We made our annual Lagoon trip early this year-solely because we had discount tickets making the admission $25 instead of $41 plus tax. The weather was perfect-not too hot and although we were missing Kambree (she's at OYA-hopefully not freezing in the great outdoors) we had a great time. (Which is saying a lot-I'm not Lagoon's biggest fan but try to sacrifice one day a year to appease the rest of my family.)
Alex of course had NO idea what he was in for. I went to Lagoon's website to show him pictures but it really didn't give the overall scope of the place. He had packed his soccer ball and "American football" thinking Lagoon was like a park or something? Anyway, it was fabulous to experience Lagoon through the eyes of a ten year old boy....
James was sure he'd love everything! I was a little skeptical. We started out on Jet Star 2, Alex seemed to be okay although he did yell a lot but I was under the impression it was joyful yelling. Then we went on "Re-Entry" the ride that slowly rides you way up then you free fall drop for like forever-not my favorite ride-usually I just watch this one-but since Alex was a first time rider I thought I'd be brave and go too. He wanted to sit by me and I am not exaggerating when I say terror was the look on his face and the sound that came out of his mouth when the ride dropped. I reached over and patted him-forgetting my own terror-and told him it was okay he was safe, then in his haste to get off the ride, he forgot about the little bump at the crotch that helps secure you in your seat and got caught up on it and fell out of his seat on to the pavement. He jumped right up and ran for the exit.
We slowed things down with a ride down the stupid hydro tube ride and Devree and I were soaked. James and Alex didn't get it so bad and neither did Rylee & Austin but Devree and I looked like we'd peed our pants.
Then we went on the bumper cars which Alex loved.
We hit the other side of the park and did the music go round thing which Alex liked and then the Scrambler. He sat with me on this one and he told me, "Me scared." I assured him it was safe and that I wouldn't let him ride anything that would hurt him. Once again, he screamed in terror and then told me later he almost threw up. Okay, enough was enough. I was taking over the ride selection. We split up and Alex and I went to Dracula's Castle and Terror Ride which he loved and had no fear of-unlike his mother who hates scary rides.
At one point during the day Alex got stung by a wasp. We went to First Aid as a kind security officer upon seeing us rinse his hand in the drinking fountain told us they have some numbing medicine at first aid. Alex did not cry and we now know he is not allergic to wasp stings. (Something they asked me about at first aid and I had to explain I had no idea.)
While waiting in line for the rides we had many interesting conversations. I learned on the music go round ride that they had something similar to that in Ukraine and that two of his class mates threw up on it. On the wait to ride the Sky Ride I was telling him maybe we would be able to see Devree and Austin from above and spy on them. (They both met up with friends and were hanging out with them.) I joked that maybe we would catch Austin kissing. Alex told me I would say to Austin "You no computer, no TV!" if I caught Austin kissing. Then he told me "salt" and pantomimed spreading it on the ground and kneeling in it. What? "Alex did you have to kneel in salt?" "Yes" he said. "Why?" I asked. "Me reading not sleeping. Me six." "When you were six you had to kneel in salt because you were in trouble? For how long?" "Four hours-no walk two days." I was dumbfounded. Apparently this happened at the orphanage before the one we adopted him from and was a form of punishment. He was six years old! I hugged him and told him we would never make our children kneel in salt. I have no doubt that through the next few years Alex will reveal more and more terrible things that he's been exposed too. It just breaks my heart.
Then of course those stupid carnival games lured him in. I'm a firm believer in NOT playing carnival games but he had brought his own money and despite losing four dollars last week at Smiths on that stupid "pick up a stuffed animal with a claw" game he had not learned his lesson yet. He lost $8 and won nothing. Luckily Rylee and he had played a game together and she had won and knowing how much Alex wanted a Sponge Bob she elected to give it to him. He was thrilled. He'd been sleeping with this little tiny bear-the same bear he had me put on my key chain in Ukraine- he had cut the chain off the head and called it "mine little brother". I told him he could sleep with any of the stuffed animals down in the toy room but he told me "No mine." He clearly has difficulty understanding that we share things in our family and just because a toy wasn't given to him, doesn't mean he can't use it or play with it. I'm sure this stems from living in an orphanage where everyone claimed everything and labeled it as there's? He then told me "Me no like small toys-me big toy" So needless to say, he was beyond thrilled to have his OWN Sponge Bob and he has it displayed in a place of honor-right in the center of his bed. (I couldn't help but be proud of my Rylee for her selfless act and foresight in understanding her brothers need for this toy. Thanks Rylee you are such a sweet sister.)
Rylee talked him into riding the Spider Ride later. He would if he could sit with me. (Another ride I don't enjoy.) When we were standing in line he asked me with a very concerned face. "Safe?" "Yes, Alex this ride is safe in American we have many rules and the rides have to be safe or they shut them down." I don't know if he understood this-and privately I was thinking of all the horrible stories I've heard of about rides malfunctioning and hoping against hope that we would all be safe. I don't doubt after being in Ukraine and seeing the circus and lax conditions of just about everything that many things are unsafe and accidents happen frequently so his concern was surely justified. Not to mention I had never heard him use the word "safe" before-everyday he adds new words to his vocabulary.
Alex repeatedly told me "Fun day!" throughout the day. He loved the chicken and potato salad I packed for dinner and he even ate a peanut butter bar-despite his aversion to peanut butter-in fact he had two!
At the end of the night we were just killing time waiting for our older children to meet us at ten pm at the pavilion and Alex insisted he could run through the fountain without getting wet. He did for the first while and then, he got very wet. He told me "Me no cold." but I knew better, pretty soon he admitted "Me freezing!" and we went to the pavilion where I removed his wet shirt and wrapped him in a blanket and he and Sponge Bob sat and ate licorice until it was time to go home. (Licorice is another new food he has refused to try until I convinced him to have just a little taste. He-like everyone but James-is now a red licorice fan-James is still the only black licorice liker!)
We drove home and everyone was exhausted and got ready for bed. I had to return some work related emails so I was at the computer when Alex came down ready for bed and despite the screams of terror, almost throwing up and wasp stings he said "Thank you mom, relly, relly, relly fun day!".
Alex of course had NO idea what he was in for. I went to Lagoon's website to show him pictures but it really didn't give the overall scope of the place. He had packed his soccer ball and "American football" thinking Lagoon was like a park or something? Anyway, it was fabulous to experience Lagoon through the eyes of a ten year old boy....
James was sure he'd love everything! I was a little skeptical. We started out on Jet Star 2, Alex seemed to be okay although he did yell a lot but I was under the impression it was joyful yelling. Then we went on "Re-Entry" the ride that slowly rides you way up then you free fall drop for like forever-not my favorite ride-usually I just watch this one-but since Alex was a first time rider I thought I'd be brave and go too. He wanted to sit by me and I am not exaggerating when I say terror was the look on his face and the sound that came out of his mouth when the ride dropped. I reached over and patted him-forgetting my own terror-and told him it was okay he was safe, then in his haste to get off the ride, he forgot about the little bump at the crotch that helps secure you in your seat and got caught up on it and fell out of his seat on to the pavement. He jumped right up and ran for the exit.
We slowed things down with a ride down the stupid hydro tube ride and Devree and I were soaked. James and Alex didn't get it so bad and neither did Rylee & Austin but Devree and I looked like we'd peed our pants.
Then we went on the bumper cars which Alex loved.
We hit the other side of the park and did the music go round thing which Alex liked and then the Scrambler. He sat with me on this one and he told me, "Me scared." I assured him it was safe and that I wouldn't let him ride anything that would hurt him. Once again, he screamed in terror and then told me later he almost threw up. Okay, enough was enough. I was taking over the ride selection. We split up and Alex and I went to Dracula's Castle and Terror Ride which he loved and had no fear of-unlike his mother who hates scary rides.
At one point during the day Alex got stung by a wasp. We went to First Aid as a kind security officer upon seeing us rinse his hand in the drinking fountain told us they have some numbing medicine at first aid. Alex did not cry and we now know he is not allergic to wasp stings. (Something they asked me about at first aid and I had to explain I had no idea.)
While waiting in line for the rides we had many interesting conversations. I learned on the music go round ride that they had something similar to that in Ukraine and that two of his class mates threw up on it. On the wait to ride the Sky Ride I was telling him maybe we would be able to see Devree and Austin from above and spy on them. (They both met up with friends and were hanging out with them.) I joked that maybe we would catch Austin kissing. Alex told me I would say to Austin "You no computer, no TV!" if I caught Austin kissing. Then he told me "salt" and pantomimed spreading it on the ground and kneeling in it. What? "Alex did you have to kneel in salt?" "Yes" he said. "Why?" I asked. "Me reading not sleeping. Me six." "When you were six you had to kneel in salt because you were in trouble? For how long?" "Four hours-no walk two days." I was dumbfounded. Apparently this happened at the orphanage before the one we adopted him from and was a form of punishment. He was six years old! I hugged him and told him we would never make our children kneel in salt. I have no doubt that through the next few years Alex will reveal more and more terrible things that he's been exposed too. It just breaks my heart.
Then of course those stupid carnival games lured him in. I'm a firm believer in NOT playing carnival games but he had brought his own money and despite losing four dollars last week at Smiths on that stupid "pick up a stuffed animal with a claw" game he had not learned his lesson yet. He lost $8 and won nothing. Luckily Rylee and he had played a game together and she had won and knowing how much Alex wanted a Sponge Bob she elected to give it to him. He was thrilled. He'd been sleeping with this little tiny bear-the same bear he had me put on my key chain in Ukraine- he had cut the chain off the head and called it "mine little brother". I told him he could sleep with any of the stuffed animals down in the toy room but he told me "No mine." He clearly has difficulty understanding that we share things in our family and just because a toy wasn't given to him, doesn't mean he can't use it or play with it. I'm sure this stems from living in an orphanage where everyone claimed everything and labeled it as there's? He then told me "Me no like small toys-me big toy" So needless to say, he was beyond thrilled to have his OWN Sponge Bob and he has it displayed in a place of honor-right in the center of his bed. (I couldn't help but be proud of my Rylee for her selfless act and foresight in understanding her brothers need for this toy. Thanks Rylee you are such a sweet sister.)
Rylee talked him into riding the Spider Ride later. He would if he could sit with me. (Another ride I don't enjoy.) When we were standing in line he asked me with a very concerned face. "Safe?" "Yes, Alex this ride is safe in American we have many rules and the rides have to be safe or they shut them down." I don't know if he understood this-and privately I was thinking of all the horrible stories I've heard of about rides malfunctioning and hoping against hope that we would all be safe. I don't doubt after being in Ukraine and seeing the circus and lax conditions of just about everything that many things are unsafe and accidents happen frequently so his concern was surely justified. Not to mention I had never heard him use the word "safe" before-everyday he adds new words to his vocabulary.
Alex repeatedly told me "Fun day!" throughout the day. He loved the chicken and potato salad I packed for dinner and he even ate a peanut butter bar-despite his aversion to peanut butter-in fact he had two!
At the end of the night we were just killing time waiting for our older children to meet us at ten pm at the pavilion and Alex insisted he could run through the fountain without getting wet. He did for the first while and then, he got very wet. He told me "Me no cold." but I knew better, pretty soon he admitted "Me freezing!" and we went to the pavilion where I removed his wet shirt and wrapped him in a blanket and he and Sponge Bob sat and ate licorice until it was time to go home. (Licorice is another new food he has refused to try until I convinced him to have just a little taste. He-like everyone but James-is now a red licorice fan-James is still the only black licorice liker!)
We drove home and everyone was exhausted and got ready for bed. I had to return some work related emails so I was at the computer when Alex came down ready for bed and despite the screams of terror, almost throwing up and wasp stings he said "Thank you mom, relly, relly, relly fun day!".
2 of my blog friends said something...:
What a sweet gesture on Rylee's part...and this post was a good reminder to me of how much we (myself, my family, Americans) take for granted. Sounds like a great day.
The last sentence was my favorite part. He remembered to thank you. So glad the weather cooperated for you. And thanks for the discount passes. My kids had fun too.
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