Today is exactly 16 days from Christmas (12/9/06). We arrived in Chicago last night. I have never been here when it is cold, let alone Christmastime. I’m here in July each year for National Conference with Pampered Chef. That said, it is absolutely stunning, beautiful, and frigid too! I had a hat with me, but it wasn’t warm enough, so I ended up giving into a “stocking cap” which I have sworn against even as a kid! The wind here is just WAY cold.
Anyway, off that sidetrack and back to my story! Before we moved from NY to IN, we decided that we would make a trip to Chicago with the girls 1) so they could see where it is mommy goes every July, and 2) to get their Christmas presents. We wanted to get Lilly and American Girl Doll. We also wanted to get Katy a Build-A-Bear. Katy said that she wanted a baby like Lilly from the American Girl Store, but she doesn’t play with babies much. She loves her animals, like Rosie, more. We also knew that with how much her sister loves baby that Lilly would assume ownership of any new baby her sister might acquire just like she has the others.
We went back and forth about getting Lilly a real American Girl, but decided that she just isn’t ready for that, so she would get an Itty Bitty Baby. They now have Itty Bitty Baby Twins who have “real” hair. I explained that if she messed up the hair, it would be quite costly to fix. She agreed that she wanted one without hair at this point.
After a yummy breakfast this morning, (Phil enjoyed biscuits and gravy, while I put strawberries on mine. The girls ate various different foods.) we headed out for Navy Pier. We hopped a CTA bus and $8 later we landed at Navy Pier. We decided to walk the ENTIRE pier (I had never done this in the summer, let alone when it as about 10 degrees out!) I have to say the pier was pretty empty and no crowds to deal with!
We checked out the Winter Wonderland activities inside, but decided rather than purchasing the activity bands, we agreed to go to the Children’s Museum on the Pier. (We spent a wad on lunch at a McD’s, which had music so loud it made us want to throw up.) It wasn’t that exciting. I could almost compare it to the Muncie Children’s Museum. It wasn’t worth the $. Better luck tomorrow when we go to the Aquarium.
So, leaving the Children’s Museum, we headed down to go Build Katy’s Bear. I hadn’t had a chance to explain to her about how they were made, so I was afraid she’d cry seeing the “shell” of an animal there, but she was cool with it.
We picked out an animal – a slightly pink bear, and headed down the way to listen to the sounds you can put inside the animal. They didn’t have any bear sounds, and we all greatly dislike noises coming out of things we hug (Katy got a baby last Christmas and it cried and drank, and it was so freaky…it did it on its own when there was no one anywhere nearby. The girls BEGGED us to take the batteries out! Now they like the doll!). Anyway, we skipped the noises, and headed over to the “stuffing” machine. The man talked with Katy and then asked if she was ready to fill her bear. He said, “Do you want it fluffy and soft like a pillow?” She said that she did, so he pulled the plug of the machine (which is akin to a popcorn machine/cotton candy machine) and asked Katy to step on the pedal (like a sewing machine pedal). She helped him fill it up (including filling the butt!). After filling the bear, they had her pick a heart out of the basket. She had to do lots of silly things like rub it on her heart, kiss it, rub her sister’s head with it, have her parents kiss it, and then put it into her bear (your bear now has a heart). Then we headed over to the “air bath” table. This is where you use air and a special brush to brush to fluff the fur. Then, after the air bath, we picked out clothes. After picking out clothes, we progressed to the computer and created a name and birth certificate for Katy’s new bear. Her name is Ella. She was born today. It was so adorable watching her hug her new bear. If I can figure out how to upload pictures, it’s totally worth it. (Email me and I’ll send you some).
After a trip to the restroom (yet again), we headed for the FREE (note not much is free these days!) trolley that would lead us back to Michigan Ave and the American Girl Store. After switching trolleys, we eventually ended up where we needed to be. Phil was carrying Katy on his shoulders, and I had Lilly (well, actually grabbed her because of the crowds). We took off and headed headlong for where the doll was. We felt as though we needed to put on Super Sonic Boxing Gloves. (My mom thinks the crowds on Black Friday or the day after Christmas are bad! YIKES! This was too much for me! It’s a serious case of over stimulation and crowds that sends me into a “GET ME OUT OF HERE BEFORE I GET REALLY MEAN” attitude.) We found the doll, and Lilly picked out an adorable outfit. The outfit included Jean (girly ones at that!), a shirt, a jacket, a dress, tights, and shoes! It really is cute. You should see the look on her face as she holds her. It is precious.
We literally fought our way thorough the crowds to get back to the hotel. I taught Lilly how to put her head down and out and plow through the crowds. I told her to watch out in front of her, but just GO! (Mind you that by that point I was anything but friendly!) We did make it back without me “killing” anyone. (until Katy got mad and threw Ella on the floor and said “I hate her. I don’t’ want her!” Then, it got mean around here!)
The girls were allowed to sleep with their babies for nap (Lilly slept without complaining that she had to take a nap! Oh, and she fell asleep right away.) Katy was too stuffed up (no pun intended) to sleep.
So bedtime rolls around, and Daddy tries to tell them that their “kids” needed to go back in the boxes until Christmas since they were to be their main present. That didn’t go over well. I had tried to tell him that wouldn’t work. Anyway, after sitting them both down and making them “argue” their story, they are both sound asleep with their girls. (I had 4 words to say which abbreviated were I…T…Y…S!)
One more comment to add: I’ve celebrated Christmas the day after Thanksgiving for most of my life, and it never spoiled Christmas for me! I think the girls will still enjoy Christmas quite a lot!
Today is exactly 16 days from Christmas (12/9/06).
Merry Christmas from Chicago, and to all a good night!
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