Run Run Run Run

Nope, that's not what I've been up to (ankle still not okay), that's what Buddy did on his very first trip to the Field Museum last month! That and press every button he could reach, regardless of whether or not he could see the results from pressing them. He's usually quiet around strangers but apparently not when there are buttons involved - he was shoving the big kids away to get to them. Luckily he's still small enough and cute enough to get away with that.

Then we went into the older sections, the Northwest Coast and Plains Indians displays, which were two of my favorites as a kid. No buttons to push here, since they haven't yet been modernized and made all interactive, just quiet, low-lit displays of clothing and weapons and sacred objects and all the usual stuff you think of belonging in a natural history museum. Buddy loved this too. He would run in his special penguin fashion (chest forward, arms somewhat back) full steam ahead - until suddenly he would stop before a case and look inside it intently. Until he was off again. Then he discovered the free-standing cases and the opportunities they offered for running around, and around, and around, giggling madly whenever I anticipated him and caught him by going in the opposite direction.

I love going to museums and had been wondering what it would be like for me when we started going to them with Buddy, since right now (and for many years) he'll dictate the pace of our visit. So now I know - it's awesome. I loved watching him enjoy himself and feel so at home, I loved looking to see what was catching his attention. It helped that we tag-teamed, The Dude and I, switching off on who would be the one to follow behind Buddy and who would push the stroller with all our stuff. That way we both still got some chance to look at the displays ourselves.

So I am looking forward to future trips to cultural institutions - I think the Art Institute may be the next stop.

(Plus, at the Field Museum, there's now a Corner Bakery on the first floor instead of the crappy stuff they used to offer for food. Really, how could it get better?)