Mila kind of sucks at amusement parks. I've known this all summer as she is FINALLY tall enough to ride a few things at Kennywood, but has flatly refused. We've managed to bribe her onto the Jackrabbit two or three times, but each time was a 2-hour production and FINE. FINE, CHILD. WE WILL TAKE YOU TO KIDDYLAND.
If you're confused by this, join the club. The kid gets fussed at constantly for turning the living room furniture into a full-contact obstacle course, but somehow a roller coaster that some 4-year olds are tall enough to ride is super scary. If I had $1 for every time I told her to get down from some high place or some precarious position, I would be a millionaire, but controlled risks? Hahahahlolsob. She's afraid of them.
ANYWAY.
That means Alexis didn't get to ride anything big at Dollywood. She's actually very okay with that because she's the best big sister ever (... and I promised a return), a fact further cemented by her willingness to ride whatever Mila will ride.
Except the frogs. Alexis wisely drew the line at the frogs because COME ON. It's great that Mila thought they were SO MUCH FUN, but there were kids in diapers on that ride. The only novelty was that it was frogs and we all know Mila loves her some frogs.
And acorns.
I know I've written about Mila's obsession with acorns. She collects dozens of them every time we go for a hike, which can be proven by the fact that I removed approximately 8251935908314 of them from my car last week. (That number may be a bit low given that I can't really count past 100 without getting annoyed.) When Mila learned there was a ride that allowed her to sit inside a giant acorn? She was so happy. So very happy.
So, Kennywood. Now that you've removed all of Mila's favorite rides and left me stuck living in Kiddyland, maybe consider getting yourselves your own giant acorns? Maybe they can go where the Kangaroo used to be? That is quite possibly the only way I will ever again be able to walk through that part of the park without Mila sobbing because you took away her favorite ride and left a concrete pad in its place.
Acorns aren't the Kangaroo, but we could maybe make do. Maybe.