On Sunday, Toothsome #3 turned four. He is such a delight these days and I love being his mother. My older kids talked him into going to Chuck E. Cheese's for this birthday. I agreed on the condition that we not eat there. I think their pizza is probably the worst I have ever had and I was not going to pay for it.
So on Saturday, around 2:00 pm, we headed over there. Dentist husband had a bad case of the flu, so I bravely took four kids by myself. I should have figured out that it was going to be busy based on the cars in the parking lot but NOTHING prepared me for what I found inside. I was informed that there was a 40 minute wait to just get inside. However, my three older kids--toothsome #3 in particular were so excited, I couldn't say no, so we waited. And waited. And waited. In a very small, crowded waiting area. Toothsome #4 wiggled and cried the whole time.
When we finally got inside, it was so crowded there were lines for every game. So, what I thought would take about a 1/2 hour at the most to blast through $20 worth of tokens, took almost an hour and 1/2. Toothsome #4 HATED any ride I put her on, so I spent the majority of the time, chasing her around and trying to keep tabs on the other three kids. I don't think I have ever been in such a big place with so little room to move. And, much to my amazement, there were adults there, without kids--pushing little kids out of the way, so they could play the games. What in the world?
So, finally, after all of the tokens were used and the kids got their tickets redeemed for cheep "Made in China" products, we were able to leave. I felt like screaming, "So long suckers" to the many people still stuck in the waiting area, but I didn't.
Thankfully, toothsome #3 chose Costa Vida as his dinner choice. We go there a lot. So much so, that the manager there, Lilly, knows us and knows what we order. So as I walked in the doors, she saw me, and said, "You look exhausted. Sit down and I will bring your order to you." Yes, we go there that often but at that moment, I was so grateful that we do. I was able to sit down and enjoy my smothered pork burrito in the relative calm of Costa Vida.
Later that night, we had a Wiggles cake (a Baskin Robbin's ice cream cake with a Wiggle's car on top) and called it good.
8 comments:
There should seriously be a support group for mother's of kids who think Chuck E. Cheese is one step lower than Disneyland. You deserve a medal!!! (LOVE the book face down in the background of the birthday boy & cake... "Make it quick #3 - I'm almost done with this chapter!!" ;)
Yikes. I hate that place. Good for you that you made it through with your sanity still intact!
Oh, I was going to also say that one reason I really like Discovery Gateway (Children's Museum) is that you are not allowed in without a child. Keeps the weirdos out.
lovely! sounds exhausting!
You have now confirmed my belief that you should be nominated mother of the year! I hate, HATE that place. I love that you go to Costa so often that the manager knew what to bring you, she's awsome!
You really were going for mother of the year! Way to make it out alive! I love that the manager knows you too!
I love that the manager knows you!!! That's great. But good for her in recognizing, not only you but that you were exhausted. You really are mother of the year!!
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