Day 3-Low key with a bit of history...

After the exciting full day yesterday, we decided to sleep in.  It was so nice and sorely needed.  So we got a slow start, but eventually decided that we did want to venture out before our 4:30 preop appointment with Jacob's doctor.  We set out for the North End. 

We got a good Italian lunch there, and visited Mike's Pastry, a must for any trip to Boston.  The line was unusually short from what we normally see, so we got right in and got our cannolis and absurdly rich desserts. 

We found a bench and ate our treats, and kept walking around to the Old North Church.  Actually named Christ Church and built in 1723, it is the church where they hung the lantern signaling to everyone that the British were coming and sending Paul Revere on his famous ride.  It is a beautiful sight and one I always enjoy visiting. 

After that we followed the Freedom Trail to the Copp's Hill burial ground, which Asa and I actually saw in the dark a couple days ago on our tour.  I wanted to see it in the daylight though and look around a little more.  It is the second oldest cemetery in Boston with some prominent patriots buried there.  The thing that stood out the most though this time, was how young people were back then when they died.  Shockingly so, especially women.  So many graves of mothers aged in their 20's and 30's, some even buried with infant children they died while giving birth to.  Made me very thankful to live in the time that I do, and had my babies at a time with good maternity and infant care.  At any rate, Copp's Hill was a beautiful spot, and one much less creepy in the daylight! 

After this we headed back towards the hospital, and due to a subway delay, arrived just right on time.  We met with Jacob's doctor, who has done all of his procedures up here, and also would be doing the one the following day.  He was pleased at how Jacob was doing, and did a quick ultrasound to get an idea of what he would be looking at the next day.  I signed the consents and we were on our way. 

Since we were to have an early morning the next day, we headed back to the house to relax for the evening.  We ate some pizza and played games and watched a movie.    This morning we had to check into preop at 6:15, as Jacob is the first case of the day.  We got up bright and early and made it over here for surgery.  We are now in the OR waiting area, and are expecting him to be under for 5-6 hours.  We get updates every 90 minutes on how he's doing.  So now we wait.  We've had so much fun this week, it has been a nice and not unwelcome distraction.  But today is the reason were here, so it all got real this morning.  But I'm thankful for the week we've had and am now just ready to have my baby back so we can go home.  Thank you for all who have called, texted or messaged this week with words of encouragement and support and promises for thought or prayer.  It really does mean so much.  I'll keep you all posted as I am able.  Much love to you all!

Day 2-Parades, squirrels, and treats.

We headed out early again Wednesday, but for a much more fun reason...The Red Sox World Series Champions Parade!  I was really excited about this, knowing it would be a unique experience for all of us.  We adopted the Sox as our MLB team the first year we came up here, thinking it was the least we could do in gratitude to the city that has done so much for us.  So we enjoy rooting for the Sox, and have seen first hand the amazing following that the Boston sports teams have.  I knew it would be crowded and crazy, but it was so worth it.  They estimated 1 million people would be downtown for the event, and with it being on Halloween, they figured it would be even crazier.  If we were going to go though, I wanted us to be able to see so it would be worth it.  We left early so to be able to get a spot on the rail.   I chose Boyleston street just off Copley square, a spot pretty much in the middle of the parade route.  We got there just in time to get a front row spot and sat down, holding our spot and keeping entertained by playing uno, as the crowd closed in around us.

After a couple of hours of waiting, amidst a growing crowd of revelers, we caught sight of the parade coming our way.  They made it to us, and it was so awesome!  Music and everyone screaming, confetti flying everywhere, it was amazing.

  Duck boat after duck boat, carrying all the players and their families and even the office and medical staff for the team, came down the street, lined with Sox fans going wild.   Jacob even caught a Red Sox bracelet tossed from one of the duck boats.  It was so much fun, and a truly amazing experience.  This city is unique in its pride.  This wasn't just a Red Sox parade, it was a celebration of the city of Boston.   I'm so grateful we were able to be there.

After that we slipped into the library to warm up and settle down.  We hung out in there for a bit and let the crowd disperse, before setting out for lunch.  We headed just a couple of blocks over to Eataly, which was a place someone told us about that we thought we'd try.  Attached to the Prudential Center, Eataly is an Italian marketplace, selling fresh pastas, breads, meat, fruits, vegetables, and wine.  It also had a multitude of different places you could buy already prepared Italian food of any kind you could want.  We ate lunch and of course had some gelato.  We wandered into the attached Prudential Center mall, and found a bathroom and changed the boys into their halloween costumes.

 We then set out for the Boston Public Garden and Commons, my favorite place in the city, and seeing it was a beautiful day, figured it was a good place to kill a couple of hours.

Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed the park as well.  It's a beautiful time of year here, with the trees changing colors, and the weather was gorgeous.

 Asa and Jacob had a great time running around in their costumes for a while.  We of course paid a visit to the ducklings statues, and we also stopped by the Robin Williams bench (from the iconic scene in Good Will Hunting), and met a man there feeding the squirrels.  We sat with him and talked awhile, as he was eager to share his treats and his love of squirrels with anyone who approached.  He said he comes there to that same spot 3 times a week and feeds the squirrels, and it showed!  They clearly trusted him and were all but swarming him for his almonds he had with him.  My boys sat by him and before long were in by association.  The squirrels were jumping and crawling all over them looking for treats.  One even got up close and personal with me,  to investigate my phone.  The boys loved it, so much so that they both later said it was their favorite part of the day.  Amazing how sometimes it's the small things, the little moments that become the most memorable.

After that it was time to start trick or treating!  We started on a quieter street in the Back Bay, well known for its trick or treating, which was great.  But we had heard that the adjacent Beacon Hill was the best place in Massachusetts to go trick or treating (outside of Salem).  So we went on to there, which was just one street over from the Garden and Commons.  Everyone was right and this apparently was a well known fact, as there were a ton of people there!  Everyone was dressed up, all the beautiful brownstones were decorated so cool.  The city closed the streets off to traffic, making navigating easy, and with them being row homes, it was so easy going from one to the next, with never a dull moment.  It was a very festive atmosphere that was also a unique Halloween experience.  The boys got a ridiculous ton of candy, and once they were worn out, we headed back to the house.

Every trip we do so many fun things and have so many great days, but this one was one for the books.  It was a true Boston experience, which I loved.  This city and its people are amazing, and I am thankful to call it our second home.