Those Slides at McDonald's Really Aren't For Grown-Ups

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Last Monday night, after our FHE lesson, we decided we were feeling a little "wild" so we trekked on up to McDonald's for a sundae and some Playland fun. We weren't sure how Bethany would react to the Playland--last time we were there, she didn't quite get how it all worked. Well, she definitely gets it now!



The first time she climbed the tubes, she wasn't sure what to do so we told her to follow the little boy and go where he went. (There was a three-or-so-ish boy there.) Well, Bethany took that advice to heart and the entire time we were there, that boy was her champion and her guide. She would yell, "Boy! BOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYY!!! Wait, Boy! Help me, Boy! Climb, Boy! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYY! Coming, Boy? I coming, Boy!" And to his credit, he was a good little helper! He gave her boosts if she needed them, or helped her get un-stuck if she found herself in a jam. His parents tried to tell him to leave her alone but we interceded and told them to butt out, we had a good thing going, here. (Okay, we didn't say those exact words.)

James and I also did a lot of coaching from the bottom--as well as a lot of cheering. You'd have thought we were cheering Bethany in the Olympics. We got so excited when she figured out how to do things by herself. Ah, the joy of parenthood! And we love that she's old enough now to follow directions--if we told her to go in the blue tube, she'd stop and analyze her situation and then go in the blue tube as directed. And Bethany is so small she could walk through the tubes instead of having to crawl.





Anyway, "Boy" helped us a lot and we thought we wouldn't have to go up the tubes at all--then his parents had the nerve to take him home. ("Bye, Boy!") Those parents just couldn't leave well enough alone. Anyway, James ended up crawling up the tubes to show Bethany how to get to the purple slide-which I thought completely adorable (nothing like watching your hubby shimmy up a tube). And all was going well and I was still blissfully eating my ice cream at the bottom.



But I shouldn't have gotten too comfy because one konk of the head later Bethany was screaming for Mommy. Never mind that Dad was already up there, nothing would do but for "Mommy, holdy!" to stop the hysterics. (Bethany does have a flair for the drama!)And of course, being the good mom that I like to believe I am, it was now me that was shimmying up the tubes (not so adorable and no pics posted). Anyway . . .

THERE IS A REASON WHY THE SIGN SAYS AGES 3-12 AND NOT 3-35! Ouch, ouch OUCH on the knees!

And by the time I got up to Bethany, she had stopped crying and was happily on her way down the slide. Ah, well! But we had a great time, it really was SO fun! There's something just so American about a family at McDonald's, don't you think? And then we took her home and washed her three times all over (there is also something very grimy about McDonald's, too).