Boy, that title just keeps coming back, doesn't it? It's like freaking Police Academy all over again.
Okay folks, if you’re still with me, we’re up Sunday, Day 3 of the second half of the trip. Got that?
The plan for the day was… Typhoon Lagoon! And, since this would be Leo’s and my second trip to TL in a week, AND since I would come out ahead after three days at TL, I upgraded our day tickets from the previous weekend to Water Park APs.
FYI – we never got back to a water park after Trip Interrupted. But I have high expectations for next summer!
(Yes, it’s officially tool cold for swimming now. What can I say? We’re Floridians – we don’t swim till the air’s 90 and the pool’s 85.
)
But I need to go back and explain a couple things about getting to TL. First, there was no EMH. It opened at 10am to everyone. Second, we all piled ito Char’s car to get there. And when we did get there, at 9:30am, it was PACKED. The parking lot, I mean. So Char dropped me and the boys off while she parked. When she got back, I’d just gotten to the window, so we managed to do all our ticketing at once and not have her wait all over again.
She did not get a Water Park AP. Wimp.
Tickets/passes in hand, we made our way over to Ketchakiddie Creek and found our shelter from May… with 3 empty chairs and a spot for the stroller! Our mojo was ON. Baybee. Or was it????? Keep reading.
Remember how the previous week Leo was all about hitting the slides right away? Well, this time he had other plans in mind. He did con Char into taking him to the kiddie creek while I sunscreened myself, but when I went looking for them 5 minutes later, all were gone. I found them all in the spray area, where we stayed for a good long while…
The boys were having F U N!!!
We ladies were getting H O T. :
:
It took some cajoling, but we finally convinced Leo to try something else for a while… unfortunately, it didn’t improve
my situation any, as I baked under the fiery August sun watching him belly-slide his little heart out:
Eventually, I managed to get him into the wave pool. AAAAHHHH – relief! Leo was ALL about the slides this time, which worked out well – Char and Harry had a great time bobbing in the sheltered area next to the slides while I kept an eye on Leo.
Now, I’d like to draw your attention to this picture:
See the woman in the purple swimsuit? If it’s anyone reading, I apologize in advance.
Wait, no I don’t. ‘Cause you were really annoying me.
Notice how close she is to the slide? That’s because she took it upon herself to “save” every child that came down that slide. Every. Child. Regardless of size, swim ability, or location of said child’s parent. Who was generally waiting a respectful foot or so away. Leo started to get pretty annoyed with Susie My Kid Can’t Swim-er Shoes trying to catch him every time he came down. Frankly, so was I. Dude, he just finally learned how to swim and he’s pretty darned stoked to be doing this ALL By HIMSELF, so lay off!
I finally mentioned to her that most of the children coming down had their own parents waiting for them and would she please
not continue grabbing mine as he could swim just fine. She did stop, but never moved from her command post.
It takes all kinds, right?
So anyway, it was about time for some lunch and we hauled ourselves and half our earthly possessions over to the Leaning Palms. And guess what? So did everyone les. Man, that place was mobbed! Forget seating – we somehow balanced 2 pizzas, a hamburger, a lemonade and a coke on ourselves and the stroller and went back to our spot to eat. Leo had no appetite and only ate a couple bites of his burger.
Did you read that? A BURGER. Is what Leo ordered.
Harry, however, ate most of Char’s Fish (heh heh) Pizza and she and I shared mine. All Leo wanted to do at that point was get cooled off, and all Char wanted to do was Castaway Creek, so they headed off whilst Harry and I bonded over food. ‘Cause he kept eating. And eating. And eating. Final tally? A whole pizza, two applesauces, a cup of lemonade, and a buncha chips. Ulp.
We also had some fun playing in the sand and I taught Harry some of the better vehicle sounds I know:
When Char and Leo got back, we all headed into the wave pool again, and Leo took over camera duty…
It was another fun day in the water, but we were all tired and the plan was for some EP that night. As the dark clouds moved on in, we hustled out of the park and made our way back to the Poly so Harry could get a nap in. Leo doesn’t do naps these days, so he and I headed over to Capt. Cook’s for a treat while Char got Harry settled.
That’s when I realized something: I had no mojo. It must’ve been all Char’s.
First, Leo’s Mickey Bar melted all over him and fell to the ground, triggering a fit of tears and whining. Next, the pool bar stopped serving just as I walked up. Due to lightning. Yep, it was starting to rain.
In retrospect, it seems so trivial. At the time, I was pretty miserable. I was hot. I was thirsty. Leo was driving me crazy. And I became
that parent for a moment. Something to the effect of “Stop it, stop it right now! I don’t even want to be around you right now.” I wasn’t nice.
And, I wasn’t at all effective. All I’d managed to do was make my already worn-out and frustrated child feel like a jerk. I made amends quickly and lots of hugging ensued in the Raratonga doorway. Lucky for me, he’s got a big heart and a lot of love.
Char had had no luck getting Harry to nap and the rain showed no sign of letting up. We quickly decided to dump EP and try for an early dinner somewhere. But where? Remember – no ADRs.
Next: We’re in BAYBEE!!! And… a DIS sighting. Oh yeah!
Actually, I hit upon a potentially fantastic theme for the Dec. TR, so it looks like it may happen after all!
