So last night we went to the county fair. It was free entry for military personnel and their dependents, but that doesn't mean I got off cheap. Unlimited ride wrist bands were $18 per kid, but they totally dug being able to ride whatever they wanted, so it was worth it. And have ya seen the price of fair food lately? Sheesh. You'd think they hadn't heard the economy was in trouble. And then I didn't even get any 'cause I'm on this whole eating plan thing. I compensated by feeding my 15 month old junk. It's all good.
My 7 year old wanted to ride one of the big rides. The Fire Ball, to be specific. This is the one that spins round and round, then goes side to side. You're freaking weightless at the top of the arc. But ok, he meets the height requirement, so here we go. For one thing, I had this overwhelming compulsion to lift my feet anytime we went speeding back towards the ground. Don't have a fucking clue why, since my feet were like two feet off the ground before they even lowered the deck. But I had to lift my feet. Making myself put them down was even tougher than keeping my stomach from churning, something else that proved absolutely impossible.
Anyway, not the point of this entry.
I love roller coasters, and the big fair rides, and lots of stuff involving adrenaline rushes. But I discovered something last night. Doing these things is completely, totally different when you know your kid's sitting next to you. Me riding by myself? My life is in my own hands, and if I wanna risk it, it's all good. My baby on the ride? That my friends, was the most terrifying ride of my life.
My 7 year old wanted to ride one of the big rides. The Fire Ball, to be specific. This is the one that spins round and round, then goes side to side. You're freaking weightless at the top of the arc. But ok, he meets the height requirement, so here we go. For one thing, I had this overwhelming compulsion to lift my feet anytime we went speeding back towards the ground. Don't have a fucking clue why, since my feet were like two feet off the ground before they even lowered the deck. But I had to lift my feet. Making myself put them down was even tougher than keeping my stomach from churning, something else that proved absolutely impossible.
Anyway, not the point of this entry.
I love roller coasters, and the big fair rides, and lots of stuff involving adrenaline rushes. But I discovered something last night. Doing these things is completely, totally different when you know your kid's sitting next to you. Me riding by myself? My life is in my own hands, and if I wanna risk it, it's all good. My baby on the ride? That my friends, was the most terrifying ride of my life.
5 Comments:
My big fright at this year's fair was that Ilsa in particular wanted to go down the big super slide. Ok, fine. Maybe. I told Juliette to follow her up, maybe in hopes that if Ilsa fell, Juliette might be able to catch her before dragging them both down three flights of metal stairs. Each of them, of course, had to carry body-sized gunney sacks. Great. Now intentional tripping involved.
I had to watch them all the way up. I've never bit my tongue so hard. Then, at the top, the guy in charge of not letting little girls tumble end over end was helping a pregnant mother sit down, straddling her toddler. In the meantime, Ilsa and Juliette are both trying to shake our their sacks and lay them down, preparing for launch. Juliette managed on her own and slid down. Ilsa just about slipped. The numbnuts guy noticed in time that she needed help and got her squared away. Holy shit. Evilness, I tell you.
I actually resent my husband for not having been there to share that particular moment of terror with me. (He was working. But that's still no excuse.)
When I was a child, I enjoy riding on those awesome rides in amusement park. Today, my kids are the ones who enjoy in the rides and I feel glad whenever I see them smile.
I always went for the tamer rides, even in high school, so when my kids developed a terror-inducing, death defying streak of daring on EVERY dangerous ride in existence, I started sending them with hubbie and staying home! LOL! Turn about fair play, I say.
LOL - what I like about carnival rides is staring up at them and being SO VERY GLAD I'm not one them :-)
I sweat and cringe my way through a Ferris Wheel ride with mine. I used to love the view--now all I see is a quick death for my child if she stands up at the wrong moment. Visions of bolts coming loose and all of us (but especially her) plunging to our deaths sit in the forefront of my mind, even in front of the view. Funny how our perspective changes, eh?
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