Splashdown Park

The waterslides!!

Last weekend we headed to Tsawassen

as we had half off coupons from Praise 106.5 Family Savers.

This was the first time with Marshall!

We haven't gone at all since he's been born,

so it's not like we chose to leave him at home in the past

or anything like that.

Like everything else we ever do,

it's a gamble as to how Marshall will be.

Will he like it?

Will he scream the whole time?

Will he listen?

Is he gunna be cranky and need a nap?

Will we have to leave after half an hour?

These questions loomed about still on the morning

of our waterslide day,

but what else can you do but try!

It was cloudy in Abbotsford,

but blue skies and really warm in Tsawassen!

Marshall was a little unsure of where we were going

so as soon as we were out of the car, it was "up".

He is my daily weight lifting routine these days!! lol.

We got into the park and it was busy

but not insane.

Got our blankets set up and brought our cooler

stocked with food and beverages.

Marshall saw the water and the slides and was

whining while he held his life jacket...

he wanted to go in the water!

M actually did really well as far as listening this day.

He would walk away from the blanket towards

the water just a few feet, and then stop.

I would see him and tell him to "come" or to

"wait" and he listened... every time.

This is actually only dawning on me now...

he never bolted, not once.

I will pause as i take this in!!!

......ahhh.................lol.

Big sister B brought a friend along so the two

of them pretty much disappeared for the day.

Daddy and I were left with the little ones...

well, i was left with Marshall as he

only wants me.

It is quite annoying.

Daddy is stronger.

Daddy is an extra pair of hands.

Daddy is fresh patience when Mommy's is wearing thin.

But Marshall won't have any of it.

Daddy tries to help, but M just gets more pissed off.

Mama's boy. lol.

Moving on,

now it's watersliding time!

Neither my husband or myself have been to this park

before so water levels and knowing which

slides go fast and what not was a guessing game

in the beginning.

I was worried that Marshall wouldn't like sliding

with water, and that maybe he wouldn't even

sit on the slide, nevermind slide down it.

Marshall proved me wrong :)

He walked into the water with me and went straight

for the slide (there were 3 at the top of the kiddie section).

He sat down and was a bit unsure, so i tucked in behind

him and we slid down together.

He loved it!!

:)

Daddy was there the whole time as the two little ones

slid down and then walked back up the hill.

Unfortunitely, we can't fully trust Marshall

to walk up a hill without running off into who knows

where, so each and every time he

came out of the water, me... and only me had

to get out and walk up the hill each time.

Now, i am out of shape.

I don't look it, but i am.

Last summer i was walking/jogging almost daily

with the kids in the stroller,

and i was in great shape.

But this year, i'm not sure why exactly,

i haven't been motivated enough to

get out there and do it.

So i've pretty much been sitting on my butt.

After half a dozen times up that little hill,

i could already feel my legs burning...

and then of course when i stop walking, the jello

sensation kicks in.

I knew i was in trouble. lol.

Then it got worse.

Marshall became very interested in the larger

wider slide (just goes straight down)

that lands in the deeper water that the regular

slides go into.

Now this meant that i had to lift M up as i landed at the

bottom of the slide.

Holy-moly.

Arms. Legs. Old lady. lol.

Ok, this really isn't supposed to be about me so i will just add

that i still can't crouch down without making a whimpering

noise and it's been 4 days. lol.

SOOOO...

back to this larger slide.

Marshall loved it.

We slid down this particular slide at least 10 consecutive

times after the first time.

I would scream often as the speed was freaking me

out and i was worried i was gunna take M

under with me.

I guess Marshall picked up on this cause

after the 5th time or so, he started screaming too!! lol.

He was laughing and smiling,

AND he was totally ok with getting really wet

on his head and in his face at the bottom of the slide.

That surprised me.

We'd 'stick' the landing and i'd pop out and look at

Marshall and his face was covered in water and

he was blinking like crazy. lol.

I'd say, "Oh boy!! Water!! It's ok!!" and laugh

and pretty soon he was saying, "it's ok" after each slide when

i'd rub his face and he was laughing.

It was great.

We ate lunch and then Marshall got a bit out of sorts.

We went back onto the slides and suddenly he

would want to walk to the big slide, but then

once i'd sit down with him,

instead of counting like we'd been doing,

he was freaking out and turning around and trying

to climb me.

He smashed his head on my teeth three different times.

I was already sitting with him,

so i pushed us down each time.

I'm sure people were thinking i was abusing my screaming

son by forcing him down this slide,

but what could i do?!

Then we'd go up the hill and i'd try to lure him to the

kiddie slides, but he wanted the big slide...

and he'd wait until we were sitting and then he'd freak again.

It was getting stressful,

and i was landing wrong in the water because he

wouldn't sit proper.

Anyways...

i convinced him to go back to the blanket to eat,

which he did, and was happy about it.

He was looking like he might fall asleep, but he didn't,

he saved that for the car ride home :)

Daddy got everyone icecream which

we thought would be a nice treat...

and it was - after buying 8 different kinds for 6 people! lol.

That was a bit of a train wreck for about 10 minutes,

but in the end, everyone got what they wanted

and everyone was happy.

And hey, if my family's happy, then i'm happy.

Another new adventure for the Hiebert clan,

a good adventure!

We will definitely make a point of hitting the waterslides

again with Marshall in the future...

but i will have to start my training

3 months prior to the date! lol.