The flock of grandparents-to-be is gathering in Chicago. My parents and Emily’s mother are here. Em’s father arrives on Friday. Everyone, including us, is waiting for Birdie, but it has been very nice having our parents around pre-Birdie since we’ve been able to do stuff that will be off the table soon enough. 
So, the other night we went for an excellent Italian meal at our favorite Italian restuarant; last night, Aubrey and I watched hockey at our favorite Chicago sports bar. This morning Emily and her mother went for breakfast at our favorite Chicago breakfast place. And tonight, everyone will be treated to a mini-concert by The Counterfactuals, in preparation for our show (which may or may not take place) at R.B.’s birthday this Friday.
But everything is an opening act and we don’t know, as yet, when the main event will take center stage. Emily is doing the best she can to speed things along: she walked about 5 miles today.
[ps - I asked everyone in the picture to just keep on doing whatever it was they were doing, but my father would have none of it. When the camera was in my hands, he just stared at it and smiled (I took like 10 photos). The idea of taking a photo of people just doing their thing is totally foreign to him: they must stare at the camera and smile.]
Oh, man. I have the biggest crush on Aubrey. Camera starer or no. Which is to say: I think I managed to get a candid shot of him.
but daniel, it’s such a great smile! it was really a pleasure meeting your parents and playing for them last night.