We over-stimulated Tyler this weekend. Saturday was Will's birthday party at Funderland. Funderland is a micro amusement park geared for 2-4 year olds. I say micro because it's smaller than most carnivals, and because most of the kids running around are really small. I'm sure to the 2-4 year olds, this place feels huge. Until they've been to Disneyland. Or even a carnival.

Tyler rode on his first rides. First up was a big octopus that spins around and the kids sit in a tiny little fish at the end of each tentacle. As the octopus goes around, the fish go up & down. I must have been side tracked because somehow Shawn snuck Tyler past me before my nagging, overprotective, over communicative, and over anxious senses could kick in. I suddenly looked up and Shawn was buckling tiny little Tyler (who looked adorable in his Kings hat and sunglasses) into this tiny little fish that I was certain he could easily fall out of just by leaning wrong. Shawn chose the furthest fish away from me and it took every bit of will in me not to yell all the paranoid things that were crossing my mind. Are you sure you buckled it well? Be sure to explain to him what's going to happen. Order him to stay sitting on his bottom. Threaten to withhold Elmo for life if he doesn't stay sitting down. I was ready to explode because all I could do was watch from afar and try lame hand signals to triple check the buckle situation.

As the ride operator began getting the ride ready, Shawn took one step back and Tyler, who up to that point seemed to be doing fine, lost it. Tears flowing behind his sunglasses, holding his arms out, screaming for Dada to get him out. I yelled "GET HIM OUT!" my arms were flailing around too and I was just about ready to cry myself. Shawn took another step back and avoided all eye contact with me. Had Gavin not been asleep in the stroller, I would have leapt over the fence, pushed Shawn out of the way, and swooped poor helpless Tyler up into my arms, telling him it's ok that he's not quite ready to try such a scary thing. Just then, the operator announced the ride would start, Shawn got out of the way, Tyler kicked the tears and screaming up a notch, I hollered "PICK HIM UP" one last time, frightening all the children around me, and the ride started.

My eyes were fixated on Tyler and I was sure he would leap out and splat on the ground at any minute. But as soon as it started, he froze. Hey, freezing is better than crying. At least he appears calm on the outside. Oh, he's coming around toward me, I'd better wave and let him know it's ok. I'm frantically flailing my arms all around so he'll notice me through his stoic expression but he doesn't really acknowledge me the first time. He was too busy processing the commotion. The second time around, the ride's going pretty fast and he's going up and down and suddenly I notice how high the sides are and how low in the seat he is, and think to myself there is no way he could possibly fall out of the fish. Third time around, he's looking more relaxed, so am I, Shawn is giving me the thumbs up from the other side of the ride but I make a mental note to still give him hell for not rescuing Tyler. Fourth time around, he's actually looking for me as he comes toward me. There's no way he can possibly wave back to me because he's still frozen and his hands are grasping on to the side of the ride, but he's watching me. Fifth time around and I'm wondering how long this ride really is. My arm is getting really tired from waving every 15 seconds he comes around and I'm beginning to really notice what a smothering mother I must look like to the other parents around me who watched the events unfold. After going around and around what must have been 40 times or so, it finally came to a halt and Shawn got Tyler out. As Tyler bounced over to me, he said "Ride round and round up down" and his hands were going around and around while his little body bobbed up and down. He was thrilled. Shawn was proud. I was initiated. This was one of those times you realize how absolutely necessary it is to have two parents in the household. Balance.

In all, he rode the octopus, the carousel, and the train twice. Daddy exceeded the weight limit for the water ride so I took him on that. Funderland is on our list of places to go again soon! Sunday we visited Papa and Tyler watched a tow truck in action for his first time. Tyler now likes to talk about the tow truck so much, I think he's forgotten all about Funderland. We were still on the other side of town at dinner time so we dined out, allowing Tyler to eat his ice cream. We're not sure if it was the busy weekend or the excessive amount of ice cream he ate, but the boy could not fall asleep last night and when he finally did, he kept twitching awake, freaking out all night. Whew am I glad it's Monday so I can catch some rest at work!