Trip 3 Day 2
Day two of our July 4th trip fell on July 5th. Understandably, I was anticipating crowds big ones. Even though we were avoiding the four major theme parks, I knew better than to think for even a moment that the water parks might be
quiet. So, while we did not arise at the crack of stupid, we did get up and going early enough to arrive at Blizzard Beach 15 minutes before it opened.
Gramma wasnt thrilled. But she came along and didnt delay us. Instead, she complained a bit about her aching back. It felt all out of whack. And her hips felt bruised.
Give you one guess why
All the fault of that darned bunk bed!
Leo and I, we had our Florida Resident Water Park Annual Passes (cant they come up with some shorter names for these things?!), left over from last summer. But Gramma needed a one-day ticket, so she went to the window whilst Leo and I grabbed a spot in line.
Gramma did NOT complain about the cost. Things were looking up!
Once allowed through the turnstiles, we headed to the right, looking for a good place to park. Id been to BB once before, but it was 15 years ago and I was not at all familiar with the place. Looking at the map, I thought somewhere on the right side of the park would be good close to the kids areas and away from the more boisterous slides.
I was right!
I was also surprised
there was no mad rush to claim lounge chairs, shelters or spots of sand. At all.
After considering one or two areas with not another soul around we settled on a lovely, sheltered, sandy-floored area that backed up to the exit pool of Teamboat Springs. The Spot was perfect!
Almost.
Leo didnt like the sand. Yes, this would be my child who lives 5 miles form the beach
and hates sand on his feet. And this hatred led to the first of several Gramma issues that day. He whined and fussed about not wanting to step in the sand (with shoes on, no less). Gramma dove in to pick him up and carry him to a chair so he wouldnt have to touch the sand.
I made a gentle comment in the vein of If he doesnt like it, he can remain standing over there on the sidewalk, but at six years old, he does not need to be carried across the sand.
Gramma ignored me.
And then spent 10-ish minutes rearranging chairs so that no one would be too close to us. I dont know what she thought people would
do to us, but Gramma did NOT want any strangers within 3 feet of us.
Finally settled in, we made our way over to Tikes Peak (TP), the little kids section of BB. I have to say, Tikes Peak is waaaaay better than Typhoon Lagoons Ketchakiddie Creek for more daring little ones. TP has a wide range of sliding options, all landing in a gently bobbing mini-bay. My one complaint is the utter lack of shade. Really, combined with the glaring white snow everywhere, it was positively blinding over there. Just as well that we got there super early.
There were only a few others around TP, so Leo had his pick of sliding options with no waiting at all!
But TP wasnt thrilling my boy for long he was feeling brave and wanted to check out the next level up in water park offerings, Ski Patrol Training Camp (SPTC). Billed as a pre-teen area, it has a lot to offer smaller people, as well as adults.
SPTC has things like a zip line (Leo was too short for that one), floating icebergs you could walk across (Leo wouldnt) and tube slides:
That tube slide was a BIG hit! Leo went up and down, up and down, up and down. But only down one of the two slide runs. Always the left one, never the right. Oh, and he couldnt handle that monstrous tube on his own, so I had the pleasure of wading into the exit pool, grabbing the tube, hauling it up a bunch of stairs, then hoofing it back down the stairs to start the whole process over.
While Gramma held Leos shoes. And rubbed her aching back.
Theres also a toboggan-style set of slides that are bigger than the ones in TP, but smaller than the grown-up version and minus the mats. Leo saw that and wanted to give it a try.
The exit pool was about an inch over his head, but he knew how to swim and it got shallower quickly.
I explained all of that to him. Along with these instructions: Okay, when you get to the bottom, youre going to let your feet touch the bottom of the pool, jump up, and start kicking. Swim just like you do at home. Okay?
Leo said, Okay and took off for the top of the slide.
I never even got a picture, he came down so fast!
He dropped off the slide
Came up to the surface
Turned around and clung to the edge of the slide for dear life!
Me, I stood there, knowing he could swim, yelling Leo turn around and swim this way! Over here!
But it was too late.
The lifeguard next to me, standing in front of the slides, smacked his fist on the big red emergency button and leapt into the water toward what he perceived as an about-to-drown Leo.
Leo came back to me on the floaty-life-preserver-stick-thingie crying hysterically, and the lifeguard shot me a nasty look as he lifted Leo up out of the water.
I understood his feeling. What kind of parent sends her kid down the slide into water above his head when said child cant swim???
So you KNOW I couldnt help myself. My first words were not addressed to Leo in comfort and solace, but to the lifeguard in defense of my actions or lack thereof.
He actually does know how to swim. I swear.
Yep. I really said it. As Leo stood there blubbering next to me.
Ahem, LL Im gonna need that Parent of the Year Award back, please.
I did turn my attention to Leo right after that and asked him why on earth he didnt just put his feet down and/or swim
and he provided that quintessential, all-purpose child/tween/teen response we all know and love
Idunno.
I hugged him anyway and suggested a ride on the tubes. Leo agreed and opted for his once-and-only turn down the right sided slide. We then took two full loops around the lazy river. It took some doing, but Leo was talked into riding on his own tube. So long as Gramma and I both twisted our shoulders out of socket keeping a death grip on his handles.
After all the drama and fun, I decided it was time for lunch, and we made our way back to The Spot. Thats right not to any counter service location, but to The Spot. Where Id left a medium-sized cooler full of yummy food. Wed battled the lunch crowds at Typhoon Lagoon in the past, during far less busy times of year, and had no interest in doing so again.
Let me tell you picnicking at the water parks is the way to go! I brought egg salad from home and made sandwiches for Gramma and I. Leo had his favorite cottage cheese, and we all shared some strawberries, cantaloupe and grapes. I also had water and juice keeping cool. It was a very relaxed, enjoyable lunch.
Except for the beginning, when Leo whined about the sand and Gramma carried him over it. Again.
Post-lunch, we decided to find a treat and headed back to where Id seen a sign for fried ice cream
conveniently located next to frosty adult beverages.
From there, we could see the wave pool and Leo really wanted to get in. So we went back to The Spot to leave our cover-ups (and Gramma lifted Leo over the sand
), then took a dip in the waves.
If you didnt know, BB offers bobbing waves that are smallish and regularly timed. Perfect for
well, bobbing. As opposed to Typhoon Lagoons ginormous, child-eating waves of unusual size. After about 15 minutes, Leo announced that he prefers the Typhoon waves and said he was ready to go.
As in GO back to the hotel. When Leos done, he knows it and proclaims it for all to hear.
Actually, it was beginning to feel uncomfortably crowded and hot Gramma and I were ready to GO too. But its pretty amazing to know that we left around 1pm
and it was only then feeling crowded. And still, there were empty chairs to be found. It wasnt at all the chaos Id envisioned based on reports of July crowd numbers. Maybe it was a fluke, but we'd thus far found the holiday weekend to be far more quiet and subdued than expected. Woo hoo!
Gustav may be another story, but we'll deal with him when - or better, IF - he gets closer.
Well at least we know THEY are paying attention! Poor leo. Poor V. 
Mind you...she wouldn't have carried you when you were little...but she will carry Leo 
