Honestly, I should have known based on the diva attitude I received first thing in the morning.
Telling me, "No, mama. No.".
We tried going to the park for a nice lunch. I picked up sandwiches at Subway on our way to Sheep Meadow. I took her out of the stroller and told her she needed to stay on the blanket. We've been working on this while we've been here, and she had been getting better about staying near us. As soon as she got out, she took off running. I had to chase her down, and back in the stroller she went. I'm sure people are judging me, but I can't leave my 4 year old and our belongings unattended to chase Charlotte down every 30 seconds.
So, she is back in the stroller, and I give her her chocolate milk.
She's drinking it and people watching. I look down for a second, look back up, and she has dumped it all in her lap, all over the stroller. Yes, this can be cleaned, but I find it unacceptable. This will happen, I know, because of her age, but it wasn't something I could just shrug off and laugh at. I want her to know it's unacceptable. I told her so in a stern voice. She cried, and wanted a wipe, which I couldn't give her because I forgot them (totally my fault). She was just going to have to sit in her sticky mess until we were done eating. I swear I was getting dirty looks, but maybe I was just being self conscious.
Because of the sticky, wet mess, I scratched our plans to go to the playground after lunch. Instead, we went to a bakery to pick up some cupcakes for Charlotte's birthday.
We get back to the apartment. I get Charlotte's clothes off, get the stroller seat off, and we took them down to the basement to wash.
I got extra cupcakes, so I let the girls each have one. I open the box, and the icing has all but slid off the cupcakes. Still, I think they will be delicious. There is a juice box left over from this morning that Charlotte starts drinking. I should have anticipated it, but I didn't. I come back in, and she is squirting it all over the seat, making another huge mess. I scolded her again. She cried again. But, I don't think she is getting it that it is not acceptable.
She is into everything today. I heard clinking and clanking, and I turned around, and she had managed to open a cabinet that has china in it. I have been on edge the whole time we've been here since this isn't our place, but today has been worse.
This is one of the few times Charlotte was actually staying out of trouble.
I decided it was time to start getting the girls ready to go to Victorian Gardens Amusement Park. This amusement park is run during the late spring and summer months. During the winter, the location is an ice skating rink, known as Wolman Rink.
While I'm getting things together, I felt the need to check on Charlotte and found her wearing our digital SLR around her neck and trying to take pictures. Like I said, into everything!
I finally get us all ready and we head out the door. Charlotte hadn't slept all day, so I suspected she would fall asleep during the 20 minute walk to the amusement park, which is located in Central Park. Like clockwork, she fell asleep, and I hoped she would wake up in time to enjoy the amusement park, as it was her birthday after all. We arrived at 4, and the park was open until 7, so 3 hours is all we had.
Bea sizes up the park, trying to decide what to do first.
Since Charlotte was sleeping, Bea rode the rides by herself for a while. She was having so much fun.
I'm glad we didn't get there earlier, as there was a lack of shade, and that sun on that concrete was stifling, despite the occasional mister they had going. I decided I needed a drink, and that's when Charlotte woke up. She didn't have the nap she needed, but I was glad she woke up so she could enjoy the fun.
The first ride we rode was the water boat ride. Charlotte was not happy that she had to ride with me. She wanted to sit with Bea, and kept her eye on her most of the time.
Here she is turning around to look at Bea.
Bea really was having fun.
We then rode the airplane ride. Again, Charlotte was upset that she wasn't sitting with Bea, and then she was upset that I was trying to keep her from jumping off the ride.
This ride just about did me in. Too many turns on too tight of a radius. I was feeling quite ill afterwards.
Next up was the roller coaster. I thought it might be better for me since it didn't just turn in small circles. It wasn't too bad, but again, Charlotte wanted to sit with Bea and/or jump off the ride.
I didn't get any photos of our first time on the roller coaster, but I got some when Steven rode with the girls later.
This is when I needed Steven to get there quick, so I texted him saying so. I couldn't stomach another ride. The girls played a game. Unfortunately, they require 2 people to play so they can have a winner. So dumb. My child just wanted to hit the dang moles with a pallet. So, I held Charlotte and helped her bang away at the moles while Bea did the same. Problem is, I was too good, and I beat Bea. The game lasted maybe 15 seconds, and I was announced the winner and given a stuffed animal. Bea was so upset, and I felt terrible, though she needs to learn it is just a game and not everyone can win.
Beatrix then went down the giant slide. I was so busy taking photos that I missed seeing her slide.
Finally, Steven showed up to rescue me, and he took the girls on several rides. But, first, he got a photo of me and the girls.
Bea gets on the big swing.
Steven takes Charlotte on the train.
Steven and Charlotte get a quick photo at the amusement park.
Steven takes Charlotte on the frog ride.
Steven and the girls ride the roller coaster, and this time I get photos.
Steven and the girls ride the frog ride again.
Steven actually made himself dizzy on the balloon basket ride. Took him a while to recuperate.
Before we knew it, it was 7, and time for the amusement park to close, and time for us to get dinner and go back to the apartment. We stopped at Traviata Pizza and took it back to the apartment. After dinner, we lit 2 candles on Charlotte's cupcake and tried to sing "Happy Birthday". It was a comedy of errors though, and we had to start and stop a couple of times. Charlotte, not surprising, put her finger in the flame. You will have to watch the video to see this one. Hopefully, I will have it up soon. Luckily, no damage was done. She also scolded me throughout the birthday song.
Charlotte enjoyed playing with her cupcake mostly. Still full from pizza.
It was a long day that didn't go exactly as planned, but I think we ended it well with some fun at the amusement park, and some yummy cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery to top it off.
Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet, loving, enthusiastic, dare devil, Charlotte! We love you!
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