End of a long weekend

And the end of Namblopomo! I had promised two days of substance, only before I realized that November, like September April and June, only has 30 days. So to end my month-long postathon, here are some thoughts that were floating around in my head as I was trying to get Amalia to sleep.
First of all, I am so so lucky to be able to be where I am, and doing what I'm doing. We are all healthy, happy, safe and sound in our little home, and we could not ask for anything more.
I was sitting in the darkness, bouncing and jiggling and cuddling an angry Amalia, trying to get her to calm down, suck on her pacifier and go to sleep. Through the door I could hear and see Domingo running around with Chris, laughing and talking, and playing the spoons, and asking his Papa to put on the blond curly wig I had borrowed from tia Hez for Halloween. I know there are people out there who are not "kid people", don't like children or babies, but I just do not get them. To me there really is nothing as wonderful and hilarious and frustrating and maddening and incredible as spending time with these two little guys.
As I type this Domingo is dumping out all of his little toys one by one while saying "fast, fast, fast, fast, fast!" and "look I'm flying up and up and up and UP!" I don't know if it's a race with himself to beat a personal best dumping record, or if he has to build maximum dump speed to take off.
But back to the dark room. It was only after I stopped looking at the clock, wondering how many more minutes it would take for Amalia to stop crying and go to sleep, only after I put both my feet up on the bed where I was sitting with her and closed my eyes, only after I stopped worrying about getting out of that room, and started enjoying being in that room with her that she relaxed and fell fast asleep. When I felt her little body shudder and heard her little shaky breath finally come out long and relaxed I opened my eyes to look at my sleeping daughter. She is breathtaking. Her perfect smooth round head, her chubby dimpled hands, her crinkly eyed full lipped sleep-smile, and her round little bottom resting heavily in my hand, are here for a fleeting moment. She practically grows as I look at her sleeping. Soon she'll be as fast and talkative and funny and exasperating as her older brother. And while a part of me can't wait for this, a part of me aches to know that this is it for this stage. She'll never have another first Thanksgiving, or Christmas. She'll never be 1 month or 2 or 3 again. Drink up eyes, take in all her chubby rolly sweetness now, before it's gone.
It's good that I have this blog to write down these moments of realization because otherwise, I might forget that I ever stopped to smell the baby, that I really did enjoy all the moments, good and less so, like I promise to do in all my monthday posts.
I can write down these little moments, and although I know part of the magic of memory is gone when I commit these thoughts and experiences to words on paper (or in this case screen) at least I can look back and know that it was real. These moments were real and not some crazy wonderful dream. It happened. I was a mother. I gave birth to her, was there and saw her tiny perfect form, and some day, maybe she'll do the same, and I hope to be there to write it down.

nearing the end

I just got an email from the NAMBLOPOMO people about this November endeavour of posting every day. it asked did I put something meaningful out there everyday, or just post for the sake of posting. I feel like it was more of the later in my case, but will try very hard in the next two days to post something insightful, just not today. I'm at my in-laws, listening to Domingo in the next room laughing and watching "My Neighbor Totoro" one of my favorite movies, even if it is for kids. He's asking "where is the totoro?" So rather than blog about something profound and wonderful, I'll just actually do something profound and wonderful, spend time with my son.

Whose child is this?

Once again, compare and contrast:
Domingo's favorite food: peas
Alice's most hated food: peas

Domingo: will not eat meat, or at least not much
Alice: if it didn't once have a pulse it's not really worth eating

Domingo's favorite drink: milk, or grape juice (mostly water w/ a splash of juice)
Alice: that is gross

Domingo's favorite past time: reading, and naming dinosaurs
Alice: likes to read and being read to, but still needs to look up the dinosaur names that Domingo already knows.

But look at those ears, without having to bother with the DNA test, I'm pretty sure he's mine.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

So much to be thankful for once again this year. Wonderful food, terrific family and friends, what more could we ask for?
Here are the reasons I'm so grateful, today and every day.




Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving begins!

We are off to South Bend here in a few minutes. Soon we will be splashing in Tia Laly's pool to work up an appetite for all the eating, and eating, and eating that we will be doing!! Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, it's only made better by having my children to share it with, to make memories with them included, and for these guys to make memories of their own.

5th monthday!! Late edition

Amalia, Friday you turned 5 months! You are such a big wonderful girl. As we reported last month, you really turned a corner and are now for the most part a very mellow fuss free darling. You still can work up a righteous fury when you feel it's warranted, but those times are so few and far between these days, that we really can't complain. Although at times you can be quite a mama's girl, you still light up when Papa comes into the room. Even if he can't always get you to fall asleep.
before sleep attempt:

after sleep attempt:


As for new tricks or "milestones" as the pediatrician's are calling them these days, you've flipped over a few times from your tummy to your back, and are really close to getting it going the other way too. You get 3/4 of the way over but your chubby little arm gets in the way.
You've definitely learned about "object permanence", or at least mama permanence. When I leave the room you scream and I come running back. The system works.



You are so into putting things in your mouth these days, your hands, feet, toys mama's hair, what ever it is, it needs to be in your mouth! And when you aren't stuffing it, you are using it to talk about everything. You babble and chatter to yourself or your brother all day long. Speaking of Domi, you cannot get enough of that kid. When ever he's around, you are looking at him and he is usually happy to entertain you.



You are growing like a weed. We haven't had an official weigh in/height check recently but I'd estimate you are around 18 pounds and I can't really guess how long. Maybe 27 inches? With your brother I'd get out my tape measure, but now every time I get it out, Domingo steals it from me and tries to wrap it around someone's neck, yours, mine, his, it doesn't matter as long as someone's getting strangled.


See you are almost as tall as tia Sally!

This coming month will bring lots of firsts. I'm looking forward to your first Thanksgiving, your first Christmas, and your first New Years. What I'm a little less excited about is that this will be our last month together 24 hours a day 7 days a week. This is probably a good thing for all involved, I'll be going back to work only part time, and I'll be home more days than I am away, but still. I'm nervous, worried, anxious, apprehensive, and any other synonym for uncertain that you can think of.
But I'm going to look forward to this month, relish every minute, even the screamy ones, and make the most of each day. I owe that to both of us.



Love,
Mama

Oops!

I blew it! My post a day pledge had to make way for life I suppose. But even though I didn't post yesterday, I'll make up for it by posting a monthday for Amalia today, and I'll try to keep it up for the rest of the month.

Placeholder post!

This is where some content should be! Or at least a picture of the kiddos.
Friday was Amalia's 5th monthday, but since we went to Morris I didn't have a chance to upload pictures and do justice to the monthday post, so I'll tackle that tomorrow. Procrastinators of the world, unite and take over... tomorrow.

The world according to Domi

More awesome things Domingo is saying:

"I can't take a nap mama, I'm awake."

When asked if he could hand me Amalia's paacifier: "But of course mama." ( this sounds so funny to me in Spanish) He also said it to abuela when she told him to drink his juice in the kitchen!
While we are in bed ready to sleep, he puts his hands on my face and asks me very sincerely "do you feel much better now?"

Finally as we all pile in bed ready fo sleep I say a prayer out loud that my tia may taught all of us when we were very young. It's kind of like a kiddie Hail Mary in Spanish. I remember knowing the words and reciting them before I knew what they meant, and inventing meanings for the words I didn't know when I was much older. "Sin pecado" means without sin, and I being such and innocent, angelic child, did not know the word for sin. I thought pecado must have something to do with fish, "pescado". So I always imagined a large marlin-esque fish in the middle of my prayers, and always wondered why the Virgin had to go without it. Until of course I learned what sin is, at the age of reason I suppose.
Even with that in mind, there is something so comforting about those old words, even just the rythym they make out, without even knowing what they mean, like a song or a drumbeat. The last few nights before we all close our eyes, and Domingo asks if I'm feeling much better, probably since I've finally stopped whining and nagging and complaining for once and am kissing everyone good night, warm among my little and big snuglets, Domingo has said the words to this prayer along with me, giving thanks for our day. And then we sleep.

Welcome cousin Liam!

Baby cousin Liam was born this morning! Congrats to new parents Pete and Maria, (please read through archives of this website as a primer on how to raise perfect babies) tia Sally and tio Dennis who are now Grandma and Grandpa or some variation on that theme. What we do know that they are, they're all super happy! Can't wait to meet you little baby!

Nature!

We had a great time at the Notebaert nature museum. Again, such a good time that we didn't take any pictures. Tomorrow we are off to Morris for what I hope is a restful weekend.
Amalia had a poop through and no clean clothes in the bag, and a dirty wet pjs in the bag instead. Note to self: check diaper bag before you go out. We borrowed a onsie from Sam. Hopefully we'll return it before he grows out of it!
We saw butterflies, bugs, frogs, fish, and the cool "in the dark" exhibit. Domingo was obsessed with touching everything, and keeping Charlotte from touching anything. Good sharing!
I can always gauge the success of an outing by the category freak out we have upon leaving. Today, I'd say it was a category 4, pretty close to atomic level fury. Domingo melted down because he wanted to play w/ Charlotte, but most of all he wanted to look at the toys in the gift shop.
Then he calmed down once we were in the car, but when I put him back in the stroller to get up stairs, he freaked. He wanted me to carry him, but Amalia was also asleep in her carseat, so I couldn't carry him, push the stroller and lug the car seat. It's the only time I have wanted the car seat adapter for the stroller, but not the first time I've wanted more than two arms. I couldn't put the stroller back in the car either because Domi was already out of the seat and freaking out.
We got upstairs with no major incidents or loss of limbs or lives, and I got a few precious moments of tandem naps. Ah savor it, because it's over in a flash.

In the thick of it

We are in the middle of nanny-search 2008 and it is totally stressing me out. I feel like I am way ahead of the game compared to last time around, and don't really think we need an agency and the corresponding money drain, but it's still completely nerve racking.
Amalia on the other hand, remains surprisingly calm.





I want one of the interviews to come by when they are like this, Amalia conked out on the floor, and Domingo paralyzed by Diego, insane amounts of crap all over the apartment. I'm sure it's a welcoming picture that screams "Great work environment!". I mean if their own mother treats them like this, what can she possibly expect from a babysitter? Answer: a lot more, you're getting paid.

Actually Amalia fell asleep as I was taking off Domingo's coat and wet pants (snow on the slide! so cold, so unbearable cold.) so I had to get a picture before I attempted the foolish foolish move to her bouncy seat.
We are starting to run out of gas with the bouncy seat as she's so heavy her butt hits the floor and there's not much bounce. Poor thing. So we're putting her to sleep in the pack and play (or the bed at night) until she's rolling around. Which is coming asap. She rolled again from her tummy to her back, and was so so close to rolling from her back to her belly, I just gave her a teeny push and she was over. I think in the next week or so she'll be rolling all over the place. She's still no where near sitting on her own, her giant head is so heavy it tips her over in less than a second.


Who's head are you calling giant? Why don't you look in the mirror lady pumpkin head.

There are also fewer and fewer snaps of Domingo I'm noticing in my iphoto, I think the culprit is that he's so mobile compared to Amalia's stationary existence that he's too hard to capture on (digital) film. So here's an old one:

Amalia was wearing this one yesterday, and every time I think she's the chubbiest baby on earth, I remind myself that this was taken in December when Domingo was 3 months, Amalia is nearly 5.

Amazing baby tricks

Behold!
The child who eats while sleeping.




Actually, I can do this too if I'm hungry enough and tired enough. He was so tired yesterday, (two days in the last 3 he either had no nap or an abbreviated and interrupted one)he all but fell asleep in his corn. He took an early nap, 12:15 and slept until 3:00. If it wasn't for Amalia crying I think he might have slept longer, we'll see what happens today. I like the naps that last until 4 or 5 even if they don't start until 2 or 3. But I'm totally selfish that way. Also I want him to sleep for him, and his brain, and my brain!

In other news, Domingo was running around the apartment yesterday singing "Happy Birthday Mr. Goat cheese!" over and over and over again. He's inherited his mother's gift of song. He also gave rousing renditions of Happy birthday Mr. stegosaurus, and every other dinosaur whose name he knows (I think there are like 15) and then melted in a puddle of giggles. Now he's running around his room saying the octopus is "pulpando" I guess a translation could be he is "octopussing". Domingo loves making up words in both English and Spanish, especially action words like octopussing, I mean what else would an octopus do? How else would he move?

Amalia is so close to flipping over from her back to her belly, I think the only thing that's stopping her is the fact that she hates to be on her tummy.


She's expanded her diet from just milk to some meat. Or more likely, some toxic plastic.

Amalia flipped from her tummy to her back today. I think once she figures out she can mobilize by rolling, she'll be all over it. She is already pretty mobile just by squirming around on her back, I think the days of plopping her on the floor without a worry that she'll get into trouble are numbered!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

To Domingo's favorite person in the universe, sorry tia Hez, you've been dethroned and how. Of course Domingo loves everyone, mama probably most of all, but there is only room for one at the top, and that is Grandma. He wants to sit with her, talk to her, play with her and show her what ever fascinating thing he happens to be holding in his grimy little hand. So happy birthday Grandma, it's a pretty great present to have the absolute adoration of this little guy. Come back and see him soon!!

It's how do you say? French

Yesterday we went to the open house for the school that's across the street from our apartment. It's in a beautiful but very old building that it shares with two other schools, a Montessori, and an Islamic studies school. While the facilities are a little old and beat up, the programs were really impressive. (Computers for three year olds!?) The thing we liked best about it (besides being across the street) was that there is an obvious high value placed on language and how that relates to our place in the larger world. Diversity is celebrated, as are other cultures. I was assured that there were many families with children where neither parent spoke French, some families like ours where the children spoke English and Spanish, and about half the families where one or both parent spoke French. They said they have lots of resources for parents once the children start bringing home homework (all in French!) because that is a huge obstacle for many parents if they do not speak the language. I liked most of the teachers we met (I did think that the kindergarten teacher was a little too businesslike). Another plus is that they don't have the September 1 birthday cut off so many schools (all of the public and lots of the private schools) have. I know there are lots of strong feelings and studies showing why either side is better for both sides of this issue, but I personally believe that it's a year wasted. Domingo will be a year behind, rather than a year ahead of his classmates if he's "red shirted".
I don't know even if Domingo got in to the school and he went for preschool, if we'd keep him there throughout. It depends on a lot of things, but I see the little kids in the park speaking French and it's really awesome.
Overall I was really really impressed, and we are at least going to apply for the fall.

what's new?

Kids, spouse, asleep...
House a mess...
Mama's eating...
There's nothing new under the sun!

best day ever!

Thanks to Grandma Farfar and tia Leticia, I got to have a wonderful day shopping and then spa day! Tia Leticia and I had the best time, it was so relaxing, and such a wonderful break.
Grandma and Farfar hung out with the kiddos so I could enjoy myself with out worrying what they were up to.
Thanks again to everyone!!


Tia Sally and Amalia hanging out the other night.


Amalia waiting for mama to come home.

Getting funky

Chris said that her public deserves to see this:






Amalia shows off her dance moves she learned from her brother. Domingo has a similar montage here. These kids love to get down!

hey haircut!

Yesterday we took Domingo to get his second hair cut. Despite my request to just "clean it up" and leave some curls, he ended up with a very short, very boyish, and even though I know I'm terribly biased, very cute haircut. Domingo was unconvinced at first.

We sat him in the fancy red car, and he was dubious.
He kept asking to get down, and even Dora and Diego adventure, and a hand held music machine could not hold his interest and keep him from bobbing and weaving away from the lady with the scissors.




But of course after it was all over and he was getting his "treats" for being such a good boy in the chair, he did not want to leave.


But to the victor go the spoils! Hopefully he'll remember this the next time he gets a hair cut.

A day at the museum

This morning Domingo came up to me and said "Me diverti en el museo mama". Then in the next breath he said he wanted to go back today. We had a really great time at the Field Museum yesterday. This was the second time we went with Domingo, but really the first time he was old enough to be really really into it.
Our first stop was the "playlab". Lesson learned: do the playlab at the end. Domingo did not want to leave.


Just woke up, a little tentative.


This is where Domingo wanted to stay. I had to count to 10 and pull his crying flailing body to get to the real fun stuff.


Sue!


Of course, they spit you out of the dinosaur section right into the gift shop. Domingo made out with some new dino toys.

Domingo had a great time. When we finally made it to the dinosaur exhibit Domingo ran around to each skeleton asking "what's this one called, what's this one called." He was so excited he could not contain himself. It was so amazing. The only trouble we had was we had missed nap time so Domingo crashed at 6:00 p.m. And then he woke up again at 11:45 wanting to party. Not something I recommend. But once in a while is worth it. The look on his face was definitely worth it.

Happy belated 26th monthday!

Domingo, last week you turned 26 months. Due to a bunch of stuff happening,namely life, I am late again in documenting it.
I have once again been aging you beyond your months and have been saying you were 26 months for a while now. You are constantly amazing me that you seem much older than your months. I'm not the only one either, this month when we were in line waiting to vote, a man asked me how old you were and when I told him he couldn't believe it and said he thought you were probably around four. Now granted, this guy probably doesn't hang out with a lot of two year olds, or four year olds, but the point is, you are such a smart, talkative friendly little boy, people respond to you in only positive ways, and think you are great. Your family and friends are probably a little sick of me waxing on and on about just how great, but here I go again.



You are still such a sweet little boy, it really helps to even out the times when you you are less so. My favorite thing that you do recently is when you say you want a "snuglet", it's your way of saying you want a hug or to cuddle. It's so gut wrenchingly adorable it always makes me stop and grab you and smother you with kisses. I don't know where the word came from, I think papa or I said it once, or called you a snuglet and the term stuck. You say you want a snuglet when you want a quick squeeze, you say you want to snuglet when you want a more extended cuddle. These are not the only words you have been inventing lately. Because your English is not as advanced as your brain, you will make up words in English by chopping off the Spanish endings. Like tio James says, Spanish is just English with an o on the end, you think English is just Spanish without the ending. You'll say things like "mir" instead of mirar, or quier instead of quiero. It's pretty funny.
One of the less endearing things that you say these days is "Que te pasa mama?" I know you are trying to ask me what's the matter, but it comes out sounding like "what's your problem mama". Adding insult to injury, you are usually asking this after you have clocked me in the head with a toy or your elbow and I have said "ouch". An ouch will always elicit a "que te pasa". I have tried to see if that is a phrase that I use and I don't think it is.



You have been a musical child for a long time now, singing songs and getting funky when a song you like comes on the stereo, but your new obsession is Peter and the wolf. We got this book from Tia Sally a long time ago and you really liked it. I started singing the songs that go with the characters and you wanted me to do them more and more. So we found the DVD of this old Disney cartoon that I loved when I was little, and you watched it and asked to see it probably 20 times. Now at night before you go to sleep, and in the morning when you wake up you sing "el cancion de pedro" "el cancion de abuelo" and "el cancion de los casadores". When I start humming one of the tunes, you say no mama I don't want the duck's song.
You continue to be so loving and sweet towards your "hermanita". You always ask why Amalia is crying, you love it when she "talks" and ask about what she is saying. You play this game called "ooga ooga ooga" that you invented. You bear crawl over your poor sister's supine body saying ooga ooga ooga. She usually laughs or tries to grab you as you go by or sometimes just looks perplexed. I love that you guys are interacting all on your own, and even though you can sometimes get a little grabby, you are always gentle. Even when your face looks like this:


Another new development that has occurred this month is you are one step closer to POTTY TRAINING!! And a good thing to, hopefully you won't have to move up to depends before it happens. It has become so much easier to change your diapers than a few months ago. While you still only want me to do it, much to your father's delight, it is no longer a struggle. And the other day you even told your tia Leticia who was watching you that you wanted a clean diaper. That's progress my dear.

practicing being santa claus.

The specter of potty training and having to take you to the potty 20 times a day is also keeping up with our other looming milestone: Preschool. Your papa and I went to a preschool/elementary school fair this weekend and I entered the gymnasium with such a profound sense of dread that I almost didn't make it. There are so many choices, so many parents just like us, wanting the absolute best most perfect start for their little angels and there are only so many spots that it gives me hives. Then when we left I was slightly heartened because we have taken the first step in the right direction. But, of course soon after, there was the realization that came first to the pit of my stomach, that you are not a little baby any more. Soon you will be going to preschool, or daycare and preschool, then school and then college. I saw your childhood flash before my eyes and I want it to slow down! I don't want you to grow too fast, I want to savor every moment of your snuglety goodness.


Chock-lit
Halloween was pretty awesome this year too. Like I said, it was a milestone I wasn't expecting, and I felt like the parent of a child rather than a baby for the first time.
In these last few months of my maternity leave, we are doing some really fun things, like the aquarium, the zoo, the Field Museum, that you call the dinosaur bones museum, and your curiosity and wonder are contagious. I have so enjoyed this precious time with you, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.


Finally it was this past month that there was a very big moment that occurred in this country. I'm sure when you are older, we'll have to explain why it was such a big deal that an African American was elected president. I am at a loss for words at how incredible and wonderful it is that you will never remember a time when this was an impossibility. And that this year, this time, people came together and showed exactly what it is that makes this the greatest country in the world.

photos!!

Here are some pictures from this weekend. Once again we had a great time. Domingo and the primas played like crazy, he continues to be completely obsessed with them. I promise, monthday tomorrow, filed museum, and preschool angst and more this week, stay tuned! And you must agree that this is a new week, so I'm allowed another cop out post.
Enjoy!!


Birthday boy


Tia Patricia


Sisters, sisters there were never such devoted sisters.


The flash! (photo courtesy of tio Ian)


baby lounger

last cop-out post of the week

or of the day at least. I'm in a fish-soup coma, Mafalda would be horrified. I had a wonderful birthday dinner, it was delicious, the company was superb and I made off with some excellent loot. The most useful of which is also a reminder of things to come... a slow cooker! I asked specifically for this for my birthday because I think it will be quite useful for when I go back to work in January. It's starting to sink back in that I'm returning to work some day. ACK! I'm sure that will be the subject of a much longer post when I'm not being attacked by a naked lotioned up baby asking for snuglets. Also to come, Domingo's 26th monthday post is overdue, I know, I know!! There have been so many awesome things we've done over the past month I want to recap. Also! We went to the preschool/elementary school fair today, the birds and beasts were not there. I don't think they should call it a fair when you leave hyperventilating into a paper bag because TOO MANY CHOICES, WILL I RUIN MY CHILD'S LIFE, NEED TO BREATHE NOW!!!
So to sum up, wonderful birthday party, wonderful family, stressful fair, sweet snuglets, now wonderful sleep.

Happy birthday boxing day to me

At my house we have a little thing called, birthday eve, and birthday boxing day, and post birthday boxing day day, etc. etc. As in, don't hassle me man, it's my birthday eve, or I can't do the dishes it's my birthday boxing day, and so on. We like to stretch out the celebrations as long as possible.
So for me, the fact that we are having delicious bouillabaisse tomorrow as well as the fact that it's my birthday boxing day, allow me to have yet another, as Chris pointed out to me today, "anemic" post.
Fear not, future posts should be beefed up with post birthday boxing day day pictures, and cake.

they say it's your birthday...

It's my birthday too!
The kids and I are in Morris today for a little break and a nice dinner out with the abuelos. We'll have the "official" party for me and Ian on Saturday. My favorite buliabaise for dinner, and a cake from bittersweet, I can't wait. The twins keep asking for a pinata, I think I'm a little old don't you?

Si se puede!!

I am still in a dazed fog from last night's amazing events. We were on pins and needles until Ohio and Iowa were called and then finally they called California and it was officially over. Domingo was begging to go to sleep, (not without me of course) so we put him to bed and I snuck back out to watch the speeches. I was so moved and impressed by McCain's speech and wonder what would have happened if the whole campaign would have been run with the same tone.
Then I sat in the dark on my sofa watching and listening as history was being made. Obama's speech was somber and serious, but at the same time filled me with hope and amazement at what we as a people can accomplish when we organize for change. His story of the 106 year old woman voting on a computer in Atlanta was so incredible. What must she think of all she has seen? As the tears came I too wondered if my children live to be that old, what changes and wonders will they see. We woke up this morning to a new day and the sun is shining and we are filled with hope.

More Halloween

I almost forgot to give a big huge shout out and thanks to tia Sally and tio Dennis for babysitting this weekend so Chris and I could go to the "envenomed garden" Halloween party that tia Hez and James put together. It was super fun and as always incredibly elaborately decorated. When Chris and I first started dating, he lived with Heather and James and they would have these insane costume parties complete with dancing "duels". They were always so much fun, and we would usually have a pretty integral part in decorating and clean up. There was a time when my apartment smelled like sharpie markers for days. Now it is a huge deal just to go, but always always worth it.
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but you'll have to take my word that our costumes were enjoyed by most.
Here are some pictures from the "midnight circus" show that they had at Daley Plaza for Halloween. We went last Thursday. It was so cool, and Domingo was really into it.




Domi's into it, especially the funky music.


terrified and terrifying.


very rapt


chris's in love


even Amalia was taken in.


how I got him out of the house to begin with: promise of the "giant monkey", sliding on the picasso statue.