It’s been a while since Ben had seen him cousin Kenzo, so his mom and I decided to have a play date. It was agreed that the location would be the Chicago Children’s Museum over at Navy Pier. I hadn’t been there yet, and was curious to see what the place was like.

It was horribly busy at Navy Pier, which was no surprise, since it was a Saturday. Trully had both boys in tow, little Leonardo and “too cool for a stroller” Kenzo. Let me tell ya - if I ever have another kid, I don’t think I’ll be going out of the house again - EVER. Just watching her trying to handle both boys gave me a headache! How do people do it?

There was one point where she left to go to the bathroom and I was left with all the boys. Leo was no problem - he’s still a wee one so he was going to stay in place in his baby seat. However, whenever I would spy Benjamin, I would lose Kenzo. Whenever I would find Kenzo, then Benjamin would magically disappear. I also had to make sure that both boys didn’t grab toys away from the other kids, or, in Ben’s case, get too close to unruly bigger kids.

It was still a fun day, the boys really had a great time. Especially in the water room, where they got to play around with water and boats. Ben was very serious as he was experiementing with the mini water fountains and what his hands would do to them. Kenzo, on the other hand, was a little more adventurous and got pretty soaked.

Here’s some pics of the boys - I had been planning to bring my nice camera, but I had forgotten it at home so I used my phone camera.

Waterboys

In His Raincoat

Kenzo the Rock Star

Tags: Daily by Yano
7 Comments »

I’m going on about 12 total hours of sleep since Monday, which explains why I haven’t been able to update my beloved blog.

I miss you all.

Tired. So tired.

Tags: Daily by Yano
2 Comments »

I know the first one is a repeat picture of the post afterwards, but suck it up. I’m too busy to change it!
————————————–
This week’s topic is 10 of your favorite things, and to make it a little more interesting, let’s see some photos, whether it’s photos that you’ve taken yourself or that you’ve found on the internet. (I suggest flickr or Google Image Search)

1) My Son

2) My Family (including that guy I married)

3) Chicago

4) Halloween

5) Comic Books

6) Photography

7) Sushi

Photoshop (from Google image search)

9) Sunsets

10) Sweets

Tags: Weeklies by Yano
2 Comments »

Busy busy, once again, but not as busy as before. Anyway, here’s some pictures to wish you a good Sunday…

Tags: Pictures by Yano
5 Comments »

A couple weeks ago, Ben and I slept over at my Dad’s place, the house were I grew up. It was a little weird to sleep in my old bedroom, which had been converted into a guest room. The bed is in a different place, the drawers are against the other wall, the drapes are different, the floor is now polished wood, rather than my shaggy mauve carpeting.

Its always great to come “home” again. I call it home, because to me, it will always be home. It doesn’t matter that my dad has changed the flooring, added new things to the walls or, the thing that bugs me most - rearranged the items in the kitchen drawers (come on now, it takes me 5 minutes to just find a spoon!) - it will always be home to me.

We went to church the next day, which hasn’t changed as much as our house. Ben was an active little bugger, and I took him to the back of the church midway through mass. He had a great time walking around the back, trying to go down the stairs to the church basement, talking to other people in the back…he was a little clown.

Afterwards, we went to the cemetary to visit my mom’s grave.

Now, I haven’t brought Ben to my mom’s gravesite yet. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to, but I just haven’t found the time or the occasion to. I know that it would also be a very hard thing for me to do. It’s hard enough for me to go there without him. This was the first time he went there.

Before that day, I had imagined a hundred times what it would have been like. We drive up there, just the two of us…maybe I would bring a blanket so we can just sit and chat with his Lola (grandmother). As soon as we get to the gravesite, I would be holding him in my arms, and I would say, “Mommy, this is Benjamin. Benjamin, this is your Lola.” Then I would bust out in tears and sob and sob, with poor little Ben trying to figure out what was going on. I would then throw myself on her grave and beat the earth, wailing and trying to catch my breath. It would take me hours to recover.

But it wasn’t like that. Probably because my dad was there, too, and I always tend to throw up the emotion dampener when he’s around. We got to her gravesite, and Ben toddled next to us. He stood upon my mom’s grave and started picking on the grass. I told him to get off because it was rude to step on his grandmother. We said a couple prayers as Ben explored around him. No tears, no wailing, the earth did not feel the wrath of my pounding fists. Just a well of emotion knowing that my mom was watching over us, smiling, and probably rolling her eyes at the realization that I am grooming a Mini-Yano.

I still miss her a lot. She would have loved Benjamin and spoiled him rotten. I can’t let another year go be before visiting her with Benjamin again. I want to make sure he knows his Lola and the incredible woman that she was.

Tags: Daily by Yano
3 Comments »

I had a conversation earlier this week with my clients about being professional at work, and this commercial came to mind. It’s good stuff, but definitely NOT something to do in front of clients!

Tags: Video Gaga by Yano
4 Comments »

Independence Hall

I took this picture two years ago in Philadelphia. I had finished up with a client early and had several hours before I needed to go to the airport, so I decided to go to the historical area of the city and check things out.

I joined a tour of Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, as well as where the Constitution was debated and written. It was really cool being there, and I soaked up the history of the building, imagining the Second Continental Congress sitting there, in a room that’s as big as two of my living rooms, deciding the fate of our country. Representatives of the colonies, trying to put aside differences and agree on separating themselves, as a new country, from England. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and other figures from history, sat in this room. It was an incredible feeling.

If you haven’t seen the movie “1776″, you should. It gives a lot of insight into what happened in the months before the Declaration of Independence was signed. Sure, it’s a musical, but it’s also very interesting. As a bonus, you get to see Gwyneth Paltrow’s mom, Blythe Danner, in the movie. When you see her, it’s obvious who she is!

So I hope you all have a great holiday today. It sucks that it’s in the middle of the week, but hey, it’s still a day off!

Tags: Daily by Yano
2 Comments »

Kudos to whoever knows where the title comes from…

Pretty busy this weekend and today…then again, life’s been busy for a while now!

Tags: Pictures by Yano
2 Comments »