Having kids is fun!

It is easy as a mother to get bogged down with meal making, clothes washing, reprimanding, correcting, cleaning up after, and entertaining our children. I enjoy my children...I love them and laugh at them/with them a lot. But usually all the other things are also going on. Today I got to just have fun.

Sure, there was the packing the diaper bag full of changes of clothes, snacks, extra diapers, toys for Lily, drinks for Andrew, Purell, extra suntan lotion, etc. And the cajoling the 3 year old to get dressed, timing the baby's nap just right, and packing them into the car. But then we got to Sesame Place.

Jeff, let's call him "Pack Horse" for the purposes of this story, came with me for our first trip to the amusement park. Before I braved it with 2 by myself, I wanted to visit with some backup.

Andrew didn't really understand where we were going...neither did we, for that matter. My in-laws graciously gave us a season's pass for Christmas, but we didn't really know if the park was something Andrew would enjoy. In the past he was always a timid child. We walked through the admission gates, and Andrew saw the big roller coaster. It's not huge, but I was very surprised that a 3 year old could ride it. He could. But I wasn't sure how he would react to rides, and I certainly didn't want to test it out on the biggest ride in the park.

We weaved back to the "Elmo's World" part. We passed tons of really fun water play areas. I can't wait to cool off there this summer...I hope it isn't too crazy crowded. Today was great. We got in line for a ride...and Andrew LOVED it. Heck, I loved it too. He was laughing and we were talking about our crazy hair. Ride after ride, he was just such a riot. Poor Pack Horse was watching from the sidelines carrying the Bjorn with Lily and our bag. Andrew and I just ran from ride to ride.

We finally made it back to the front of the park (it's actually not that big). We'd only planned to be there for an hour (this was our test expedition after all), and we'd already been there about 2. Our last ride was the "big" roller coaster. Andrew hopped on, excited as could be. He told me to scream if I got scared, because that's what he was going to do. As we plummeted down 5 stories or so, my heart skipped several beats and I screamed loudly. Not because of the hill...because I envisioned Andrew slipping out of the restraining bar. I had to calm my hyperventilating by repeating to myself, "they allow 3 year olds, it was made for 3 year olds". It also helped that Andrew was sitting next to me LAUGHING LIKE A CRAZY MAN. I think he would get kind of nervous and then he'd look up at me screaming and crack up. Amazing. This is the same kid who won't climb up play equipment at Burger King.

We left the park hot and happy. At least Andrew and I were happy. I couldn't tell how good old Pack Horse felt. Sore, I think. He's a good sport. Did I take pictures? No. I was too busy having fun. Taking pictures would have cut into it...and I was just enjoying myself. So too bad. ;)

AsI drove us all home, I couldn't help but think, "Having kids is fun!" And I think we're just at the start of the really fun stuff. Goody goody...now I just have to block out that tantrum that Andrew had as we were leaving. ;)