Monkeying Around Today
So, for the better part of a year, we've heard how cool this new indoor play place is that opened up in the next town over. I kept meaning to take the kids, but there just never seems to be a good day to drive 60 miles round trip, you know? Besides, the rumor mill is flowing about a possible location being built in our town. And I'm the first one to admit that I am lazy and don't like to drive long distances. So, I figured we'd just wait to go.
But then this place gets put on the MOMS Club calendar as an activity. Well, if everyone else is going to be there, then I guess I'll drag my lazy bum over there, too.
We left at 9:08 AM this morning and didn't pull into the parking lot until 9:50 AM. Granted, some of the time was spent going too far down the main road to get to this place, but either way you look at it, the distance sucked.
Jaina's first reaction? "I thought it was a bouncy thing outside, mommy, " she whines openly. "Outside?" I ask. "You've got to be frickin' crazy! Its like 90 degrees outside!" Well, turns out its like 80 degrees inside, so we are not that much better off.
Stupid me decides not to bring the stroller because I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep up with it. Bad, bad, move. There was a line to check in as soon as we walked through the door. And forms to fill out. Forms? Yes, forms. Liability forms. Information forms. Bracelets to put on. Admission fees to pay. All with a two year old kicking and screaming in my arms. *sigh* I should have known and seen it coming.
Jayce hates two things: New places and Crowds. And I had just walked through the door to both. He freaked out. And there was nothing I could do since I was by myself and Jaina really wanted to go. I managed to put him down and hold him against the counter trapped between my legs long enough for me to fill those stupid forms out. He kept trying to run to the exit. The exit with the automatic door, for goodness sakes. Why create an exit that is simple for toddlers to escape running into the parking lot from? I mean, come on!
So, we finally make it inside. Jayce does this:
for a good 30 minutes. He just stood in the middle and looked. Every once in a while, he'd let out a cry of displeasure. Or have a worried look. He definitely was not happy. I felt horrible keeping him there against his will, but I had just driven 30+ miles and paid $7 (1/2 price day, thank god!) to get us in here and dammit, we were going to stay!
Jaina, on the other hand, had a blast :) Only one other mom from MOMS Club came with her two year old daughter, so Jaina was on her own to make some friends. It took her all of 5 seconds to find someone to run around with.
She jumped on every jumpy-thing. She bounced on every bounce-a-round. She slid down every slide and obstacled through every obstacle course. But honestly... she has fun even if we just go to a local park, so did she really have $7 worth of fun? Actually, $10 if you count the two icees the kids had.
Ahhh... ICEEs. They really do the trick. There is nothing like an Icee to make Jayce his happy self again.
After we were done with our Icee's, Jayce wandered over to somebody's grandpa and raised up his arms and said, "Hold you?" This sweet man was taken aback a bit, but then reached down to pick Jayce up, all while turning to me to silently ask if it was okay. Jayce snuggled this stranger like he knew him all his life. Then he got down to have more icee. Then went back to "grandpa". Then more icee. Then back to his friend. Finally, the grandpa's real grandchildren came back and looked at Jayce and said, "Who's he?" So I pulled Jayce away and tried to distract him with something else.
The best part of the entire time there was the free internet access and computers they had in the "parents station". I was able to log on to APU and post my morning check-in there :) I wish Jayce had let me stay on the computer longer... I could have had a real good time!
Anyway, it wasn't a horrible waste, but it wasn't the best activity/play place we've ever been. Oh well. You live, you learn. (then you get luvs).
But then this place gets put on the MOMS Club calendar as an activity. Well, if everyone else is going to be there, then I guess I'll drag my lazy bum over there, too.
We left at 9:08 AM this morning and didn't pull into the parking lot until 9:50 AM. Granted, some of the time was spent going too far down the main road to get to this place, but either way you look at it, the distance sucked.
Jaina's first reaction? "I thought it was a bouncy thing outside, mommy, " she whines openly. "Outside?" I ask. "You've got to be frickin' crazy! Its like 90 degrees outside!" Well, turns out its like 80 degrees inside, so we are not that much better off.
Stupid me decides not to bring the stroller because I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep up with it. Bad, bad, move. There was a line to check in as soon as we walked through the door. And forms to fill out. Forms? Yes, forms. Liability forms. Information forms. Bracelets to put on. Admission fees to pay. All with a two year old kicking and screaming in my arms. *sigh* I should have known and seen it coming.
Jayce hates two things: New places and Crowds. And I had just walked through the door to both. He freaked out. And there was nothing I could do since I was by myself and Jaina really wanted to go. I managed to put him down and hold him against the counter trapped between my legs long enough for me to fill those stupid forms out. He kept trying to run to the exit. The exit with the automatic door, for goodness sakes. Why create an exit that is simple for toddlers to escape running into the parking lot from? I mean, come on!
So, we finally make it inside. Jayce does this:
for a good 30 minutes. He just stood in the middle and looked. Every once in a while, he'd let out a cry of displeasure. Or have a worried look. He definitely was not happy. I felt horrible keeping him there against his will, but I had just driven 30+ miles and paid $7 (1/2 price day, thank god!) to get us in here and dammit, we were going to stay!Jaina, on the other hand, had a blast :) Only one other mom from MOMS Club came with her two year old daughter, so Jaina was on her own to make some friends. It took her all of 5 seconds to find someone to run around with.
She jumped on every jumpy-thing. She bounced on every bounce-a-round. She slid down every slide and obstacled through every obstacle course. But honestly... she has fun even if we just go to a local park, so did she really have $7 worth of fun? Actually, $10 if you count the two icees the kids had.
Ahhh... ICEEs. They really do the trick. There is nothing like an Icee to make Jayce his happy self again.
After we were done with our Icee's, Jayce wandered over to somebody's grandpa and raised up his arms and said, "Hold you?" This sweet man was taken aback a bit, but then reached down to pick Jayce up, all while turning to me to silently ask if it was okay. Jayce snuggled this stranger like he knew him all his life. Then he got down to have more icee. Then went back to "grandpa". Then more icee. Then back to his friend. Finally, the grandpa's real grandchildren came back and looked at Jayce and said, "Who's he?" So I pulled Jayce away and tried to distract him with something else.
The best part of the entire time there was the free internet access and computers they had in the "parents station". I was able to log on to APU and post my morning check-in there :) I wish Jayce had let me stay on the computer longer... I could have had a real good time!
Anyway, it wasn't a horrible waste, but it wasn't the best activity/play place we've ever been. Oh well. You live, you learn. (then you get luvs).
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for commenting!