Our little jelly belly turned eight months earlier this month. Crazy how time flies, right?! Besides hitting a new age, our little man sprouted his first two teeth, said da-da, and started to crawl. And all in just a week! These  developmental leaps were a sudden wake up call that his infant days are fleeting.

After this realization a rush of sentimentalism washed over me, prompting me to schedule some time off for a staycation with the boys. I wanted a handful of days where I could slow down, spend time with August and his dad, and soak up the season.

One of the highlights of our recent stint of hometown tourism was a visit to the new Maggie Daley park.

Nestled behind the Lurie garden in Millennium Park, this new playland was made to delight people of all ages. With basket swings, tall industrial slides, an enchanted labyrinth forest, water play and more, it’s like an outdoor version of St. Louis’ City Museum – one of our all time favorite play spaces. August’s favorite area was a maze of mirrors, setup to create the illusion of infinite space. Bright, abstract and fluid, the art-like installation had him baffled and intrigued.

The three of us spent hours exploring the little nooks and crannies of the space before walking through the neighboring garden which is in its full autumn glory. We can’t wait to come back in the spring to experience the park again when (gasp!) August will be of walking age.
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So if you’re in Chicago, and looking for something to add to your fall bucket list, add this gem to your itinerary. We promise you’ll find it just as exciting as we did!