Chicago – March 2018 – Mama Bear Mimi

We made an unexpected trip back home to Chicago in March; that actually turned out pretty good for something so last minute! We ended up staying in Chicago 4 weeks with hubs and then an additional week without him. We definitely made the best of it even under the circumstances. The boys got to bond a lot with family, probably the most ever. They got to experience Chicago winter…snow and all! Even though they didn’t exactly enjoy the cold but at least they got to see snow and experience freezing our butts off.

We took them to Millennium Park on a day that we thought wasn’t so cold, but then again the boys aren’t quite used to it at all, so it was fun to see them react to the weather! As soon as we get out of the car Sebastian says to me “Mommm, why is it so cold? I want to go back in the car?” HA! His face was the cutest too! He was so mad and confused, it was funny. Alex on the other hand didn’t really seem to care about the cold and didn’t really complain, even though his cheeks were always red from the cold…mi guerito cacheton.

The boys got to bond really well with family. They loved playing with their cousins and were always asking if we were going to their cousin’s house. Everyday Sebastian would ask us “where are we going today?” knowing that every day we were seeing someone and doing something fun. They absolutely loved being spoiled by both sets of grandparents. Thats exactly how its supposed to be and we absolutely loved seeing it. We even got to celebrate Sebastian’s 4th birthday while we were there. He absolutely loved it.

Being back home this long definitely made hubs and I see how much we miss family and how much our boys enjoy seeing all their faces. We had moments where we felt like they are missing out so much on bonding time with all of our family. We always talk about ways to balance it all out. Being so far from family is tough, even for us as adults, so we really hope the boys don’t get to feel it and learn to cherish the time we do get to spend with family.

While we were in Chicago, I spent a lot of time caring for my dad in the hospital. So I was away from the boys and the activities they were engaged in daily. It’s probably the most time I’ve spent away from them and sure did miss them. Hubs, on the other hand, got to spend so much time with them and I’m absolutely positive the boys didn’t complain nor feel my absence much. They adore daddy and prefer spending time with him anyway. Yeah yeah yeah…I admit it but I am the favorite when it comes to cuddles and kisses!

Even under the circumstances of our trip we were able to squeeze in plenty of activities. We took the boys downtown by train and they absolutely loved it. Probably the favorite thing they did! We took them to the Shedd Aquarium, which was overly packed and stressful. We even went to Lincoln Park Zoo on a not o chilly day. We got to celebrate Easter, Sebastian’s birthday and our 8th wedding anniversary out there too! Hubs and I got plenty of date nights in, along with time with our friends and family. And everyone got to see my baby bump and share my excitement!

I am so grateful that we were able to make this spur of the moment trip back home… for many many reasons. In particular, I am very grateful for hubs and his willingness to support me during my dad’s hospital stay. Read more about that here. Below are some of the many many photos I took during our trip…you know mamarazzi in da house! HA!