Mack Applauds His Own Special Talent

We've been working on clapping and waving goodbye and of course while we are out of town this past weekend Mack decides to take up the clapping.  Looks like he's going to be a pretty funny guy, too.

Mack's First Ash Wednesday

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday so Mack & I went to the 6pm service (Jon went during school).  It was a bit crowded but Mack loved the singing and babbled through the entire service because he was tired.  He made friends with the couple behind us, tried to tear up the misselet and also wanted to gum the bench in front of us.  At one point during communion (when the bells ring - a very quiet, solemn time) he let a loud shriek! He got ashes (barely visible here since he was snuggling into me a lot) and a blessing during communion.

He was happy to get home to see his Daddy and get in bed!

Waiting for Dr. Yaeger

Jon and Mack are at the pediatrician's office & Jon just emailed me this picture.  Mack has a nasty cough/cold and probably a sore throat, too (he cries when he coughs).  Jon said he is giving himself kisses in the mirror, tearing up the paper and breaking the scale - he weighed in at 21lbs!

Out of Hibernation

Tunnel Vision

Nonnie (who is Jon's mom's best friend) bought Mack a tunnel yesterday at Target.  He saw the one that Uncle Joe got James and just had to have one himself.  I was at a Junior League thing all day yesterday and then met up with Jon & Mack at his parents house where Mack was hanging out at one end of the tunnel.  I went down to the other end & he crawled straight to me.  I think it's because I always whisper in his ear, "Mommy loves you most."

Cousin James' First Birthday

James' First Fiesta was scheduled for the Saturday of the funeral so Julie and Zach changed it to this past weekend. I was so glad that we got to be there for it, especially now that Mack can crawl and sit up and actually play with (or next to) James.

Best Friends - They just don't know it yet.

Mack's Fiesta Sombrero

Birthday Cake

Birthday Cake Over

Ma & her Mack

James and his dad, Zach

Nonners and her boys (the next generation)

Mack going after the Pinata

Heads or Tails?

Now that Mack can crawl he is spending more time inspecting the dogs' tails, paws and faces - especially when they give him kisses.

Reunited

Mack hasn't seen his Grandpa in several weeks (Bob's been in Rockford). He was thrilled tonight when Bob came over just to see him. (Jon obviously didn't get his hair from his father).

Bath Boy

Mack still loves his baths! (And the carrots all over his face)

Toy Box

A Mack Milestone

While we were in Rockford/Chicago, Mack began crawling forwards.
This is the day we got back Jan. 26th- he's so much faster now, I'll have to upload new video.

The Burns Family Tries to Take a Group Picture

Crazy Town!

Love Train

I love the Burns Family.  I'm pretty sure one of the main reasons I love Jon is because of his family.  I know a lot of people say that about their spouses but I sincerely mean it.  They love to have a good time when they get together.

Jon's uncles Rick & Jon are talented musicians and after the funeral they played well into the night while the family sang, shed a few tears, shared memories of Grammy and danced.  They played all kinds of music, including old Irish jigs that Grammy loved.

Here we are (I'm filming and providing lame commentary) starting a Love Train.

Chi-Town

On our way back from Rockford we stayed in Chicago for about 24 hours. For us to fly back on a Sunday was going to be like $600 per person one way. To fly back on Monday it was $103 per person one way - so we froze our butts off in Chicago for a bit.

We got there Sunday afternoon and Jon & I ate at Gino's East. It was good but not that great - the best part was the Garlic dressing, which I will attempt to recreate in due time.

Jon then met up with his brothers and cousin to watch the NFC Championship game & I did some shopping on Michigan Ave. Let me save you a shopping trip - they have everything there that we have in Dallas. I'm sure in the summer it's nicer but freezing my arse off while going from store to store is not my idea of fun. Plus Chicago has so much more to offer than shopping!

Jon didn't have a hat or gloves so I stopped in a Gap to grab some for him. I asked the sales clerk what I had to do, reminding her that in Dallas we have equally great shopping. She suggested that I should "not miss out on Cheesecake Factory". The Tourism Center of Chicago would be so disappointed.

Sunday night the boys headed out for a steak dinner while I read & took a long, hot shower. I was still full from my Gino's lunch.

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On Monday, Jon and I went off on our own to The Field Museum. If I had more time and I was visiting again in the winter I think I would visit as many museums as I could.  There are several art museums that I would have loved to see.

Leaving our hotel, headed to the L, we were right across the street from Harry Caray's.

The Field Museum - This is what a museum building should look like. (Hear that City of Dallas??)

Totem Poles

Taxidermy Elephants - The Field has one of the largest collections of taxidermy in the world.  Most were collected in the early 1900s by The Field's curators.  We spent a LOT of time looking at these.  They were so interesting because the animals were killed over a 100 years ago and you could look at all the details of the animals.  They must've had every bird ever.

Sue - The most complete T-Rex ever found. Only a few bones were missing. Her skull is so heavy that it's actually in another location (this is a replica).

Jon with the hog display

An artist works on drawing a peacock's tail feathers.

The basement has Egyptian artifacts - including several mummies.  Even after back surgery Jon can not move a block to build a pyramid.

In the Egyptian exhibit I turned a corner and got startled when I saw this:

I gasped & called Jon over - this had to be Michael Jackson's plastic surgery inspiration.  I kept looking at it and an employee on a cherry picker who was working on part of the exhibit said that I wasn't the first who had noticed this & there had even been several news stories about it.  RIP, MJ.

Across from The Field is Soldier Field. Had it not been so cold and windy we probably would have explored it more but honestly, I couldn't wait to get on the warm bus.

We loved our small taste of Chicago and we will be back this summer for one of Jon's cousin's wedding. Mack will be with us and we have big plans to take him to Millennium Park and The Shedd Aquarium.  I loved the public transportation - I do in all big cities I visit - NYC, London, even Rome's isn't that bad (although you will get robbed).  I hope in ten years Dallas could be as easy to navigate via public transportation.