Devin Hester will write a monthly column for Chicago Parent about his travels around town with his son. This is the first column and appeared in the April 2011 print edition.
Where should we go?
If you have any suggestions where the two Devins should go, let
him know at his official Facebook page
I love playing football. I love it with a passion.
I love Chicago, and I wouldn’t want to play for any other team than the Bears. But there’s one thing I love more than football or the Bears-and I hate to disappoint any fans out there-but that’s my little man, my son, Devin.
Devin is a little over a year old, and he’s so much fun to be around. I love hanging with that little guy, which is why I wanted to start writing a column about Devin and what we like to do together.
There is so much to do in Chicago with your kids, and I’m looking forward to talking about all the places lil Devin and I go and the things we do each month.
Now that the season is over, I get to spend a lot more time with him, and I’m looking forward to us bouncing around Chicago. He was just an infant last off-season, and now that he’s grown up a bit, there is a lot more we can do.
There are a ton of museums and history centers in Chicago, but I don’t think my little guy would be up for that just yet.
So, one of our first stops this spring is going to be the Chicago Children’s Museum. The thing I like about the Children’s Museum is that it’s so hands-on. I took Dev there last year, and even then there were things that seemed to get his attention. I’m looking forward to getting him back there again so he can get down and dirty with some of the toys and displays.
There’s an area called “Play it Safe” that focuses on the younger children. It’s like a realistic firehouse that lets families explore fire safety through play. Something tells me little Dev is just going to be climbing on the fire truck, but that’s cool, too. He’s getting to where he’s tough to run down, so he’ll keep me on my toes.
While at Navy Pier, there’s a great place for a family dinner. Capi’s Italian Kitchen offers Make Your Own Pizza parties, and then you get all-day admission to the museum after that. It’s a pretty cool way to spend the day, and it’s a pretty decent price, too.
Mostly, I just like hanging with my little man, and I can’t begin to tell you how nice it is to come home to him after practice or after a game. Win or lose, he’s always so happy to see me walk through the door.
It’s going to be a fun off-season with Dev for sure.
Devin Hester is a wide receiver for the Chicago Bears. Last season, he set the NFL record for return touchdowns.
