Chicago, Day 4

Our early afternoon flight home left little time for sight-seeing, which is probably for the best. We were all tired. We did have time to visit the West Egg again, where Katie devoured her favorite strawberry banana pancakes. Some of the staff knew her by name by Monday morning!

After breakfast, we had about 45 minutes to walk down Michigan Avenue (the Magnificent Mile) before meeting our driver at the hotel. (Six don't fit in a cab, and we didn't want to take two to the airport, so we found a hotel-recommended driver who fit us in his Suburban.)

Grandma gave Cooper her camera, and he took some great shots of city life. We wandered around the Disney Store for a few minutes and then walked back. Our journey to the airport was smooth and uneventful, and we arrived at O'Hare in plenty of time to check in, clear security, grab a hot dog and board.

We waited for all the other passengers to de-board before we left the plane at D/FW -- to give Steve plenty of time and plenty of room to walk out. Waiting was worth it for Cooper and Katie, who were invited by the co-pilot to sit in the cockpit, press buttons and move controls.

We loved our adventure, even with its moments of harsh reality. Thanks to Jim and Betty for the trip, to Uncle Jim for joining us and to our ever-growing extended family who offered advice and good wishes.

For a few more photos from Day 4, click here.

For some photos that Cooper took, click here.

Chicago, Day 3

Sunday morning we headed to the John Hancock Center, which is the second tallest building in Chicago (the Sears Tower is few stories taller) and arguably offers the best view in the city. The observation deck is on the 94th floor, and the seven of us spent a lot of time walking around, admiring the view and beautiful architecture.

As you'll recall from the Day 2 recap, Steve was very active on Saturday. All that activity caught up with him early Sunday, and he was too exhausted to continue. So he and Betty took a cab back to the hotel to rest, and Jim, Jim and I took Cooper and Katie to Millennium Park, a huge public space bordered on the west by Michigan Avenue.

We spent a lot of time in and around "Cloud Gate" (a.k.a. the Bean), a stainless steel sculpture that creates fascinating mirror images. We also loved the giant Crown Fountain -- a reflecting pool is bookended by two 50-foot-tall towers with digital images of faces that change. The image of a child's face appears still until he winks at you. And then he puckers and water shoots out of his mouth! If it had been 20 degrees warmer, we would have let the kids frolic in the water. I imagine it's a popular spot in summer.

Nearby is the Art Institute's sculpture garden featuring some of our favorite artists -- Moore and Calder. Cooper spied the red Calder from far away and said it looked like a dragon. Katie thought it looked like an airplane or butterfly. Its name is "Flying Dragon."

After plenty of outdoor time, the Jims took Katie and Cooper back to the hotel, and I headed to Due to pick up some deep-dish pizza. (Due is the second installation of Uno's.) We ate that in the room and then got ready for Wicked.

Uncle Jim left for the airport, and Grandma and Papa were kind enough to stay with Katie, who slept almost the entire time we were gone. At home she relies on a daily nap and about 11 hours of sleep each night. She was running a huge sleep deficit by Sunday.

I wish I had been allowed to take photos during the performance, just to have images of Cooper's expressions during certain scenes. Steve and I saw Wicked a year ago at Fair Park in Dallas. Ever since, Cooper and Katie have loved to hear about the story and listen to the soundtrack. For Christmas Cooper received a book about the Broadway production (he's much too young to read or be exposed to the novel). So, he was really ready to experience the actual production. He was thrilled (and sometimes understandably scared) to see the huge dragon above the stage, Galinda and Elphaba meeting for the first time, the Wizard of Oz's facade, the monkeys growing wings, Elphaba taking flight at the end of the first act. It was just magical.

Katie was disappointed that she wasn't invited, but 2-year-olds aren't allowed in the theater, and it would have been way too scary for her, and I don't think she could have sat still through the show. I have promised that she can go when she's 6, so let's hope it's still playing somewhere or touring!

Cooper requested to eat in the hotel room again, so he and Steve stayed in, and Katie, Betty, Jim and I ventured out. We ate dinner at Rosebud on Rush and brought home plenty of food to share.

For more photos from Day 3, click here.

Coming next: Our last few hours in Chicago

Chicago, Day 2

Our second day in the Windy City was long and filled with fun.

Steve, the kids and I returned to the West Egg for breakfast then took a cab to the Museum of Science and Industry. This is the kind of museum that you could spend three or four days exploring. We spent about five hours, which was almost too much for Katie and not enough for Cooper.

Jim, Betty and Jim met us at the museum not long after we arrived. I really appreciated having so many adults to keep track of the two youngest Damms. Steve was able to walk from exhibit to exhibit with us and participate when he felt strong enough or sit when he needed.

Katie loved the farming section, water space, circus area and transportation space. She lasted about two and a half hours before falling asleep in Grandma's arms.

Cooper loved all of it, especially the extensive submarine exhibit, the Swiss Jolly Ball (a giant pinball machine-like display), the toy-making factory and the water space.

We left the museum in the middle of a gentle rainstorm. After getting Cooper and Katie settled in for some quiet time, Steve and I ventured out again, for a quick trip to the Art Institute.

Steve and I love art, but we don't agree on favorite styles. He loves modern art. I love impressionism and post-impressionism. The Art Institute offers enough to satisfy us both. The collection includes some lovely Monet paintings that reminded us of our five-year anniversary trip to Europe.

We returned to our hotel, and while Steve rested, Jim, Betty and I took the kids to the hotel's indoor swimming pool. They were able to "get their wiggles out" before dinner.

The seven of us met at Brasserie Jo, a French-style restaurant in downtown Chicago. The noise level was high enough that no one was bothered by two children, and the staff was very accommodating. The food was perfect -- special but not too fancy. Our entrees included beef wellington, steamed mussels and red wine chicken coq au vin. Desserts included chocolate mousse, creme brulee and a cheese plate. Katie was adventurous enough to sample her daddy's blue cheese and discovered she doesn't like veined cheese.

After more than two hours, a little wine, a lot of food and great company, we headed back to our temporary home. Cooper got out of the cab and raced for the revolving door. Katie raced behind him. Only her fingers made it in the door, and then they were stuck! The doorman was quick to rush over, and together he and I pulled the door back and set her hands free. She was understandably scared but not injured, and we avoided revolving doors the rest of the trip.

For more photos from the day, click here.

Coming next: Day 3 report

Chicago, Day 1

Six of us left D/FW last Friday for Chicago -- Steve, Cooper, Katie, me and Jim and Betty. We were especially thankful that American Airlines had resumed regular service that week, as we were flying on an MD-80. Uncle Jim had flown in from Houston the night before and met us at O'Hare.

We split up after claiming our bags. Steve and his parents took a cab downtown, and the kids, Uncle Jim and I hopped on the train. The taxi beat us by about an hour (we had a transfer and a few blocks of walking), but Cooper and Katie loved the train experience. When we stepped out of the underground station and Cooper saw the city streets, he instantly brightened. "I love Chicago," he gushed. He has always loved big cities -- New York, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, D.C. I expect, when given the chance, he'll eventually ditch suburban life.

We regrouped at the hotel (the Courtyard Marriott off Michigan Avenue, on Ontario Street), and then headed out for a late lunch. About a block away was the West Egg Cafe, which I had read about earlier. (For those readers who don't know me well, I'll tell you now -- I love planning a vacation almost as much as taking a vacation.)

The West Egg is where Katie discovered her signature Chicago meal -- strawberry banana pancakes. She ate them every day we were in the city!

Then we split up -- Betty and Steve returned to the hotel, and the rest of us took a cab to the Navy Pier. We spent about two hours at the Chicago Children's Museum, which is now definitely in our top 3 children's museums. (The other two are probably in Milwaukee and Philly, though the Lakeland, Fla., one is a contender, too.) The museum successfully appealed to both Katie's and Cooper's age group. They both loved the water room, which offered opportunities to build dams, operate locks, pump water, float boats, build pipes and more.

As the museum was closing, we left for the giant ferris wheel, which offers great views of Lake Michigan and the downtown skyline.

We returned to the hotel to rest. Jim, Betty and Jim went to see Wicked that night, and Steve, the kids and I walked a few blocks to dinner. We found the Mity Nice Grill, at the back of a fancy shopping mall, and settled in. We were all tired from the day, but Cooper seemed the most exhausted. He barely touched his meal and was falling asleep in the booth. Not even the prospect of dessert would rouse him, so we went straight back to the hotel and put the kids down for the night.

And then I had a minor breakdown. Normally when Steve and I travel to a city, he ventures out before our bedtime and comes back with a surprise dessert. Well, he can't do that now. He's not stable enough to walk alone in our quiet, familiar neighborhood, much less a relatively unknown, crowded city. And that's when I started to cry.

At home, we've adapted to our new living-with-cancer routine. And going out of town would be different, I knew, than any other time we'd been out of town together. But no amount of planning had prepared me for how sad I would feel at that moment when I realized that even minor details of our vacation rituals would change.

And then I felt selfish for feeling sorry for myself and for wanting "old Steve" back. I mean, honestly -- I don't have a tumor in my brain stem. I'm not the one who is confined to the room unless someone goes with me. I should be grateful (and I was, really, just not at that exact moment) that we were together as a family, that we were celebrating Steve's progress -- not greedy for what life used to be like. And all those thoughts made me feel worse. And it was my birthday. (Natalie, a friend whose daughter is undergoing chemotherapy for optic gliomas, calls it a "how the heck did we get here" moment.)

I pulled myself together, left the hotel and wandered the city streets in search of dessert. I eventually found a wonderful, individually sized cherry pie with white chocolate mousse and ate it in our room. (Steve couldn't eat anything that late, as he was close to taking his chemotherapy. He has to wait two hours after eating before he can take the anti-nausea medicine and another 30 minutes before the chemo.)

Steve and I talked about it all, and we agreed that we just hate the Damm Spot. I am especially thankful that we can talk with each other about our moments of melancholy and that we support each other through these minor crises and much larger ones.

For more photos from our first day, click here.

Coming next: Day 2 report (and no crying, at least by me!)