Summer is back in town and Tobin’s beloved sitter Rosie has been picking up Mika from school (on their two days). The three of them binge out on the swings or do other fun stuff while i try to squeeze in another couple hours of work. Hopefully, they will be able to explore the new Pier 6 playground before Tobin’s nanny days come to an end … it should open to the public any day now.

Mondays are our shuttle days to- and from German school: i am driving the distance from the Columbia Waterfront to Prospect Heights (or reverse) a total of six times. To make commuting a little easier, we started to car pool with Lily. At least the afternoon run will only be every other week going forward. Today, Lily was riding with us and we arrived a little ahead of time … which gave the kids a chance to goof around in the back row. (I am almost always ready to take a picture, but not while i am driving … nor would i let them hang sideways in their seat belts!)

This morning, Mika fell sick right after breakfast and we had a brief stomach bug scare. Luckily for everybody, it turned out to be “just” some bad food she had eaten and she bounced back to her bubbly self within a couple of hours. Having started the day on the couch, we continued chilling at home and did a whole lot of nothing … like face painting.

High-octane play date with Mika & Mica after school: the girls were baking up a storm with “Spritzgebäck“, a classic Dr. Oetker recipe from the 1950’s that Mika found in one of my recipe books. She had set her head on trying it out last weekend and was looking forward to this special play date all week. Alternating the classic icing bag technique with the easier to handle cookie press, they produced four full sheets of cookies…

In the past couple of months, Tobin and Cleo have started their friendship all over. Now they’re having a great time playing together – during their big siblings‘ play dates, but even more so during school hours, when they own the local playgrounds. Lots of swinging, sliding, seeking, and hiding…

The best thing about a bunk bed? It’s provides a physical divider between the bottom dwellers (aka younger siblings) and the ruling party of the play room (aka firstborns). Well, at least for a few more months…

For the time being, neither Tobin nor Cleo took offense to their big sisters having a blast on the upper bunk.

Second children don’t get nearly as much attention for their milestones as firstborns (walking, talking, potty training), but every now and then Tobin does a little thing that makes me realize he’s on to something new: over the past months, he’s played with Legos like a small child – stacking them in all different, random shapes, or messing with his sisters more elaborate buildings. Today, he presented us with a first, recognizable creation all of his own: a mommy dinosaur (“with a reeeeeally long neck“) and a matching baby dinosaur.

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With the return of early Summer weather came a special treat: the kids’ music teacher, Audra, played with her band at a local benefit concert at the Urban Meadow. The weather was spectacular and the kids could rock out to all of their favorite songs. Tobin only dared to take the stage at the end, but Mika was having a blast dancing and jumping with Audra the whole time.

… since Mika and Gaang graduated from preschool – and they’re still best of friends. It’s nice to see that some of the Choo Choo Train friendships have stood the test of time. The biggest change seems to be with the little siblings, mostly brothers, who are growing up at lightning speed.

We took Tobin and Henry to the BBG again in hopes to catch the bluebells in full bloom. They were about a day or two past their prime, but still a breathtaking sight. The boys were more excited about the ride on the B71 bus though … and about climbing trees. After lunch, we bumped into Tobin’s old crush Suko and her dad. The three kids hit if off immediately and played for about an hour until we had to leave. Too bad Suko doesn’t go to Choo Choo Train like her brother did … she would have been a great “senior” for the boys this Fall.

PS: the third thumbnail is my favorite bluebell picture from last year, which never made it onto the blog…

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Every Monday afternoon, Tobin and i have to pass one hour of time in a coffee shop near the kids’ German school while Mika is attending her after-school reading and writing class. As you can see, it doesn’t take many props to keep this guy entertained. He built a city and proceeded to haul away “broken cars” with his digger/dipper combo for the entire time. Last Monday, the weather was fantastic and he sat in the back yard, playing “rhinoceros” while loading the tractor trailer.