beginning of the end

Ada's school had a teacher in-service day last Friday so the family took the afternoon off and went to Sea World. We have passes so we go a couple of times each year and Ada has a very good memory about all the shows, rides, and animals she sees. It is safe to say that Sea World is one of her happy places.

This is good and bad. Good because we can hold trips to Sea World out there as a carrot when trying to get her to behave for the week. Bad in that she never wants to leave once we get there.

This time was particularly bad because she had only a 20 minute nap under her belt when we entered the park. This should read as "Warning - tantrum and whiny negotiations ahead."

The day was pretty good - we did the Elmo ride, the Shamu show, the Oscar the Grouch ride, the new Dolphin show (classic quote from Ada as we entered the stadium "They did a pretty good job with it"), and then one final turn at the play area where Elliot and Ada had a date on the ropes course. They went through the course once and then came desperately running over to where I was sitting. Ada needed to go potty - NOW! We had rented a stroller for the day (see note about short nap above) so we threw Ada into the stroller, popped a few wheelies, and cut a few corners as close as we could - and got to the potty as fast as was humanly possible.

Random question - why the heck do they not have a massive bathroom in the play area? Or a kid themed one with little potties? Seems like a good idea to me...

Anyway, I digress. After the potty break Elliot and I decided we were ready to head home. Ada however was not really down with this plan and started to enter tantrum, whiny negotiating mode. This is when I went for my go to play for the last four years. When all else fails, make one of Ada's dolls/stuffed animals talk to me, telling me they want to do exactly the thing Ada is refusing to do. So I picked up Ada's new purple dolphin and held it close to my ear.

"What's that dolphin? You want to go home to see Ada's other toys?"

holding dolphin up to my ear

"Yes, that's right, she has two Hello Kitty dolls"

holding dolphin up to my ear

"I know, they do sound cute, we should go home right now so you can meet them."

setting dolphin down in the stroller

"Come on Ada, dolphin wants to go home"

Ada picking up dolphin

"What's that dolphin? You want to stay here and ride the Abby ride with me and Daddy?"

putting dolphin up to her ear

"You don't care about going home yet?"

putting dolphin up to her ear

"You really really want to go play some more?"

"See Mom, dolphin doesn't want to go home, she wants to go play with me!"

sneaky smile spread from ear to ear

Game. Set. Match.

I need to get a new play book.