White Water

We went to White Water yesterday, a water slide park in Branson. Britt wanted to enjoy the lazy river with Allyson (in reality he ended up following her around the kiddie area all day).

Nicole and I were looking for a little more adventure so we headed for the slides. The first ones we saw looked a little intimidating...

... but Nicole didn't even hesitate. (She was too short for the ridiculously tall one. Even if she wasn't there's no way I'd send my kid down that thing!) We grabbed our sled-like mats and climbed the stairs to the shorter "bumpy" slide.

By the time we made it to the top, Nicole was very afraid. It does look different from the top!

 I told her we'd just go find something else to do. Unfortunately, her excitement was doused and she wasn't sure she wanted to do any slides at all. I coaxed her into trying one with a "doubles" tube she could ride on with me. 

By the time we were in the tube she started to cry. But, trying to be a "risk taker" (a phrase from her kindergarten teacher) she did it anyway. 

I held my breath and, at the first sharp (and fast) turn, thought of the trauma she might forever carry from this experience. In just seconds I decided I'm the worst mother on the planet. Then I heard this wonderful sound. Nicole's belly laugh. That's when I knew the day was saved (and I could stop the self loathing.). At the bottom she just yelled, "I want to do that again!" And we did.

Her excitement was back with a new-found confidence that only comes from conquering fear. We rode everything: big tubes, double tubes, single tubes, tunnel slides, waterfall slides, even the wave pool. You name it, she loved it all.

At the end of the day Nicole wanted to go back to that first, giant, "bumpy" slide. So, once again, we grabbed  our sled-like mats and climbed the stairs.

First we went down together. She never hesitated. 

Then she went down by herself so I could get this on video. Notice the "thumbs up" sign at the end.

So proud of her!!

Then it was time for Mommy to conquer her fear. We walked up the extra steps to the ridiculous slide. I handed the video camera to the lifeguard (and also gave her babysitting duties) and took the leap. Notice the thumbs up sign again!

Meanwhile, back at the kiddie pool, Allyson had no fear to conquer. She saw the slide and jumped right on it.

We all had a great day at White Water. And, yes, Daddy did get a little time on the lazy river.

Old Videos

I found some old videos that I couldn't figure out how to publish when they were taken. Now I'm hoping it will work. This was Nicole singing to Allyson in March of 2009. Allyson was just six months old and Nicole had just turned four. Allyson wasn't in the mood to be serenaded.

This one explains how Allyson got her "extra-long" name. (It's not on the birth certificate!) Nicole just started adding names after we brought her home from the hospital. Since this video was taken she's also added "Nadalyn." So, her "official-according-to-Nicole" name is Allyson Paige Laura Emily Nadalyn.

Concert for Joplin

I enjoyed such a great concert tonight with Tracy Lawrence, Jo Dee Messina, and more country music singers. It was at the Bass Pro Shop parking lot and the stars came to raise money for Joplin relief efforts. I only had my cell phone so the quality of these videos is horrific and the lights blocked any view of the singer but I still just had to post this. I took a picture of Jo Dee up close and...accidentally deleted it. Argh.

An ex-boyfriend from North Carolina once dedicated this song to me. Guess I flipped heads and he flipped tails. Ha Ha. It was a perfect song at the time.

Tomorrow I will be getting up at 5:30 to join a team from church going to Joplin to help. Will post some pics of that as well.