorty (he’s lead singer, plus he plays trombone and trumpet), a guitarist, bassist, drummer, congo drummer and two saxophonists. For the last song, they exchanged instruments, so everyone played something other than their main instrument. Bassist took the trombone, congo drummer took the trumpet, Trombone Shorty took the drums and so on. They played a pretty kick-ass song in their new roles. It was damn impressive.

Oh, and let’s not forget to mention that Trombone Shorty is pretty darn easy on the eyes. Seriously. He comes out fully clothed, but next thing you know, he’s playing in his landmark tank top and bam! That is, he looked fine when I wasn’t looking at my husband, which I did a lot of. ha. Just saying.

Here are a few clips of his music – hang with the videos for a second for them to load. And when you’re done listening, tell me what you think!