Holiday World

Our Sunday School class takes an annual trip to Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN. This was our first year to go. After leaving Caleb with Grandma and Grandpa Swan, we left Sunday afternoon. Stephen and I had both heard that it would take about three hours to get there, so we didn't pack a whole lot as far as car activities for Katy....a few books, a couple snacks, and her ubiquitous milk. As it would happen, it's more like 5 or 6 hours away. She was READY to be done in the car.

We stayed at the Jasper Inn, which is great for kids. Stephen spent most of his evening in the big pool while I played with Katy in the kiddie pool. She loved it, but again, we had planned poorly and didn't have toys for her. (I didn't realize that pool time was like bath time and required cups, etc.) Anyway... After swimming, Katy went to bed. We socialized for a little while (ADULT TIME!!), but we turned in earlier than most, excited for the shot at a full night's sleep. Around 3:30, Stephen turned over to face the bed where Katy was sleeping, just in time to see her fall out. Thud. I went over and held her for a bit till she went back to sleep. (Honestly, I don't think she'd have a problem with falling out if we brought her own pillow. She feels the need to wiggle off of the hotel pillows. Too poofy.) So I was awake for about an hour, afflicted with a slight case of Mommy-panic. I didn't want her to fall out again. But she didn't, so I went back to sleep. Oh well on the full night's sleep. Maybe next year. :)

Day two started with a trip to the hotel's breakfast buffet. Katy had a bit of a meltdown because she had to wait for her milk to be served. She drinks more fluids than most adults I know, so hydration is very important to her. It was all better after SuperDaddy found some grapes for her, though. We ate, then drove the last little bit to Holiday World.

We were a little disconcerted when we saw all the forward-thinking parents who had brought strollers with them. "That would have been a good idea," we said to ourselves. But never fear! Family-friendly Holiday World is equipped to rent strollers and wagons to those who come without. We got a wagon for our girl and headed off to Rudolph's Reindeer Ranch, the section for little kids. Katy loved riding the merry-go-rounds and other rides. The only part she did NOT like at all was the ball pit. She asked to go in, so I put her in. Then she cried, so I took her out. Then she wanted back in, so I put her in. She cried again. Yikes. Time to move on.

After a bit, Stephen saw a ride that he wanted to try. It was the kind where you spin really fast in a circle so that you're stuck to the sides, and then it tilts up. Since I knew Katy wouldn't stay in one place for very long, I told Stephen I'd meet him at the exit and I took her around while he waited for his ride. She wandered around, climbing on and off the curbs and fences. When I thought Stephen might be getting done, I slowly steered her back toward him. However, before we got there, she saw a kiddie ride. I took her around a couple times, but then we kept going to meet up with Daddy. As we walked past, I noticed he wasn't in line anymore, so we planted ourselves at the exit to see him when he came off. The ride started, and Katy was very concerned for her Daddy's safety, especially when the ride started tilting. "No, Daddy, no, Daddy, nooooo!!" When it came to a stop, we waited for Stephen, but he didn't come. I told Katy that he must be on the next one. Nope. Maybe the next one... Nope. After five groups of people had come and gone, I knew something wasn't going according to plan. So I let Katy fall asleep on me, put her down in the wagon, and waited some more. My parents always told me that when you are lost, you should stay in one place. Technically I think Stephen was lost, but I couldn't very well go traipsing around carrying two bags and pulling a sleeping girl. So after my backside fell asleep sitting on the concrete block, I moved to a nearby bench at a crossroads, thinking I'd have a better chance at seeing Stephen there. I waited some more while Katy slept. After almost two hours, I borrowed someone's cell phone to try and call him. I left a message detailing my whereabouts and waited some more.

During this whole waiting process, my inner thoughts were very....negative. Things along the lines of "How hard is it just to WAIT at the EXIT?!?" and "Boy, when he finds us, he's gonna pay!" were swarming in my head. However, when I saw Stephen finally coming up the hill toward us, I was more relieved than anything. I can only imagine what it must be like to lose a child in a place like that. As it turned out, Stephen had gotten through with his ride, and we still weren't back. So he noticed that a nearby ride had a short line and went on it. When we still weren't back, he figured we had gone on to the water park. After looking EVERYWHERE, checking everyone's wagon to see if it was ours, he got my phone message. Unfortunately, the part that told him WHERE we were waiting got garbled. So he kept looking and eventually found us. He never heard the part about us waiting by the exit. (Argh.)

After a few minutes of reunited bliss, Katy woke up, so we went to the water park. We got changed and sunscreened, prepared for hours of cool water. Stephen and I rode the lazy river, and Katy rode on me. :) She somehow missed the memo that she might get wet on a water ride, but she was used to a little splashing by the 5th time around. There was an area just for little kiddos where we spent the rest of the afternoon. All in all, a great day. Enjoy some pictures....