I decided to surprise them with lunch at McDonald's today. We got there and got our food and went to sit down. The place I chose for us happened to be next to a young woman (I think) who is developmentally delayed. This person is an employee of McD's and asked several questions several times in a language style commonly associated with a 2 year old. Kevin responded marvelously by answering the questions over and over and over again while eating his food as quickly as possible without being rude. I was very proud of him for his manners and kindness.
After we ate we moved to the play place that is three "stories" tall. You parents know what I'm talkin' about, this thing had three levels, two twisty slides, three places with steering wheels, and tower at the top. "SWEET!" was Kevin's exclamation as he entered the space and Nolan tagged right along. After a little while Nolan started to cry and despite my best efforts I could not coax him down. Another mom asked if I wanted her to go get him, to which I nearly replied, "Why, do you think I'm too fat to get up there?" but I didn't. - So up I went to get him and literally drag him down (because every parent knows how ridiculously difficult it is to do anything besides), all the while telling him that if he wanted to come back up he would have to do it himself because I was not climbing back up again to get him. "Okay Mama." - And we both sat and rested when we got to the bottom. - After a few minutes he wanted to get down and go again and I reminded him, "You have to do it by yourself, Nolan. I'm not climbing in to get you again."
"Okay Mama," and off he went.
The boys played for quite some time, 35 minutes or so and when I finally said it was time to go, Nolan happily started down the mountain... and then got stuck in the same spot as before.
Sticking to my guns I told him he would need to slide down it just like before and he began to cry... not the whimpering "I don't want to" cry but the "I'm scared out of my mind and I can't get down" cry.
With several other parents watching I tried for a long time to coax him down. I sent Kevin up to grab his feet and pull him down (no dice). I spoke in a very calm tone (as calm as one can sound in a super tall echoey area) and tried to get him to come down for TWENTY minutes. - I nearly decided to just sit there until he came down, but then I realized that it was drawing more attention than I care to be responsible for, and so I went in after him...again.
Nolan has been sleeping for almost two hours and I don't know if I will wake him up. He was exhausted by the end of it, as am I.
It's time for my baby to become a kiddo.
