Chicago, day 3

July 30, 2007 by Barbara.

We all stayed up really late when we were in Chicago and got up early anyway. I think that Saturday was the day that most showed the lack of sleep. When we met up at 6:45, I had to ask many times what they’d done to piece together more than slow walking and no museums or major attractions.

After returning to the Hollister store to have an anti-theft device removed from a pair of shorts that Shea had bought, Aunt Karin made Reid out of her stroller on the way to a restaurant as her oh-so-heavy eyelids weren’t staying up. Reid didn’t fight the direction and Aunt Karin was surprised. Reid simply turned to Shea and asked to be picked up. Shea picked her up and Reid snuggled her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes again. Mean Aunt Karin told Shea that he had to put Reid down and hold her hand. It’s hard to fall asleep and walk at the time but Reid puts forth a good effort. Thankfully she doesn’t walk in her sleep but she is chatty enough while sleeping.

They walked and walked and walked in an ultimately futile attempt to find the Sears Tower. You’d think it would be easy to find, being so tall, but it wasn’t. Between the lower and upper streets of the same name that literally run one above the other and the fact that we only ever had access to really bad street maps, they never managed to find the Sears Tower. The maps in the tourist brochures were heavily focused on the Chicago Transit Authority. At any point, you would know what bus or train line went where but it was difficult to figure out *why* you’d want to get there.

We all met at Navy Pier at 6:45. I bought tickets for Reid to ride on Thomas the Tank Engine again. She spent a good portion of the first ride looking at the large stuffed Hello Kitty in the seat behind her. Reid got to sit at the front for the second ride and steered with enthusiasm and rang the bell when the little girl with her wasn’t. Reid had lots of fun but I’m hoping (for mine and Ken’s sake) that when Thomas comes to Ottawa that both he and his tracks are larger. I’m not sure an average 10 year old would fit on the wee little bench seats.

We went to Ed Debevics restaurant for supper. It was listed on the “Fun things for families” page in the brochure I had been given at the O’Hare airport. It was raucous and brightly decorated but the schtick seemed to be about being rude. Sort of like the diner in the Byward Market in Ottawa but with bad attitude. A couple of times the wait staff stopped serving and danced either on the counter or on dividers between two rooms. Shea liked the surliness (have I mentioned he is 13 lately ;+) and Reid liked the dancing. Aunt Karin and I were pleased with our dinners but underwhelmed by the atmosphere.

Reid fought to stay awake for the train ride home. By the time we got to the hotel (I won’t be precise or you’ll be sure I’m a bad mama) she was hyper from lack of sleep but she conked out fast once I got her into bed.

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