This summer we hit the road for Elle's first vacation!
Our little family of 3 headed to Chicago first for some fun with plans to meet the rest of the family Friday evening in Michigan.
We got up early Thursday morning and headed out just as Elle was getting ready to fall asleep for her morning nap. We stopped in Joliet, IL for some lunch and then headed to IKEA...I've been dreaming about this day for so long. ;)
I could have stayed there for hours...I looked and looked and filled our cart with whatever I thought I could squeeze into our already PACKED car. Elle was far less excited about this stop, she fell asleep on Eric while I shopped.
Once Eric was able to drag me out of the store it was just a short drive to Chicago. I bought Elle this little princess wand thinking it would occupy her for the rest of the ride...it was torn to shreds in about 5 minutes. :)
We thought we were making great time and would have pleeeenty of time to walk around before meeting our friends Dan and Amanda for dinner. Chicago traffic had other plans! I thought St. Louis traffic was terrible but this is a whole other level!! The only other time I've been to Chicago we took the train in and then mainly stuck with cabs so this was our first time navigating on our own.
We finally made it Navy Pier, so pretty.
We went here for my 22nd birthday and I loved the huge (150 ft.!!) Ferris Wheel so we decided to ride again.
I have no problem with heights but I DO have a problem with Eleanor being this high in the air. At 22 I was jumping from seat to seat because it was "neat" to feel our cart sway back & forth (Eric didn't think it was neat :). At 29 with a baby I was clutching on to this little girl so tight Eric had to tell me to loosen my grip.
After Navy Pier we headed to dinner with Dan and Amanda and then crashed at their place for the night. So nice of them to have us!
Friday morning we woke up and headed back out for some more fun before leaving for Michigan. You would think I would have learned my lesson on the Ferris Wheel of heights + Eleanor = scared mama bear but noooo I wanted to check out the Sky Deck.
Before they let you up to the 103 floor you sit through a little movie about it. Elle was getting hungry and tired so the movie did little to hold her attention. I can't even tell you a thing it said because I was frantically trying to give her puffs to snack on...but she just decided to throw them on the ground and everyone sitting around us. :)
Once we finally got to the top it was amazing. Seeing the ledges you think "no big deal, why are people scared of this?"...walking out onto the ledge it hits you! Elle and I went first.
Our plan was for me to set her down so we could get a picture of her sitting by herself but I could.not.let.her.go!! Eric hadn't walked out on it yet so he couldn't understand why, he just kept saying "get your hand out of the picture"...umm that was never going to happen!
Once I hopped out and handed Elle to him he went to take a step in and turned and looked at me and said, "I don't know if I can do this!". He was able to walk on the ledge with her and he understood why there was no way I was letting go of our baby girl!
Overall, so fun and I'm so glad we stopped to do this before hitting the road again.
Next stop...Saugatuck ,MI!!
