Stuck In The Middle
Alexis is caught in the intersection between Baby and Kid. She's big enough to get her own glass of water, but not big enough to cross the street alone. She mature enough to discuss heavy topics like death, but not mature enough to understand peer pressure. She still sleeps with a huge pile of stuffed animals, but she gets herself dressed in the morning.
There is no time when it's more evident that she's stuck in the middle than when we're at Kennywood.
She's a breath away from being tall enough to ride on some of the bigger roller coasters and rides. It's a fact which frustrates her beyond words. She wants so badly to be "bigger enough," but it's just not time yet. Even more annoying, in her mind she's too big for most of the kiddy rides.
She pouted the entire time she was on the swings because "they're for babies." She is vehement when she says, "I'm not a baby." VEHEMENT. WILL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF IF YOU SAY SHE IS. RAWWWR.
So we find the middle ground and do what we can to make sure she has fun.
I'd say we succeed. Maybe a little.
But there is still the longing that she feels when she looks at the bigger rides. She softly asks if we can ride this or that next, and then sighs deeply when we tell her she's not quite tall enough yet. Every single time we break the news to her, it's a fresh dose of disappointment.
But she's tall enough for the Jackrabbit.
It's an old wooden roller coaster with a few big hills, but it's certainly tame in the realm of thrill rides. Riding it isn't much different than riding in the back seat of the car when we navigate some of the curvy country roads that surround Pittsburgh. Really, it's no big thing.
Except that in Alexis' head it is.
I don't know why, but she's terrified of the Jackrabbit.
The catch, however, is that it's really easy to talk her into riding it. We don't even have to bribe her, we just ask her to try it once. She always does. Each and every time we have asked her, she has gotten in that line and stood patiently waiting until it was our turn. It's not until we are settled in our seats that the story suddenly changes.
She is terrified of that ride.
Yeah, I'm that mom who takes pictures of her kid freaking out. What else am I going to do? It's not like I can stop the ride once it starts. It's all of about 30 seconds long, so it's best if the kid just deals. Terrified and all.
Alexis is stuck between Baby and Kid. She's old enough to be mad when we tell her she's not big enough to do some things. And, yet, she's young enough to be oblivious to the fact that maybe it's best that she's not big enough to do those things. "Not tall enough" certainly sounds better than "so scared of it she may faint."
Pssst....I'm giving away Kennywood tickets on the Review page.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Reader Comments (21)
Do you have to ride the pirate ship a lot? That has been Juliana's favorite ride the past year and it makes all of the adults feel I'll. So we take turns going o it with her. It appears to be a favorite of Alexis as well.
@Jennifer--YES. It's the pirate ship, Turtles, Kangaroo, and The Whip over and over and over and over and over again.
LOVE that you take pictures of that stuff. I still haven't dared bring my camera amusement parking.
When Gracie was about 4 we had season passes to the amusement park in our area. She rode EVERYTHING they let her ride (she was tall for a 4 year old and could go on quite a bit). This year we splurged and bought season passes again. She won't ride half of what she'd ride 5 years ago. She HATES roller coasters. Evie on the other hand, rides all the coasters they let her on. Whatever.
Love her!
We have season passes to Waldameer here in Erie, and on Saturday we went on the log jammer (whatever the heck it's called). That is the only ride where they take your pic, and OMG, we HAD to buy the pic.
#1, it was Alex's first time on it (you only have to be 36" tall, and he's 39" - at 2yo).
#2, he had the most HORRIFIED and terrified look on his face. I'll have to scan it in and email it to you. It's freaking HILARIOUS.
Even though he had that look, he did love it though, and we were all very cooled off afterwards!
Looks like she had a great time despite not being tall enough. Can I go next time. I miss roller coasters!!
Maybe I missed it, but how old is she? She looks five and a half! She certainly knows facial expressions. Get her in acting, will ya?
Her face on the swings is PRICELESS. Oh Alexis :)
I wish Em were more adventurous about rides. But it has always amazed me that the JackRabbit has a tiny 36" requirement (and big, fly out of your seat hills) and yet the Racers (with small hills) has a 46" and rides like Bayern Curve & Musik Express are 46"
We've put off taking our son (almost seven) despite his pleadings because for this very reason. He's gone to Idlewild instead. He hit 48" this past year so promised to take him this summer. He still won't be able to ride some things - but they are probably rides I don't want him near anyway!
interesting to me how beautiful she is when she is full of emotion. i mean, alexis is way adorable, totally cute in the posed or sneakily captured photos you post, but anger and fear and just as stunning as joy (water slide!) on her. i guess since i don't often see true fear, anger and frustration captured often it caught me by surprise.
ANYhow, i'm so impressed that she will go on anything you ask her to at least once. i know some people who could take lessons from your five year old!
also...what are those glasses for? (clearly i need to get to kennywood more often!)
@hellohahanarf--The glasses are from Garfield's Nightmare.
That pic of her pouting on the swing is too cute! I'm glad my girl is still little little--although she recently informed me that she is no longer a baby. <sob>
Wow! She could never play poker, her face is way too expressive!
Question: Did I miss the Shasta daisy photo shoot this year?
It feels horrible to say "love the shots of her freaking out!" but wow, such genuine expression!
I'm 20 and I'm terrified of the Jack Rabbit....
I would totally take pictures of my kid freaking out. It's just natural. Or mean? Well...either way I'd totally do it. Overall I hope the happies outweighed the pouties!!!
1. The double dip on the the Jack Rabbit is more terrifying than many of the larger rides.
2. The picture of Alexis freaking out looks like a film still. This is a rather twisted thing to say about a picture of someone's kid in distress, but it's awesome.
I was terrified of the Jack Rabbit, too! Even when I was old enough for the Steel Phantom, the Jack Rabbit still scared the crap out of me. I'm with Alexis on this one!
I'm catching up on your blog after a week away on vacation and this post had me laughing out loud. I am also one of "those mothers" that photographs her kid during moments of distress ... Although I apparently have a lot to learn!! ;)