All that really matters

"When you get older, all that really matters to you is your posterity."

This was said several times this weekend by my dear father-in-law, Archie and it's a philosophy he and his wife really live by. Turns out, Grant's parents always liked coming to see him when he was a bachelor, but it's just a lot more fun now that he's started contributing to the next generation and they just love it. There's something in it for everybody, really. :)

Kendra got a whole new perspective of the world while she was here with two extra people around during the day to hold her. She has discovered a new activity that keeps her vividly entertained for hours on end: watching the cars approach and pass the stop sign on the street below our windows.
Good thing there's a screen there. She was getting so into it, Jackie was sure she was about to leap out of her hands to get a better look at the passing traffic.

While Grandmas are more let-me-hold-you, Grandpas are more let-me-play-with-you, which Kendra also happens to extremely enjoy.


I can't tell which one is having a better time here... :)

Now that we live "in" Chicago officially and are part of the Chicago Public Library system, we can take advantage of a cool program they have for library card holders where you can check out a pass that's good for 4 general admissions to different museums and attractions around Chicago. You can only take one pass at a time and it's only good at one attraction, but you can keep it for 7 days. And it's a total grab bag, you never know what's available before you physically go to the library and they don't hold a pass you're interested in or call you when someone turns it in, it's just what's there when you go is what's available. So, I took a chance and scored the pass to the Field Museum! For the cost of an El ride, we made an afternoon of it on Friday while Grant was at work (who'd already been to it and told us to go without him).

Nice backpack, eh? It was a fabulous hand-me-down from Heber and Debbie and man do we love it! So convenient when you're hauling a seven-month-old who can't get enough of checking out the world around her. We were a bit overwhelmed when we got there because this museum is huge. After we realized we spent well over an hour just perusing a single exhibit which was only a small portion of one of the three floors of the museum, we decided we'd gotten our El ride's worth of it and headed back home. We decided this at 4:30pm on a Friday. When we boarded the train back home, though Kendra has been doing beautifully with strangers lately, we were all packed in there like sardines and the only person she could see was a man right in front of her who was definitely not her Daddy (how dare he!) and boy was she upset! She'd start wailing, open her eyes and see the strange man again and start wailing again, over and over. Poor thing! Luckily, everyone around was really understanding and someone quickly gave up a seat for the baby in distress, it was only three stops anyway and she was her usual happy self for the walk back home.

Unfortunately, I got sick on Saturday and spent most of the day in bed. Since it lead to such a low-key weekend, Grant finally got to introduce me to a game he's been dying to play with me since well before we got married but is a 3 or 4 player game: Settlers of Catan.

By Monday we were all wanting to keep playing just so that someone besides Grant would win! Jackie did finally get him, but we all enjoyed learning the game. My affinity for board games goes way back--my sister and I spent whole days and weekends (and several pitchers of Kool-Aide and/or iced tea) playing them when I was growing up and when I was a nanny I spent many hours passing the time with the youngest kid so I'm pretty stoked to be enjoying this with my own family.

While we had company, I took the opportunity to ask Debbie for a really yummy recipe she made for us when we were in St. Louis for Labor Day: chicken pot pie. Oh. My. Heck.

The rave reviews I got totally made my day--I'm sure this is just how Betty Crocker feels. Actually, though it's flattering to hear compliments on my cooking and homemaking, what really makes me feel good is that specifically when Grant's parents mention it, it makes me think that they think I'm taking good care of their son and granddaughter. And I want them to think that because I love their son and granddaughter very, very much.

However, besides delicious meals, board games, cool museums and even seeing the new apartment, the real reason Grant's parents came to town was to get their hands on that baby! When they first got here, she wasn't quite sure about it...but she was pretty used to them after about 24 hours and is probably confused that they're not here anymore. She sure had fun with them.

We're all agreed: she's one happy little girl! Though they'd seen many pictures and videos here on the blog, they loved seeing her up close and personal. She's changed a lot since they were here for her blessing back in May! And we really loved having them (not just because of the free childcare for my dental cleaning on Monday or the help around the house when I was sick on Saturday and Sunday). Their goal is to come often enough that by the time she's two, she won't forget who they are in between visits. We don't have any objections to this goal at all.

After all, "When you get older, all that really matters to you is your posterity."