Away Weekend

Just got back from our trip to Chicago for a weekend. Without Baby Z.
I learned many, many things in that urban midwestern town:

1. People are nice in the midwest. Including police officers who help lost tourists. Including women in line for bathroom at comedy club who don't give you the once-over to judge whether they are hotter than you.
2. Football is really important to a lot of people.
3. Missing someone can be like a physical ache. Saturday morning I woke up crying. Not worried about Baby Z, not wanting him there with me. Just wanting to hug him and feel him for a minute snuggled against me. It felt like suddenly I was missing a limb.
4. Sunset at the top of the Hancock Building is worth the extra money for drinks. Also, a sunset without an ocean or mountains around is still beautiful.
5. Baby Z can handle a lot of change and still be okay. He plowed through the weekend without hardly a problem and had a great little personal adventure (apart from us... and so it begins).
6. Weather in the 40's can be nice, when you are very bundled and walking around a beautiful city- briskly.
7. You can miss a 11-month old and his little personality. The physical ache of being away from Baby Z turned into a missing him as a person. A little person who beats his hands on his tray and tests out the vowel "AAAAAAAAAhhh" deep in his throat for as long as his lungs will go.
8. Public transportation is very convenient until construction delays you on your way to catch a flight. (Phew- we caught it just in time!)
9. Having excellent friends is among the greatest blessings you can have. Friends with whom you can trust your precious baby. Friends you travel across country to see. Friends you've known forever and with whom you can still travel.
10. Being away for vacation is fantastic. And so is coming home.