Opening Day 2006

The day before the Cubs' 2006 home opener, a Thursday, a client of mine called to say he had extra seats and asked if I'd like to join him. I told him I'd love to, but I was bringing AB downtown to spend the day at a children’s center and I didn't think I'd have enough time after the end of the game to get out of the Wrigleyville mayhem and pick-up AB.

"No problem" he said, "bring AB with, I'd love to meet him!"

"Are you serious?" I replied. "Have you ever gone to a super crowded sporting event with someone who is just shy of two years old?"

"Come, bring him, it's no problem. I even have an extra ticket for him."

"OK, send over the tickets and we'll see you tomorrow."

So AB and I took the train downtown together the next morning. At the station he hopped in his stroller and we headed over the Bright Horizons Children’s Center. I dropped him of and headed for work.

Our ride together on the train.

At around 12:30 PM I walked back to Bright Horizons and picked up AB. We hopped in a cab and drove north on Clark Street, then headed west to Racine to avoid crowds, and got out of the cab just north of Addison.

We lost one of AB's mittens getting out of the cab. It was cold so we had to find a new pair. We first hit several outdoor vendors around the corner of Clark and Addison but found no children’s mittens or gloves. I know it was going to be a long shot, but we had to try.

We crossed to the south side of Addison to one of the shops that sells every form of imaginable baseball attire and memorabilia. About the only thing they did not have in stock was children’s gloves and mittens.

Over the past year I’ve learned two secrets of parenthood. The first is that a lot of keeping your kids out of trouble involves playing innocuous, but effective, Jedi mind tricks on them. The second is improvising. Here we employed the second.

With no mittens or gloves to be had, I spied some children’s cocks with the Chicago Cubs’ logo. In a pinch, doubled-up, they’ll do as mittens. And so it was. A good thing too, because the only other thing I think they did not have was a micro sized Cubs hat for AB. Those socks filed double duty, first as jerry rigged mittens, then as a first Cubs’ game souvenir.

Hands covered we entered Wrigley Field and started for our seats. On our way I decided AB had better get a change before we sat down. So we ducked into the first men’s room and, to my delighted astonishment, I found that next to the urinal trough was the coveted Koala Kare baby changing station. A lot of Chicagoans may bitch about the Tribune not spending enough money on the Cubs’ payroll, but as far as this Dad is concerned, spending on the Koala Kare was money well spent.

Just as we were getting AB’s trousers back on the first inning came to an end and we were mobbed in a sea of gentlemen pushing and shoving their way towards the trough. We pushed our way against the tide and made it out back into the walkway and headed to our seats.

We found our seats, sat down and I introduced AB to my client and one of his colleagues who had also joined him for the game. Then the fun began. AB has yet to develop an interest in watching baseball, but he is interested in walking around. He would not sit still either on my lap or in his seat so I decided to take him out for a little walking around.

After getting the obligatory photos of AB’s firs opening day, we walked around a bit. Then he refused to stay still and insisted on walking up and down the stairs between sections in the lowers deck. It’s easy steps for him because he can hang onto the sides of the seats as he goes up and down. But he’s underfoot of every beer, peanut, and hot dog vendor that hawking their wares.

By the end of the third inning my client had had enough of the cold and suggested we depart. I’ll have to admit it, but I was relived when I sighed “OK, if you’ve had enough.”

Out of the stadium we strode to catch a cab on Addison between Clark and Sheffield. Soon we were back on good ‘ole LaSalle Street, dropped my client off at his office and, because we had some extra time before our train was scheduled to depart, were on our way to mine.

We stayed at my office long enough for AB figure out how to open the door to my office by himself and escape out onto the floor. He also enjoyed pushing my chair and spinning it around. Another diaper change and we were on our way to the station.

We arrived in enough time to board the train early and get two seats facing each other. You don’t need the extra room with a two year old and all the extra gear, but it’s sure nice to have if you can get it. Except that instead of watching things go by out the window as he usually does, AB decided that he wanted to spend the whole 35 minute ride leaping back and forth between the seats. And because AB is not yet strong or agile enough to successfully make the leap himself, I toss him on the out-bound leg and catch him on the in-bound leg.

After 35 minutes of non-stop tossing and catching, I was glad when we reached the station near our house and disembarked. After a short stroller ride him, AB was home and I was wiped. I told DW that I regretted leaving her as primary caregiver, but my reserves were tapped and I’d need some down time to replenish.

It was a great time. Both AB and I had a blast and, regardless of how exhausting, it’s one of those days I’ll cherish forever. Will we do it again. I can only say what Cubs fans have said for so long - there's always next year!