So, Leah, because you so nicely asked, I'll fill you in on the Lagoon Day Deux but first I have to mention a few important sidebars.
I had to inform you all about Jeff's Father's Day. To put it on record that we actually DID something. Maybe this will be our new thing--doing stuff on holidays and special occasions. I also needed to give my mama a big thanks for making a fabulous date possible, as it seems like they are very few and far between. (And, fyi, Moriah, I agreed with Kyle's assessment of our movie. Year One had it's funny parts and I have total crushes on both Michael Cera and Jack Black, but I was anticipating a TON more laughs. Also, I wished Paul Rudd had a more plentiful part and Jeff and I were the only ones that laughed at quite a few parts because I guess they were overly crude....but disgustingly hilarious).
The DAY after my "Summer is so great" post, or I guess it was called "Summertime"; all Hell broke loose at our house. Riley got so sick and lethargic that I knew I needed to take her to the doctor's office. It turned out she had an ear infection and that meant a lot of pain for her and worry and sleeplessness for us. Then Cole got sick. He was coughing like his little lungs would give out for a couple nights and of course, Syd became sick last, running a fever, overly snotty, and sleeping two hours on and two hours off. All that I had planned--swimming lessons, baby photos, and personal stuff like haircuts and errands and yard work, etc., was put on hold. For almost two weeks. That will teach me to praise the sunny time of year. My previous theory has now been proven. (Which is, Mainly, summer sucks....and the minute it fools you into thinking that it doesn't, you're regretting your momentary insanity). And yeah, I know I'm going to have a lot of comments disagreeing with that last statement.
Anyway, our last Lagoon Day I had mentioned the "L" word, pee, the Collossis, and the Terror Ride. I don't know if any of you have ever seen the show, Grounded For Life....it's about a trashy family and everyday stuff. I love it. Anyhoo, Jeff and I watched it regularly a few weeks ago on DVD. One episode mentioned the family going to Coney Island, and it being "Gay Day", where apparently Gay men all gathered, and parts of the show were about how the family dealt with questions from their kids, and their own issues as parents and such. No, it wasn't as PC as I would have liked, however, after our Lagoon Day, I guess it never is. So, when we went, I'm not sure if there was a name for it or not, but there was a very big gathering of 'women with an affinity for women'. I spotted many rainbow sweatbands and necklaces and tattoos and families, and couples.
Now, I've been trying to let Riley and Cole know that there are different cultures, and people, and preferences, in a way that is gradual and as non-shocking as possible. Earlier that weekend, Riley and Cole had been looking through one of Jeff and my Entertainment Weeklys, and they came across a picture of Ozzy Ozbourne and started laughing so hard at the "funny looking lady", that I had to go over to see what they were looking at. I tried to explain to them that who they thought was a lady was actually a man....and that there are different people that dress differently and have different hair, etc. Anyway, after they both expressed that it was "weird" to them, they let it go, and there was no more mention of it.
Until Lagoon Day. Cole was with me, as Riley and Jeff were in line for a huge roller coaster that Cole would NOT even attempt. A couple walked by and Cole said: "Hey mom, why are those guys holding hands?" The thing about Cole is that he doesn't have a quiet bone in his body and the guys were actually women. So I was a little embarrassed, and I told him that they weren't men, they were women and they were holding hands because they were good friends. (How do you explain a relationship to a six year old boy, anyway? Especially when most grown men don't get it). Anyway, I was saved when he made his own connection and goes, "OH! You mean like that man in the magazine that looked like a lady? And some ladies look like boys?" Embarrassed, I said, "Yep. That's kinda like it", and tried to get him to focus on something else. Unfortunately, that show that I'd previously mentioned painfully illustrated the explanation of what we think of as unconventional relationships, to children. While watching it, I thought, "That's so NOT how kids would act". But I was proven wrong. I'm gonna work on that.
The other two stories involve Cole as well. I say this not because Riley is boring, but just the opposite. Riley was a riding machine!
The only ride she truly wouldn't try was the Blast Off Re-entry where it takes you way up and just drops you. Cole tried a lot more rides than the first time, but he was still a big chicken. Jeff and I found that he doesn't mind how fast they go, they just need to be closer to ground level. It's the high rides that he won't even attempt. Anyway, an odd choice, I thought for Cole, was the "Terror Ride". He just decided that it looked fun, and he wanted to go. Nevermind the fact that the ENTIRE time he burrowed his face into my side and wouldn't look at anything. So I began telling him everything that I saw, "There's a werewolf", and "there's a bat with glowing eyes", and "ooooh, that's a scary Frankenstein". As soon as it was done, and we went out into the light again, he looked around, and skipped off to where Jeff, Riley, and Syd were waiting. When I caught up with him I heard him telling them, "and there was a werewolf and a scary and bat with glowing eyes, and a Frankenstein...." Everything that I had said he actually had listened to, and passed it off as his own adventure. He's truly my son.
And lastly, was the pee story. So Cole decided he loved The Bat. He claimed it was his favorite ride. On his fourth or fifth time I went with him and Riley. They had decided to ride together and I'd ride behind them. As the ride came into view, I watched a little girl get out of the seat and she was...dripping. From her seat. I kind of panicked and offered Cole to sit next to me, in back and he said that he'd already promised to be seat buddies with Riley. I didn't have the heart to tell him what I'd saw...so I helped him into his seat, and he looked at me with a confused face and said, "it's really wet, mom". I told him someone must have been sweating a lot, and he seemed to think that made sense. I have convinced myself sometimes the lies I tell won't count against me. As for the Collossis, I can't remember the story. Sorry...sometimes I think the nutrasweet I consume each day might somehow affect me.
Okay, it's now time for me to hit the hay. I'll fill you in on more later. But for now, I have to get some sleep.
