Great Wolf Lodge

While in MO and while D1 was away with the guys for the weekend, I threw all reason out the window and headed for an adventure to the Great Wolf Lodge with the boys. And an adventure it was! We weren't going completely solo, though - my friend, Tammie and her daughter, Sydney met us there (after they made a 5 hour drive from Iowa to see us!) for an overnight stay. I might add that this isn't any random little girl - this is (one of) d1's true loves (apparently he has three - me, Syd, and Taylor Swift). They met when they were both just turning 2 and still play amazingly well together. This was the first time we had seen them since our Atlanta Zoo trip . Crazy how much they've both grown up! And even crazier is how my son acts when he's with her - as if he's trying to win her over. Hello? They are 6 years old. Throughout the entire 24 hours we were with them, they would randomly hold hands or she would have her arm looped through his. It was just very uncharacteristic of him to act so affectionately. There may have been moments where I was working up a scenario in my head for a kid swap - or just take Sydney home with us and keep all my boys, too. Her influence on d1 might be worth having the extra child around.


The Three Amigos




I realize this is not a good picture but I like the double fist-pump action here.....or is he snapping his fingers?




Giant Waterfall






About sums up his excitement for the waterpark





Is this kid lovestruck or what?




Our entire crew in the KidKabin Bunk Area - d2 kept calling her Cindy - guess her real name was too hard to remember





Great Wolf Story Time Set




How cute is this? And it was constant




So we were pretty much on the go the entire time we arrived. Indoor water park, arcade, tattoos, shopping, Dinner at T-Rex, Story Time in jammies. The resort set up is great for kids and the water park was a big hit, although not so much for the little ones (as you can see from the stroller picture). It's just a little tricky without two parents. I had to make sure I could see the older two who were EVERYWHERE and I couldn't put d3 down to walk because it was slippery and he's just getting comfortable with this walking thing (yes....15 months.....entirely another post) so it was a little nerve wracking. There are lifeguards and they seem to do a good job but there are so many kids that I'm not ready to grab a lounger and send them off alone. And not to mention what sorts of kooks are lurking in there. They also have this huge fort-like thingy-ma-bobber in the middle of the waterpark that the kids can climb on. This 'thing' also has a giant bucket at the top that fills every 5 minutes and once it's full, it comes crashing down like a huge waterfall (see above pic). The older kids loved it! d3 HATED it. Screamed! And he wasn't even near it or feeling any water from it - he just didn't like the big crash or so I assume. He didn't really say......

Overall it was a great time. I only had a few times where I wanted to get in the fetal position and cry. One of those being in the arcade. You see, I had just returned to the arcade after taking d3 back to the room to change his blowout diaper that extended all the way to the neck, only to find d2's pants wet. In the 'guts' area. WHAT. THE. HECK. He hasn't had an accident in well over a year and it was all because he didn't want to leave the air hockey table that he decided to tinkle in his undies. I realize it's not a big deal, I think it was just a combination of the previous 5 minutes I had endured with the blowout (wiggly toddler, runny poo, hotel carpet). Or maybe the fact that I had about 2 hours of sleep the night before because our A/C unit in the hotel kicked on every 5 minutes and sounded like a jet taking off. I can appreciate 'white noise' but this was absurd. Oh and in between take-offs, the hotel phone would randomly ring....at, oh, 2am. And again at 4am. It eventually was taken off the hook. Needless to say, I was running on very little sleep and SO missing my husband. But it was great to see them and a wonderful experience for the kiddos......but never again will I go it alone. At least not until I can have my lounger and little umbrella drink....