Boys trip to Chicago

The big day has arrived!  Gaetan had planned this train trip to Chicago a few weeks ago and I didn't know who was more excited about the trip... Gaetan or Dude.  Well, Dude didn't actually know what was going on for quite some time.  My Dad showed up in the morning and he thought that was the big surprise... that Don was at OUR house.  But, then, when we told him that they were going somewhere he thought that riding in Don's car was the big surprise.  haha.  When they pulled into the station Dude didn't really know where they were, but then he saw the words TRAIN on the side of the building and he got really excited because he thought that they were going to be train watching all day... but little did he know that it was going to get immensely better.  He did realize that he was actually going to be riding the train when it pulled up... he started jumping up and down and flapping his arms (signs of real excitement).  He was just beside himself that he was actually going to be able to RIDE on a train.

Getting ready for his big adventure... and he doesn't know what's in store for him!

Excited just to be at the train station

Thinking they get to watch trains all day

Jumping up and down when he realizes he gets to RIDE a train

During the train ride he was just glued to watching out the window.  Seeing places that he recognized in Kalamazoo... watching other trains go by... and of course, he was riding with Papa and Don.  There was a point where they were delayed on the tracks for about 10 minutes and he didn't care... he was LOVING every moment of it.

Chicago on the horizon

Once they got to Chicago, he thought that the big surprise was the ride... so when they told him where they were he was out of control excited.  The first thing they did was get on the L, so ANOTHER train.  Which led them to a subway... TRAIN UNDERGROUND!!!  They went to the Hancock building, which is 9 stories shorter than the Sears Tower.. but it's still 1,030 feet up!  Dude, the monkey that he is rode the entire elevator ride upside down.  Once they got to the top he was just in awe.  He doesn't share the same feelings about heights as his Momma does... he just climbed right next to the window and was looking around.  He thought it was great.  My Dad liked that there was urban gardens ... couldn't get over them really.  :)  Dude spotted a beach while they were up there and wanted to go, and since it was so hot they went!

Waiting for the L

Waiting for the subway

Can you feel the excitement?!

Emerging from the subway

Hancock building

Sears tower

Old water tower

The beaches in Chicago are all public and free so that was a bonus.  Dude went into the water, which was warm (so I'm told).  He was in the water when a wave came and took his legs out so he was sitting on his bunda and then another one came and covered him.  Gaetan said that he loved it!  And that's good because I was hoping that he would get over his fear of getting his head wet so that we could start to have a lot of fun in the water!








They hit up the Lego Store next.  Which was one of the reasons they went to Chicago... Dude just stood there in awe of all the Legos.  He ended up getting a bin with a bunch of pieces which was a better deal than the wall with all the different shapes and sizes.  I honestly think that the Lego Store might've been the least exciting part for him, which was still exciting!






He also got to play in the fountains that he played in two years ago, which he loved.  Last time he was hesitant about it, but this time he was right in there loving the random spurts that the water would shoot out.  And it was so hot that it was a nice way for him to cool off.  There was a point where the air was just so saturated it felt like it was raining, but it really wasn't.



They stopped and had some Pot Belly's for lunch and then went to the Ferris Wheel on Navy Pier.  Personally, that sounds like hell on earth but, again, he doesn't share the same feelings I do about heights.  He thought that it was amazing.  Not nervous at all!  My Dad just kept saying how many cool things there were there and next time he wanted to stay a couple of days in order to explore it all.  Dude was such a sweet heart and kept saying that Lucy should come next time because she would love it.  And meanwhile at home she was saying how much she missed Ba-Boo... they love each other... sometimes ;)

He loved the ferris wheel... no hesitations about being up high!

Ferris wheel view

They were going to stop and get the famous Chicago deep dish style pizza but the cook time was to long for it and they didn't think they were going to make their train.  And it turns out that they almost didn't!  They ended up getting back to the station after getting some delicious burritos just minutes before it took off!  On the train ride back Dude kept asking people if he could give them a tour of the train... which is adorable.  And he made it the entire ride back awake.  He got to ride 6 different trains all together and I think he was heaven.

Dinner on the train!

Dude asking people if he can give them a tour of the train

I think that the next time we will try and all go, but for this I thought it would be best for just the guys.  There are so many free things there, the childrens museum, the zoo, beaches, fountains!  Oh my!  And one of the museums has Sue, the largest T Rex skeleton, which we thought he would like next time too.  I'm so glad that they could have that time together and from the sounds of it, it was awesome.  I'm so glad that Dude has a Papa that gets excited about doing fun things with and for him.  :)

JVG