She's 4!

It is past bedtime at the Hamm house, which means that the month of birthday celebrations has officially come to a close. We all feel so lucky to have been able to celebrate Eloise's 4th birthday with our family and friends. The early celebrations began with Nonna on Friday and a dinner out with the entire restaurant singing Happy Birthday as they delivered sparkler flamed flan, a special trip to American Girl with Nonna on Saturday followed by another birthday dinner with the Freeman-Walker-Nichols family, her Fancy Nancy pottery painting party on Sunday with 12 friends, a celebration at school today where her teacher read to the class an Eloise book that we donated in honor of her special day, and dinner tonight with just one more cupcake. While the birthday weekend seems long, these past 4 years have flown by in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, she's really looking like a big kid with these long knobby legs and a thinner face. Far away, these have been the best 4 years of my life. How did I live 29 years without knowing her? We love her so so so so so much.

Thank you Nonna, GW, Aunt Ashley and cousins, Hamma and Boppa for coming to Chicago for the party!

Museum of Science and Industry

American Girl and her new doll

dinner with our famm

Fancy Nancy party

such nice friends

painting a pig piggy bank

her party friends

George was feeling fancy too

making a wish

fancy friends

just one more cupcake to celebrate #4

The most annoying sound in the world

They say that no parent likes to hear their child cry. Oh boy, is that true at our house - but perhaps for a different reason. Worse than nails on a chalkboard, worse than Lloyd Christmas's most annoying sound in the world, is the sound of George Hamm's "cry". Not a cry at all in fact, but repetitive shrill screams. There are very few tears, no sobs. When he was still a newborn our amazement regarding his cry was confirmed when my visiting mom commented "Oh Tom, have you ever heard such a thing?". Yes, yes, George is indeed the happiest baby in the world...thank goodness! However, he is also the lightest sleeper in the world. So while he remains happy during daylight hours, during every night and upon waking every morning, this is what we hear...

Chinatown, quarries and frog umbrellas

Who knew this quarry/nature trails/waterfall park existed on the south side? Not this north sider. However it was our destination on Sunday along with Chinatown (and a middle school football game that we stumbled upon - Go Bridgeport Hurricanes!). We've lived in Chicago for 11 years and this was our first dinner in Chinatown. Might be another 11 years before my tummy allows me to go back...

Between a really fun birthday celebration on Friday night, a sunny and relaxing Saturday and a rainy and exploratory Sunday, my first weekend as a 33 year old was just right.

Happy birthday to me x 33

First Day of School

Eloise started at her new school yesterday. And yes, it is FULL day school. Like 8:30 am until 2:45 pm school. Gasp. It's definitely an adjustment for all of us - for George because he misses his sissy and his nap time is altered and shortened for pick-up and drop-off times, for me because it is so quiet around here now and I am adjusting to being a day-time parent of one again (which actually means some downtime that I am not yet enjoying), and for Elle because it is a LONG day for a not yet 4 year old - but so far so great. Frustratingly, I am not able to enter the school to walk her into her classroom or help her with her backpack or coat. I may simply walk her up to the door, give my sweet girl a kiss, and send her on her way. Oh, I hope she loves it and that children start to let her play with them at recess...so far she seems to be enjoying it and even charming her teacher a bit. I love this girl.

walking her to school on the first day (with Daddy and George waiting in the car)

Family photo sesh

We finally did it - family photos! While we were so excited and keeping our fingers crossed for great weather and we were coordinated to the hilts, we were dismayed to discover that the children were not going to be on their best behavior that evening (no matter how many bribes or threats we could come up with). Worried about how this would translate in the photos, I was instantly giddy and relieved when I saw them this week. I knew that this photographer would be a great choice, but until I saw the photos, I didn't realize how great. She totally captured the kid's personalities, she captured our beautiful city, I love the vibrant colors, love the variety, and I am SO happy with the photos.

More to come, but here is a link to several photos on the photographer's blog.

http://www.inthisinstance.com/blog/hamm-family.html

Labor Day weekend = Awesome

Not only did we spend Saturday in Madison with our little Jane, Aunt Molly B, Uncle Dave, plus Reed-O and Matt, but we also had a full weekend in Chicago to celebrate and bring to a close another action packed and really fun summer. We spent the day at North Ave beach - including lunch at Castaways, obvi - and BBQed at home on Sunday, and took George to his first Cubs game on Monday. Now on to a short work week and Elle's last week of leisure before her new big kid school begins next week. Eeeeeek.

last day at North Ave beach for the summer

warm up break - hot in the sun, but brrr in the shade and wind

Cubs!

George watched the ball and pretended to throw along with the pitcher

Nice hit!

Hey Chicago what do you say, the Cubs are gonna win today

Thank you Hamma and Boppa for G's new football uni!