American Girl and A Green River

#SOL19: March 16th

     It was St. Patrick's Day Eve, and the Chicago River was getting dyed green.  It happens every year, but we have only seen it on TV.  My little family and I choose to go to a local waterfall instead and watch it change to the bright lime green that happens annually (and does not harm the wildlife, we have been assured).  However, our little waterfall stopped doing it last year because so many people discovered it.  A little waterfall can't handle large crowds.

     This year, we couldn't go to the actually dyeing event because my kids had dance.  But, my friend, Bea, did.  She posted the picture above to Facebook, so while I was at dance I saw it and I asked my sister a question...

     "Hey, Jen.  K and G have been wanting to go to the American Girl store since Christmas.  I know the parade and river thing was this morning, so this afternoon it should all be over in the afternoon but the river will still be green.  Should we go to American Girl today?  That way, we'll see the river AND get their dolls.  What do you think?"

      This question was asked by someone who had never been to the city on parade day.  This became very clear.   We approached Lake Shore Drive at 3, and it was a parking lot.  Roads weren't closed necessarily, but it still felt like they were.  People is green kept coming from every direction, and the number of buses and taxis that cut people off mid intersection as the light changed to red was shocking.  So, we sat, and slowly moved.  We tried to go to State Street, since our phone said it would save us 4 minutes, and apparently saving 4 minutes also meant adding 40 more.  

      The big plan was to park somewhere near the Chicago River, head there, take pictures with our Irish gear on, and then walk the rest of the way to Water Tower and the American Girl Store.  Well, when we finally approached the river, we realized that we wouldn't have time to do the walking and make our reservation for dinner with our dolls anymore.  So, we told the kids to look at the river from the car.  They saw it.  My dreams of a green river photo were dashed.

      Once we got to the mall, we pulled out the doll stroller that my 5 year old niece brought with to carry her Bitty Baby, Lilly.  G then pushed a doll stroller on a Chicago city street, looking pleased with herself.  My daughter kept trying to push it, too, and she doesn't really play with dolls.  When we got to the front entrance and she looked in the window and started shouting in glee, I knew that the river picture didn't matter.  This day was for G, and for my daughter, who brought her Bitty Twins, Jack and Annie, back to celebrate her 9th birthday.  

      I found it a little ironic that my namesake doll, Lea, is on display with a camera around her neck.  That is so me.  I always want to capture the moments on camera.  Well, today it wasn't meant to capture a green river, and that's ok.