This time, we started on the other side of the park where Dan and Cal had only briefly ventured the day before. Cal wanted me to do that water slide that ended with a free-fall with him, so we did that first. I sat in the back of the two-person tube, and he sat in my lap, per his instructions. Every time we did a slide together, he knew more about it than I did; so he led the way, and I followed. This slide wasn't as scary as I had anticipated. I think if we had made it up through the last letter on the slide like he and Dan did, I'd have a different perspective. But we only made it through the first part of the last letter (higher than most that I had seen), so I figured we were okay. I did have occasional thoughts of "what if we flip backwards on our way down?" and figured no one else was doing that, so why would we? It's funny finding comfort in "well, no one else has fallen off."
This side of the park also had the Lost City of Atlantis play area for the kids. There was water falling and dripping and squirting everywhere. Stairs took kids up and down. There were three, maybe four small water slides, one which ended in a round, enclosed area that was only accessible via a spiral staircase. The draw to this area was probably the big bucket of water at the top of the entrance to this area that had a constant flow of water into it and that would tip once it was full, slamming gallons of water down to the pavement and onto any unsuspecting or brave souls standing underneath it.
Cal was terrified of this bucket and kept a constant eye on its status -- he could tell when it was going to tip over and would scurry out of the way. Eventually, he learned that he could take the tube slide down when this bucket tipped and be protected from it. I witnessed this, and Cal confirmed his tactic by proudly telling me what he was doing.
Ella's big toes were still pretty chewed up, so we told her she needed to wear water shoes if she wanted to go into the water areas. We told her we'd buy her some pink water shoes from the park. PINK, her favorite color. Slip-ons without any Velcro straps to stick up and annoy her. She didn't want to have anything to do with them. Who knows why.
Dan eventually got her into her Crocs (she had been wearing flip flops) to try this Lost City area. She went up the five stairs to the tube slide and actually slid down it without much prompting or encouragement. I was at the top, so I didn't see what happened at the base; but she emerged unhappy. Eventually, she made her way to another slide (just a straight-down quickie) and was happy and excited to go down it until the big bucket of water tipped over slamming gallons of water not on her but a little bit on the slides. Great timing. She turned around and headed back down the stairs and didn't try another attraction that day.
If we were in that area for an hour, I'd be surprised. I asked Cal if he wanted to try another slide or go down the one with the free-fall again, and he said he didn't. He wanted to do the Tidal Wave. So we headed back over to our comfort zone for the rest of our day, which was only going to last until no later than 1pm anyway. Cal did the Tidal Wave once, and then he and I headed over to Lightning and Thunder to finish out our half day there. Dan and Ella eventually made it over there, too, to watch.
I'll second Cal's declaration that this was a great vacation for us. Despite the usual dealings with Ella's obstinacy, frequently being on the receiving end of wedgies and the kids' (mis)behavior in public restaurants, I felt really relaxed and genuinely happy. And I learned a few things - let's say ten things - along the way:
1. Ella is not the daredevil or risk taker that I thought she was. The slides that we were trying to get her to go down were made for people her size, yet she was afraid. Those that she did do took some time for her to build up to and not without a lot of encouragement from me. I am now officially afraid of her first swimming lesson, which we haven't scheduled yet.
2. Cal tried new things much more quickly and boldly than I expected. Cal generally doesn't do anything new unless he knows he can do it. If he's scared to try something, he lets you know it... loudly so that you don't ask if he wants to try it again. The kid pretty much did all of the slides that he was big enough to do. If he was scared, I didn't know it. He did have a couple of "moments" in the Tidal Wave area with Dan (I'd re-cap them, but I think only Dan's impersonation of him gives it justice); but Cal went back for more and eventually learned how to enjoy it his way. He was a joy to watch throughout our vacation, really.
3. I can walk around in nothing but a bathing suit all day... comfortably. It was probably the atmosphere -- meaning, everyone was doing this -- but I really didn't think twice about what I looked like. Belly flab that my tankini can't hide, boobs that are too small for my post-pregnancy bathing suit (my new "normal" bathing suit was hanging on a hook by the door to the garage - oops), slouchy shoulders and probably something big or saggy about my butt are traits I generally try to hide when I'm venturing to a swimming pool. At the Dells, I was "out there, Jerry, and loving it."
4. Many other parents are dealing with the same shit we are. My hours sitting in the kiddie area while Ella enjoyed the little slides weren't spent just watching her. I also observed other kids and their parents. I saw what had to be a 7-year-old with a pacifier in her mouth. I saw many a parent coaxing his fearful child up and then down a slide that shouldn't be feared. I saw kids not listening to their parents who insisted they not climb up the slide. I saw overprotective parents saving their kids from the small splashes at the base of the slides. I saw tantrums and big kids big enough to walk on their own being carried by their parents. Ahhh... we really aren't alone. That's all the comfort I need.
5. The one thing we can count on Cal eating is a cheeseburger. I guess I knew this going into our Dells vacation; but it was confirmed while we were there. The only thing he ate all of were his cheeseburgers, his daily choice for lunch at the water park and for dinner Day 1. Really, I'm not sure what else sustained him - some French fries, a few nutrition bars, a couple of handfuls of animal crackers, a bite of pizza?
6. I haven't yet figured Ella out. We say she's Cybil. She has a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. One minute she's obstinate, uncooperative and unhappy, the next minute, she's as happy as a lark as if the previous minute hadn't happened. Most of the time, she chooses me to be with, which I have no idea why because I've repeatedly told her how much I don't like being with her only because she's difficult to be with. "Carry me." "I'm thirsty." "My legs hurt." "NO!" "I don't like you, Mommy." All the while whining. I heard this regularly during our vacation. I find myself giving in all too often with her demands if only to have some peace. I know this is wrong; I just haven't figure out the "right" tactic that works.
7. I wonder how my sister ever uses the bathrooms at places like water parks. I can barely do it. I wish I could be more like Ella using them, unaffected by wetness and grodiness... wait, no I don't.
8. I need my alone time, even if it's only a half hour. My run the morning of Day 3 was excellent. I rebooted. I formulated possible plans for us without the influence of the other three. I did my own thing, had complete thoughts and saw the world my own way.
9. Looking back on our 2014 vacation, we'll wonder if Ella was there. Not really, but it was a struggle to get her to cooperate for pictures. Take this one for example (taken by Cal):
And this one was our second or third attempt and only gotten because we bribed her (I can't remember with what):
She does take pretty good pictures, though, as in this one:
10. My kids can say pretty cool things unsolicited. "Thank you for bringing me on this vacation," said Cal. And "You're the best mommy," announced Ella. Both made me smile, though I do wonder what Ella's setting me up for, particularly considering number six above.
Dan and I both concluded that our Wisconsin Dells vacation of 2014 was a success and already figure we'll go back many times. Cal's all about this; Ella, well, I'm sure she will be... maybe. Only she knows.
No comments:
Post a Comment