Oh Yeah, And The Rest Of Our Vacation Was Great, Too

Our trip to Chicagoland was amazing. First of all we had a stretch of unseasonably cool weather. We got to my dad's place in the south suburbs and it was only somewhat brain-meltingly hot. The next day there were thunderstorms and from then on it was downright pleasant. This is a minor miracle for Chicago in late July. Then Lowell got to be completely indulged by my dad and stepmom who are expert spoilers. Exhibit A: my dad reconstructed an early-nineties era electric kid's corvette (once belonging to my stepbrother who is in college now) for Lowell. It was, um, a big hit. The sight of him doing doughnuts in the little league field across the street was comedy gold. (Okay, driving in big circles because he really couldn't grok steering is a little different than peeling out doughnuts, but still! Hysterical!) My stepmom, Sue, put an old cellphone in the dash for good measure. Lowell must have called AAA a thousand times after getting out to check the engine (American cars, man). Exhibit B: Lowell now asks for a "popaskull" and "ice keem simich, maybe?" several times a day. (Now that we are home his chances of getting one are slim. Maaaybe a tofutti cutie. Poor kid.) Exhibit C: He invented a game that was a vigorous cross between tennis and basketball and got to play it everyday with my dad in the driveway. Dad is still with us by the way.

We watched the White Sox win a couple games which was very nice of them seeing as my Dad tends to take losses rather personally. Matthew and I got out to see a movie, always a treat. We chose to see "Sicko" which in hindsight, although very good, was a poor choice for a pregnant woman. Spent the whole two hours in tears. (Come to think of it, also saw "Fahrenheit 9/11" when pregnant. What is my problem?) Then my sister showed up with my two nephews and the cousin worship began anew. My folks were such good sports about us all descending upon them and taking over their household. I know that they love us but they do truly prove it sometimes. (Especially when I took off for a weekend of geeky debauchery, leaving my child behind). Before we left my dad put together a slide show (of actual slides mind you, in a projector) of old snapshots of us that I had never seen before. There is something so disarming about seeing new pictures of yourself as a child. Most family pictures become part of the fabric of your memory, it's hard to separate image from recollection. So seeing new ones can be an existential jolt. I loved it, but it was a little melancholy too. Pictures from before my parents divorce always make me a little sad.

On Sunday Matthew, Lowell and I decamped for The North (Evanston specifically) to visit the other side of my family and stay with my aunt Ann. She is known as Bubbles to the small fry of the family. (My mother and two of her sisters are known as Bubbles, Bammie and Trixie to the grandchildren. These nicknames have been observed to make them sound like a group of aging strippers.) On the way we stopped at my grandmother's apartment downtown for dinner. (Some of you may remember my grandmother, you know, the one who was nearly run over by a train?) She was so sweet with Lowell even though he was in a crazed state, hell-bent on punishing me for having a life for two days. He at least complied with our little parlor trick of saying that Bach was his favorite composer. My grandmother beamed. (Then I had to go and ruin it by  mispronouncing Mozart with a soft "z." I think she even warned me about being a bad influence - woman takes her foreign language pronunciation seriously.) We also discussed baby names for her newest great-grandchild. She was very diplomatic and said nothing either way about the choices I mentioned but her poker face sucks. At least she disliked them all.

Our couple days at Bubble's apartment were excellent. She and my uncle are great hosts and a lot of fun. We went to the beach with my cousin and her kids and had fun swimming and digging holes in the sand. I was happy I finally got to baptize Lowell in Lake Michigan, the ocean of my youth. (Although it's been many years since I lived on a Great Lake I still get surprised every time I go to the beach and taste salt in the water). We also got to watch some baseball (Cubs this time) on HD. Wow. Wow. You could see the gnats buzzing the pitcher. Amazing. My sister and brother-in-law also came up (leaving their kids at my dad's for their annual Week Of Total Coolness With Their Awesome Grandparents - see above about my dad and stepmom being expert spoilers). We all had a lovely barbecue in the courtyard of their building the night before we left. Ribs, corn salad, kebobs. Yum. And an iPod blasting Tom Lehrer. What could be better?

Our flight home was mercifully without incident. Other than, you know, the usual flying with a two-and-a-half year old jollies. I further complicated the trip through security by bringing my laptop with me. I think we put a total of 12 bins through the machine. Not an exaggeration. And a stroller. And a car seat. Did you know they make you take your toddler's shoes off too? I am positive that the entrance into Hell has similar regulations and protocol. But the flight was short and we flew into a small regional airport instead of JFK or LaGuardia so in all honesty it was cake.

Now home for a day I find I'm experiencing some letdown. This was our big trip of the summer and it was so fun and fulfilling on so many levels that a post-vacation depression was inevitable. Also, now fully into my third trimester, I am realizing I have about 8 weeks to do all the things I wanted to do before possibly having a newborn to take care of. That may seem like a chunk of time but it isn't when all you feel like doing is keeping your feet elevated. (Can someone come over and teach me how to sew something other than a curtain? Also, please potty train Lowell? And possibly write my novel? Thanks.) I am sad that this summer is starting to wind down because of all the major change to our little family come October. I am so excited to have this little girl but I am so scared too. It makes me just want to hang on a little bit longer to summer this year.

Comments

[Nicolle]

wow, sounds like a wonderful time. the switch back into reality is always a bummer, no? i also agree that summer should be extended by at least a fortnight. maybe more.

[BOSSY]

Bossy lives in a state of Debbie Downer Sunday blues and Post-Vacation depression. There's still most of august remaining, but to Bossy the summer is over. Wha-whaaaaaa.

[Assertagirl]

How did it get to be August so soon? I feel your end-of-summer pain. There are still a few things happening this month that will be fun, but I'm going to be sad when my garden is done for the year.

[Kyran]

love Tom Lehrer. miss you.

xo

[Animal]

Oh, those Tofutti Cuties! I love 'em so much; even got my mom to scarf a few down over the weekend...without telling her they weren't ice cream! Now she goes to the store & can't find 'em 'cause she's not looking in the health-food cooler. Poor woman...I haven't the heart to tell her.

Also liked your Heinlein-ian use of "grok." Don't see that much. Sounds like a great trip!

[wordgirl]

Wait! Getting away with the husband for a bit? What's that like? And don't spare any details.

[Orange]

Hey, I grew up in the south suburbs! Now I feel like we ought to have known each other pre-internet.

When I was pregnant, I saw Boys Don't Cry. Holy shit, was that the wrong movie to see when pregnant! Though actually, it would have punched me hard in the belly whenever I saw it.

[Kevin O'Bryant]

Whenever I get to the point where I have take my shoes off, I can't help but think that it could be worse. Richard Reid could've been an underwear bomber...

[juliloquy]

Glad you had a nice time. I'm totally with you on the post-trip letdown and the near-seeming due date. My usual tactic with the post-vacation blues is to plan my next getaway, but that's too far in the future now with new kiddo on the way. Best wishes on the due date countdown!