I wanted to get the kids out of the house since Alex ran into my room at 6:43am, fully clothed and ready to start the day. I sent him back to his room as our rule is we don't bother other people until 7:00am. At precisely 6:59 he came back in (he wanted me to see the clock flip) and proclaimed the day had started. I told him he could play with his I-touch till breakfast thinking I could gain a few extra minutes. No luck. "Mom, we are not allowed to play electronics or watch TV till after breakfast and our teeth are brushed." Damn it.
He huffed and puffed and by 7:03 and proclaimed in his loudest inside voice "I'M BORED."
By 9:00 I was ready to jump out an upper window. I've actually given this considerable thought in the past and I've come to the conclusion that even thought it's three stories high I would most likely only suffer minor injuries and have to pick my ass up and go back inside. And then I'd be stuck doing everything I'm already doing with the added bonus of having plucked myself out of the shrubs.
That's how I got the hairbrained idea to go to Leapin Lizards. I took the oldest two and off we went. We lasted twenty minutes.
There were kids everywhere and there was a constant background hum, not unlike what I imagine it must be like on the Enterprise with my husband Jean Luke. It was all the fan motors running the inflatables. He heard it right away.
He started getting his tics-the cough, blinks, grimaces. All the kids bouncing and running into him. Way too much stimulation. The place is a spinal cord injury waiting to happen.
There was one bouncy hut that he went into and when nobody was in there he had the time of his life. He bounced around without fear of knocking into any other kids. I actually found myself blocking the door and not letting kids in. Horribly wrong, I know, but he was so happy.
He spent the majority of his time reading the rules and regulations on each inflatable. I took pictures of the rules on every single inflatable, there are thirteen of them by the way. And he was happy.
After twenty minutes we left. We went to Burger King and this particular one had an indoor fountain which made his day. He saw the manager cleaning and he started talking. "Hey, your badge says manager. Well, I want you to know I'm a big fan of fountains! Did you know the water is circulated via motor pump and uses hydrostatic pressure? Did you know if a fountain is large enough it may need a small compressor? Did you know..."
The guy looked at me like we were total nuts. I looked at Alex and he was beaming. I figure there are worse things in life than being crazy nuts about fountains. I sushed the manager away, looked at Alex and asked, "Hey hon, could you tell me more about that fountain?"
I know how you feel about the lack of school. My son is not in "real" school yet but when his therapists work with him? That's my break - which is exactly why Monday is my favorite day of the week!
ReplyDeleteLeapin' Lizards looks like a place my son would like - for the exact same time frame - 20 minutes! But wow, Alex is hella smart about those fountains. I love that you got rid of the manager and continued the conversation. Another example of the good mom...
He sounds like a sweetie. Now you know you can save a few bucks and just entertain them at Burger King!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty hilarious. I can just see the guy looking at you like OMG! really lady? My son won't talk to strangers - he's too shy but as an Aspie he can go on and on about the same thing to me and i just about die from boredom sometimes. I sometimes wish he would talk to other people about stuff so I could get a break.
ReplyDeleteThat place looks awesome but even I would get overstimulated there
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed that you lasted 20 minutes because that's about 18 minutes longer than BB lasts. Fountains are cool. A small compressor, you say? I never knew.
ReplyDelete@ Karen--you're such a sweetie.
ReplyDelete@theconnorchronicles--I know it!! Considering it was eight bucks/kid and a side of fires is $0.99 I feel ripped off!
@C...the guy thought we were dorks. I've actually turned him to my sister and let him chat her up....
He has a thing for how things are made so he's a little dictionary...
Our spring break is next week and you are making me a little bit scared. I've had the same exact thought process on jumping from our second story window. I'm not sure if I'm glad to have company in that or if we both should be committed :P
ReplyDeleteA Burger King with a fountain? Where do you guys live, utopia?
My son loves looking at warning labels and such. He'd probably have done the same. Though he does love bouncing too. He's big on smashing against things for the pressure.
ReplyDelete@ Lynn--I probably should have been committed years ago...I bet we'd get along too well and fight each other for the best window...LOL
ReplyDeleteI could see Alex actually tilt his head off to the side when we walked in and he saw that thing. I'll take a pic the next time we're there, yu'll die.
@WisperingWriter--yeah, loved the labels. He likes all the bouncing stimulation too but not all the other kids. It's not wierd, just interesting as to what they like and don't like.
Maybe he can do a fountain post and tell us all about it, choosing his favorite photos so we can see.
ReplyDelete@ Rebecca--you know I was thinking of that but all the fountains are off right now! We live in KC, which ironically is the city of fountains, and we have squillions of them... There is a really cool train that I was thinking of posting in the meantime--thanks!
ReplyDeleteLOL. Sounds like a heck of a day. That fountain thing? My 9 year old is like that about dinosaurs
ReplyDelete