I can't tell you how many times I hear, " I don't know how you do it" or "Are those all your kids?" or "Wow, you really have your hands full." or "Do you really have 6 kids?" or "You have such a beautiful family" This doesn't compare the the number of looks and points we get either. We don't know any different. I can hardly remember back to when we just had 2 or 3. Dan and I talk about how easy our lives must have been back there only taking 2 or 3 places instead of 6. Now, please don't get me wrong. I DON'T think that I am any better of a parent because I have 6 compared to people who may have 1 or 2 or 3. Not at all. I do believe that some people are wired to be able to handle different situations differently. Being a parent to one child doesn't make someone less of a parent to someone that might have 6 or 7 or 10 kids! Dan and I always knew we wanted a big family. God has blessed us with 6 beautiful kids. Along with 6 kids comes a lot of work. And I mean A LOT of work. The older ones are very helpful and some are easier to handle than others. Gavin, of course, gives us the most trouble! It seems like nothing we do is right for that kid! He can trip on his own feet and it turns out to be my fault because I wasn't looking at him! Okay, anyways, I battled Little Amerricka yesterday.
What is little Americcka you ask? Well, it is like a Bay Beach if you have ever been there. Just a small amusement park about 25 minutes away from our house. My mom bought the kids season passes for my birthday. My friend, Erin, and I had made plans to do something and we thought Little Amerricka would be fun thing to do! So off we went. (Amy we missed you....are you trying to avoid us?)
I will start off by saying that I thought it was going to be cooler out like the day before was. Yeah, not so much! I had black pants on and was hot! (probably for the better though because I didn't shave my legs!) Anyways, we started on some of the smaller rides. My pictures aren't the best as it was 1 parent to 6 kids. I did what I could!
The kids rode on the helicopters, boats, airplanes, fire trucks, and much more. Well, I should say most of the kids did! Erin's little guy, Brayden, was excited to be there and I think wanted to go on them....but he just couldn't bring himself to go on one. He wanted to just play on the playground. Now, I was able to laugh at him and I thought it was funny....I am not so sure Erin did, though. However, if one of my kids would have done that I am not sure I would have been able to handle it as well as Erin did.
Lanie LOVES her BOB stroller. One of the best investments we have made. We also have the double BOB and love it too! All she needs is her blanket, her cup, her nook, and her sisters and brother to watch and she is in heaven!
Gavin really wanted Brayden to ride in a race car with him...but Brayden was still trying to figure everything out....so Gavin got to ride solo! Such a simple ride, but yet so much fun for him!
Abbie and Gabrielle even decided to give it a try! It was sunny and it was hot!
Molly, Sadie, and Kenadie went on the smallest Ferris Wheel I have ever seen! I wish I would have gotten a picture of the entire ride. It went in such a small circle and moved so slow. I love how the little things in life are actually the best things in life for little kids! I wish that were the same for us as adults! After the small rides, we decided to head in for a snack. That was pure madness. Gavin was yelling across the room demands at me while I waited in line for a snack. " I want ice cream and cotton candy...I want both." At one point, I asked Erin who's kid was yelling like that. He was out of control. I have to parent differently in public than how I can at home with him. I knew sticking him on a time out in the middle of the room, would have been a recipe for disaster for us all. Now I know I shouldn't have to parent differently, but if you want to experience Gavin at his "best" I encourage you to come along with me for the day! After our very stressful snack we headed out for more "fun".
So we moved over the the Carousel. I have a love/hate relationship with that carousel. Let me explain. So, being pregnant I can't go on any rides. However, I decided that I would go on the carousel with the kids and bring Lanie as well. She was pointing at the carousel so I thought I would take her out of the BOB and let her have some fun too. I headed up the stairs to the carousel and then the carousel lady stopped me. She looked for my wrist band....whew good thing I got one for that 1 ride! Then she asked where Lanie's wrist band was. Umm what? I said she didn't have one. Well, I was strictly told that she NEEDED to have a wrist band. I explained that she was 10 months old and she wasn't going on any other rides, but we were just going to help with our other kids. I was kicked off the carousel. I couldn't leave Lanie in the stroller by herself....we were so sad. Why a 10 month old needs a $15 wrist band to ride one ride that she doesn't even know is a ride is beyond me....but whatever. We watched for the side lines!
At that point, Erin's little guy still wasn't going on any rides. He wanted Erin to go with him. So, I did what any "good" person would do, right? I slipped my wrist band off...since I couldn't use it at all...and gave it to Erin! Don't tell Little Amerricka! She slipped it on and was able to ride with Brayden. That made him so happy and he actually went on some rides then! Gavin even got a little attached to Mrs. Schmidt I think! She is way cooler than me and she could actually ride the rides!
Molly and Sadie didn't want to ride the carousel 5 times in a row like the other kids, so they headed over to this bullet, spinning, ride. I could only see the top of their heads every now and then. One of the funniest things about Little Amerricka is that if you are 48" or taller you are considered a "responsible" rider. That means you can take any kids under 48" on a ride with you and be the responsible one. Not very comforting knowing that my 8 year old is considered responsible for my 3 year old....but I guess it works!
The kids all wanted to ride on this roller coaster. Well, everyone but Brayden. Well, I couldn't go so Erin braved it and she went. Now I am pretty sure this isn't her thing at ALL! She did it for Gavin I think! You can see the top of her head in the white cap and Gavin is next to her. Abbie and Kenadie are in the last cart with their hands up. Yikes! They are too tiny to be doing that...but that is what Daddy tells them to do! Thanks, daddy! Lucky for Erin, they were able to go 3 times in a row. I wish I could have captured a picture of her face to post....but sadly I couldn't.
Brayden was my buddy and sat in the shade while they went on the roller coaster. Little did he know that we were headed to the Tilt a Whirl next! I didn't get a good picture of the tilt a whirl either. It was kinda funny though. Erin went on with Gavin and Brayden. Gavin thought he wanted to go fast, Brayden didn't want to go fast at all. I thought they were going to have a fist fight in line about it. Brayden didn't like it and Gavin didn't either...it was too fast for them. However, my smart Gavin decided he wanted to go again with his sisters. Bad idea. He screamed and I am pretty sure the lady had to stop the ride for him. If he didn't like it the first time I am not sure why he thought a second time would be any different...but there is no reasoning with him and sometimes you gotta just let him do his own thing!
Lanie fell asleep while the kids rode the tilt a whirl over and over and over again. Next we headed over to the train. I had to sneak on with Lanie since now we both didn't have wrist bands! The train ride is very nice and you even get to see wild animals on the ride. I think at this point Erin and I were done. Well, at least I knew I was done. The kids were getting whinny and tired. They were complaining that they wanted to do more rides and that they were hungry. These are the times when I start to wonder why I even try. Have my children become to used to doing things and they can't appreciate how lucky they are to be able to do what they get to do? I think it is just their ages. I don't want them to grow up with an "entitlement" kind of attitude. I want them to be grateful and appreciative for things. The kids rode the tilt a whirl one more time and then we made our way to the van. We were there for almost 4 hours. Did I mention that it was hot? I blasted the air conditioning and within a minute Gavin was asleep. Overall, it was a long day. It was a good day. It was a stressful day. It was a fun day. It was a hot day. It was a good day to come home and have supper with your husband outside on the bench kind of day. We ended the day with a walk around the block. I was sure the kids would sleep in this morning. Not a chance!
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