I love just how kids pick up on the things going on around
them. It really is fascinating how even at the age of three, Ellie picks up on
the most minute detail. Of course, she doesn't just pick up on those small
details. She remembers them for extended periods of time and will inevitably
use that information to her advantage whenever she can. For example, take this
morning's trip to 'Above All Trampoline Park'.
Since our first
trip to 'Above All' back in October, it's undeniable that Ellie had a
desire to go back. Every so often, she'll randomly talk about it and want to
know when we can go back. With nothing else going on today and Fridays mornings
being "Toddler Time" at 'Above All', I decided it was as good of a
time as any. As soon as Ethan woke up from his morning nap, I loaded everyone
up and we set off to Liberty for 'Above All'.
It goes without saying that Ellie was justifiably excited
for her return trip to the trampoline park. In fact, as soon as I helped her
put on her special jump socks this morning, she knew exactly where we were
going and what we were doing. Once we arrived, it was all I could do to keep my
daughter semi-close to me as we walked across the parking lot to the front
door. Once inside, as soon as I paid Ellie's entry fee, she was off like a
rocket to have some jumping fun.
Now, even though Ellie's time jumping was fun to me, it was
largely exactly the same as last time. Really the only difference is that Ethan
was much more cognizant of what was happening and therefore, jealous that Ellie
was having fun and he was not. For the record, Ethan adores trampolines. It's
not uncommon to find him standing up on the mini-trampoline in our family room,
gently bouncing up and down, laughing and clapping his hands all the while.
As we wandered around from activity to activity, I glanced
over just in time to see a large man in a red suit exiting an office door and
walking around the front desk. I was a little confused (justifiably so) but
really didn't give it much thought until an announcement came over the
speakers. "To all of our guests at 'Above All', we invite you to come meet
Santa Claus and get your picture taken with him. Also, feel free to enjoy a
complimentary cookie after doing so."
Now, I feel like most kids her age would focus on the Santa
aspect of that announcement. Not Ellie. All she wanted was that cookie. For the
record, part of her lack of fascination with Santa is that Bethany and I have
been upfront about his **ahem** fictional status (Spoiler alert). We approach
it with the idea of Santa being a fun part of Christmas that can be celebrated
through stories and song. However, we don't want her to think we lied to her one
day in the near future and taught her something untrue. With that in mind, I
was shocked that once our jump time ended, Ellie asked if she could go meet
Santa. I happily obliged and we took our place in line.
As soon as Santa laid eyes on Ellie and invited her to come
sit in his big chair, Ellie was completely and utterly fear-stricken. While
Santa was able to get a fist bump and high-five out of her, that was the extent
of it. She wouldn't even take a seat in Santa's big throne if he wasn't sitting
in it. Instead, she chose to seek refuge in the nearby 'Fast and the Furious'
arcade game.
While I was ready to call the experiment a bust, Santa asked
if I would at least like a picture of Ethan with him. Once again, I didn't have
an issue and happily obliged. Ethan, not so much. As Santa took him in his
white-gloved hands, Ethan looked up at his bearded visage and then turned and
looked back at me. His little face contorted into a frown, his bottom lip
quivered, and then, the screams came. Truer terror was never before seen like
Ethan sitting on the lap of Ol' Saint Nick. Finally, after a nearby worker
snapped a couple of photos, I mercifully retrieved my son from Santa's lap
where he responded by bearing his tiny face in my chest.
 |
| Does it make me a bad dad if I say that Ethan's look of terror brings me joy? |
With that, I thought it was time to take our leave of 'Above
All'. Ellie, meanwhile, had other ideas. You see, she knew there was one more
part to that announcement. "... Also, feel free to enjoy a complimentary
cookie after doing so." I couldn't argue with her logic so there I sat
beside my daughter on a nearby couch as she enjoyed a Christmas tree-shaped
sugar cookie.
Oh yeah, lest I forget, I enjoyed a chocolate chunk cookie
of my very own. Don't judge me; it's not like Ethan was going to eat it for himself
and I couldn't let it go to waste. I'm just always trying to do the right
thing. It's clearly hard. #DaddyWrite
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