Day "Broke"

What. A. Day! 

We took Jake to Kings Dominion Amusement Park with friends and though he loves the rush of the rides the excitement proves excruciating in the end.

He rode like a champ, tall swings, short swings, sky-high swings, everything that spins and nothing I can handle! Thank goodness for Chris! 

We try to let him decide on which rides he wants, feels he needs and thinks he's brave enough to handle. I spend much of the day administering behavior therapy to preempt a complete crush of chaos. (Well more than usual during vacation from school) 

Can we eat with friends, but not too close. Can we wait for a ride, but not too long. Can we stay just "one more ride" longer, but then blow the day and the next day for that matter.

He has a habit of planning his rides in order. First, Then, and Last type stuff -- he's well trained! But sometimes he may feel energized and excited at the time, but forgetting we still have a two hour ride home! 

He was so tired when we finally did the last roller coaster, one last ice cream cone, and final pee stop, that he was begging for bed. Literally. It was so stressful. 

I'm staring at tail lights backed up along my most-hated highway I-95 and he's crying "I'm so uncomfortable, I just want to sleep it's 5-O'Clock already, I need a bed, I need my bed and I can't sleep!!!" 

With my fatigue-caused  short fuse, sweat - sunscreen mixture making my hair stick to my face and nothing but warm water bottles in the car I can not take it. 

I sharply said... "shut your eyes, shut your mouth and sleep or you will have crabby mommy for the entire ride home!" 

With that being my last exchange with him, there was not a peep from the passenger seat which was reclined so far down his head was in poor Chris' lap in the backseat. 

100+ miles, two detours and barely breaking 65 mph later, we arrive home, he's slept just enough in the car to be a total pain when get home. As we pulled in the driveway the montra of "I just need my bed, I just need my bed, I... Just... Need... my.... bed...." became reality and he was upstairs before mean mommy even entered the house.

Brush, wash and bed... and he's suddenly WIDE AWAKE and just snarky (get back at mommy) enough to add an extra special prayer for me. After the entire Lord's prayer (in a new adapted version to include corn dogs), we get the thank you's. 

"Thank you God for the roller coasters, the swings, the other swings and the high swings, daddy, my dolls, Robin-Travis-Jeff (friends we went to the park with and all one word), cheeseburgers and this vanilla lady with the ponytail," he says while grabbing the ponytail on my bowed head. 

Well I guess I deserved it, but tomorrow will be the test. Jake short on sleep is no less scary than a bear short on food! 

Wish me luck. He cannot break me! He cannot break me! He cannot break me! 

Good night. 

Oh and, Go Blackhawks!