I love Chicago. I love that on any given day, there are 25+ things to do with your kids, most of them on the cheap or for free. I love the food scene and jazz shows, the summer fests and boutique stores, the lake, the museums, the history.
And I love the fact that more often than not, my 3-year-old is too busy playing Angry Birds on my iPad to take advantage of any of the above.
I guess that’s how it goes, right? And I think that just about sums up what my life looks like every day and what you can expect to read about here: striking the balance between trying to be a city-savvy mom and trying to be just a plain ol’ good mom … who lets the kids take over the iPad maybe more than she should for the sake of some peace and quiet.
Speaking of which, a little about me: I hail from the peaceful and very, very quiet neighborhood of Sauganash, as far north as you can get in the city. We’re renters and found a screaming deal on a townhouse here. It’s close to the school where my oldest was accepted for kindergarten — not to mention in a fabulous school district in itself (look out for a ton of posts about the CPS system in the future).
So we said bye-bye to cafes and hipster gastro-pubs and hello to a lot more living space and a slower, albeit charming, part of the city. Did I mention that this area is quiet?
But don’t get me wrong — there’s never a dull moment. Between the two boys, a freelance career, a husband actively involved in urban outreach, and the perennial quest for the best $5 meal in Chicago, there’s plenty to talk about. So welcome to my corner of the world; I’m excited to write in the company of very cool bloggers and trade tips with all of you about what it takes to be a ChiTown parent!