Fast as a Jackrabbit
You know those kids who would rather poke themselves in the eye with a pitchfork than try something new? I don't have one of those. Thank goodness. I'd have to poke myself in the eye with a pitchfork if I did.
Fortunately, Alexis is game to try anything. And not just once. Nope. She will continuously re-try things even if she knows for a fact she doesn't like them. I think she gained that super power because of her hatred for cheese. I refuse to believe that she really doesn't like it, so I make her try new cheeses all of the time.
She usually obliges with a tiny little nibble, and then looks at me with a death glare as she spits out, "I don't like it."
I figure she must not hate cheese THAT much or she wouldn't be willing to keep trying it. There is hope for a gouda revolution, kids. There is hope.
The best part about Alexis being willing to re-try things she knows she hates is that she often discovers that she doesn't hate them anymore after all. Chocolate is the most important thing that makes that list because SERIOUSLY? I don't know how I survived four years with a kid who didn't like chocolate. I'm working on teaching her that it's a a major food group right now. It's a twelve step program and steps 1-6 involve me eating entirely too much chocolate.
When we managed to score super inexpensive tickets to Kennywood last week, I immediately told the kid that her mission was going to be to re-try some of the rides that she hates.
For the record, when I say "she hates," I'm referring to the tragically sobby and snotty mess that was my daughter when she rode The Jackrabbit last year.
Of course I have a photo of her misery. OF COURSE I DO.
It took her about two seconds to decide that getting on that ride was the dumbest thing she had ever done in her entire life. She sobbed and she cried and complained on and on and on. The second the ride stopped, she yelled something about The Jackrabbit being the worst thing that had ever happened to her.
We made her right it again this year. What's not to love about a kid who goes into hysterics on a ride?
Her reaction was ... a bit different than it was last year.
Some things:
1. Lame rides are infinitely more fun when you're trying to carefully balance an expensive camera at just the right angle as you take photographs of your happy-screamy kid.
2. There is now photographic evidence that the husband does smile. Whodathunkit?
3. LOOK. AT. HER. FACE.
That, my friends, is glee. Pure glee.
Alexis loved The Jackrabbit so much this year that she has now ridden it approximately eleventy-billion times and counting.
Now I just need to convince her that scrubbing toilets is WAY more fun that she remembers.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Reader Comments (11)
All I can see is that camera in your hands and I'm searching for how you have it firmly secured to your body but can't find anything and areyouinsanelady?!?!
But, other than that, yay Alexis! The years I was able to enjoy roller coasters (*no, autocorrect, not 'roll on pasties' jeez*) were the happiest years of my amusement park trips.
Perfect! Our 5-year-old daughter is extremely timid - as in "freaks out when Uncle E holds her up in the air (granted, he's 6'5", but still)" - and she is a roller coaster FIEND! Her very first ride experience at Disney World was Test Track and hooboy did my girl have a good time. Last week in the car she said, "Maybe next time we ride it there will be a REALLY big hill...and a loop-de-loop!" Wha? I love it when they shock us in a good way!
PS WDW photos are the only ones I have of Mr. MOTH smiling spontaneously. Amazing, huh?
I'm with Jayna. I'm clearly freaking FOR you since you didn't have sufficient freak on yourself.
I know it's the husband back there, but seriously. He looks like a clear different person when he smiles.
I need to get Alexis to let some of that adventurous, willing-to-try, rub off on Alex. He's very, very, cautious (as you know).
I LOVE that picture!
That picture is amazing!
I'm thinking Christmas card photo... could be epic.
You call it a good thing that you got your kid to like chocolate?! I remember the day when my kid was about four and she tried a dark chocolate klondike and decided she hated it. I was ecstatic, thinking all the dark chocolate and klondikes would be for me only. But she tried both again at some point and darn it anyway if she does not fight me for those things. At least she refuses to try Thin Mints and Samoas!
What a great picture! Wait, are you saying you took a photo while on the ride? I wanna see that!
Yay! That picture is awesome.
What a fun and great picture of the three of you!
Amazing! Simply amazing! You are a savant photographer! Because who ever gets a shitmthatnperfect from one of those roller coaster cameras!
great photo! :) glad she had a great time this time around. my kids have always been coaster fanatics so I have never had that problem. My biggest problem with rides is "that looks lame/boring" lol. pure thrill seekers, all of em.
Dunno how you had the nerve to take that camera on the ride. I'd be so afraid of losing it LOL.