We're On the Move!

It is official, we are moving to Iowa. I have accepted a job with a health system in Des Moines and we will be moving in early September. It is hard to believe, frankly. Chicago has been my home for the past 15 years and has been Joe and the kids' home always, so this is a big change for us. I think it is only beginning to sink in how significant this change is for the kids. It would be one thing if we were only moving to a new house, but we are also leaving their school, their friends, their beloved nanny, Linda, and their Chicago grandparents whom they are so close to, so this is especially difficult for the kids as well as for me. But the primary motivator to make the change is that I want more time with the kids, and I just wasn't able to find a job in Chicago that was less than 24/7. I had also gotten tired of commuting 1.5 hours a day on a good day, which added up to an extra seven hours a week that I could be with the kids. And we are looking forward to spending more time with my family, who has missed the opportunity so far to have the kids local. So here's to big changes and new beginnings, made bittersweet with some deep sadness that we can't pick up our house, Grandma Francie and Papa (or Papi, as David has started to affectionately call him lately) and our Miss Linda and take them all with us.

The Sissabee

I think we have an official nickname for Julia. In addition to being called Sissy more often than her given name, we have taken to calling her Sissabee. In honor of her nickname, I am looking for a bee costume for a one year old for Halloween. Can you believe stores are already advertising for Halloween? I am looking forward to seeing if this nickname sticks years from now.

Overheard--two preschoolers going on middle schoolers

The other afternoon as the boys were waking up from their nap, I overheard the following conversation:

AJ: Davey, come on, let's get up! Mama said we can go to the swimming pool after nap!
Davey: (Dramatic sigh) One more minute. (Buries his head in pillow).
AJ: Davey, if you get up, I promise you will really like the pool.
Davey: I tired.
AJ: Remember, they have the buckets of water that go tip, tip, tip, tip...splash! You like that.
Davey: No. No wanna go swimming.
AJ: Davey, maybe I should draw you a map of the pool so that you will remember how much you love it. I promise if you try it, you will really like it.

I am still laughing as I think back on their little brotherly back and forth...

Beethoven and Spiderman

One of my favorite things about summer in our town is going to the weekly concerts in the park. I have written about them before here. For those who know the Ravinia concerts in the Chicago area, it is a weekly mini-Ravinia on Friday nights with less traffic and where you see friends from all over our little town. They block off the street to let kids ride their bikes and parents bring a blanket and drink wine. The music is themed each week, and they do Big Band, show tunes, jazz, etc.

The boys thoroughly enjoyed it this year, especially after they discovered the ice cream truck strategically parked at the edge of the green where the concert takes place. When they saw that said ice cream truck was peddling spiderman popsicles, they went nuts. On a 90+ degree Friday night, I let them indulge and the popsicles were melting faster than they were able to eat them. Grandma Francie commented it was a night of Beethoven and Spiderman. A good way to kick off the weekend!