My life as a stay-at-home dad is not particularly strenuous. I have three little ones under five in my charge, and while they do require significant maintenance and attention, I’m not subjected to the regular stresses of office life. That being said, my life is more of a constant drain on my energy. From 7am until 7pm, I’m moving around with the kids, while also working in the routine household maintenance tasks like laundry and cleaning.

My trip to Chicago is my first vacation in over a year. This is the normal frequency of my breaks, in which my kids are in the charge of one of their sets of grandparents. Chicago was an interesting choice, because while I am well travelled thanks to my upbringing in a military family, this is my first time on vacation in a major metropolitan area.

Alison and I had a wonderful afternoon yesterday walking around and enjoying some big city amenities. It was also very strange to not have any responsibilities, and to not be awoken in the night by the cries of a little one.

It’s a rainy day in Chicago, so I’m starting my day holed up in a coffee shop, writing blog posts and reading the news. I have a few more sights that I want to check out in the city this week, but other than that, I’m planning on laying low and recharging my batteries.