Chicago! (pt 2)

Friday
Day 3 began around 5 am for us. Caleb woke up and had trouble falling back asleep, so Jonathan brought him to bed with us in hopes that he would at least rest. He played for maybe 10 minutes and then let me pat him to sleep. I couldn't fall back asleep, but I loved laying in bed watching Caleb and Jonathan sleeping peacefully. It was one of those moments that I hope I can remember always. (We have never let Caleb sleep in our bed, so it was a special day) He amazingly slept until 7:30 with us and then we continued our day much like Thursday.

We found a McDonalds in a different area of town (I couldn't handle downtown traffic again) and this one turned out to be pretty much opposite of what we had the previous day. Caleb and I were the only white people in the entire place and it was definitely a neighborhood hang out. Everyone was perfectly friendly and the meal was good, it was just SO different from breakfast the day before.

We spent the morning/afternoon at the robotics competition again. I got a few pictures of Caleb playing and you can see how the competition is set up.

Cutie playing in the stands with the competition going on in the background

The little Walle robot that scared Caleb (it was shorter than him)

The "pit" where each team has a booth to repair/work on their robot (Jonathan's team is in the left corner)

The playing "field" 

Getting set up for a match

Beginning of match, the robots were hanging inner tubes

Teams won points each time they completed the FIRST logo with inner tubes (they had to be in the correct order)

We had fun watching matches and hearing all the cheering each day we were there.

On Friday evening, after matches finished up, we left together to head to Grandmuzz and Grandpa's house in Rolling Meadows. Jonathan's brother, Roger, and his family had driven up from Iowa earlier in the day so that we could all visit with each other. We went out to eat at a nearby restaurant and then went back to the house to visit before we had to get back to the hotel. It was a quick evening, but good to visit. I hated to leave so early, but Jonathan had a mentor's meeting at 8:30 and Caleb really needed to get to bed at a descent time (still past normal time, but before 9!)

Playing with a doll house before dinner

Juliana helped Caleb get to the table

Playing together while waiting for dinner

All of us at the table (minus the cameraman - Jonathan)

Grandmuzz and Grandpa with two of their great-grandkids. (Lana was the only one missing)

The Lutz men

Saturday
Day 4 - On Saturday, Jonathan didn't have to be at robotics quite as early, so the three of us walked to a nearby Starbucks for breakfast. It was really the only time we spent as the three of us the whole time we were in Chicago, so it was nice to be together.

Playing in the hotel that morning

Eating breakfast - yummy banana!

A view of Sears Tower from the Starbucks

Watching people and cars outside

Bundled up to go back outside

Saturday was the final day of the competition. We spent the morning there and around lunchtime Roger, Jill and Juliana joined us. We got to watch several of the finals rounds before we had to leave for nap time.

An impromptu nap during the morning (during loud matches)

Having fun

Caleb sat still well for Uncle Roger - he wouldn't watch matches with me! 

As soon as the awards were over at the end of the day, we quickly went back to the hotel to pack up and drive to Belvidere. We got there around 8 and immediately put Caleb to bed. While we still slept in the same room as him, it was nice that he could fall asleep without us making noise around him. Jonathan and I chatted with Aunt Paula and Uncle Bill before we went up to bed.

It was yet another long day, but the exciting news is Jonathan's team was first in the Midwest regional! They also won awards for coopertition (which stood for helping other teams) and design quality. They were already going to the FIRST championship in St. Louis because they did well in Houston, but this gave them more practice against some really good teams.