funtown!

we went to funtown today and we had SO MUCH FUN! totally lived up to the name. :-)

we weren't sure yesterday if we were even going to go, because at 48 inches (in shoes) a child is considered a "big kid" and, according to the website and the woman i talked to on the phone, not allowed on the "little kid" rides. nina is 47.75 inches tall barefoot, so we figured she wouldn't be able to go on most of the rides she was interested in, and that maggie wouldn't go on rides without her. but, we looked at the rides on the website, realized that there were quite a few "family" rides that big and little kids, and grownups, could all ride on together (antique cars, merry go round) that it was worth a go.

and it sure was! it turned out that they did make nina get a "big kid" bracelet, but that most of the "little kid" rides allowed bigger riders so long as they were accompanying little kids. there were a few of these rides that nina wanted to go on but maggie didn't, but nina just went as an accompaniment to some random little kids. a loaner big sister, if you will. the parents of one 2 year old little girl were very happy that nina could sit with her on the ride!

and beyond that, nina really surprised us with the rides she went on and LOVED! she rode the astro-shpere, the flying trapeze (swings), the thunderbolt, and the log flume. these are not for the faint of heart! and she loved, loved, loved it. i loved watching her huge smiles on the flying trapeze as she flew through the air.

even better, jessie, the girl i tutor, came with us. so i had someone to go on scary rides with me while nick watched the kids, and nick and i even got to do the log flume together while she watched them. it was so, so perfect. jessie is such a sweetheart, so much fun, and the girls love her. hooray for a wonderful day!

even maggie pushed herself some. she went on the baby bumper boats, a floating canoe ride, a boats ride (and so did nina. who knows, maybe all of this will open her mind to our boat!), multiple carousel trips, antique cars, and on and on. she had a wonderful time. at one point, when nina was on the frog hopper, maggie and i were sitting on a bench with a woman whose grandson was also on the frog hopper. she was eating some utz party snack from a small, individual-sized bag. maggie smiled at her, said hi, and asked "can i have some of your snack?" that girl is such a hoot! not the least bit shy. and of course the woman gave her some.

the weather was perfect too, sunny and warm but not too hot. now the girls are asleep and i am almost ready to pass out too.