The Carousel Seemed Like Such A Great Idea...

Since I was starting to feel a little better Saturday night, we decided to venture out and walk around the District with the little man. The carousel was free, so we headed over for a ride or two.

The last time we took him on a carousel ride at Disney Land, it ended badly because he was afraid of the moving, robotic-ish animals. We were hoping this time would be different. 

Once he saw the colorful, beautifully lit carousel spinning in all it's glory, he jumped out of our arms 

and ran to get a closer look. With both hands pointed towards the wondrous carousel before him, he joyfully shouted, "HOY-SEE! HOY-SEE, MOMMA!" 

(He can't quite say his "R's" yet....)

 Dustin took him for his first ride. Conrad pointed to the animal he wanted to sit on. 

This was a BIG deal being that every time we go to Whole Foods, he sees the carousel and we keep promising that we'll go back to ride it but never have had a chance to. 

 Conrad picked a "ZEE-BA-Zzzaaah" to ride.

I could just squish his entire face....That little smile! Ugh!

 They went around a few times....

 The ride stopped and it was time to depart from the beloved carousel.

BUT since the rides were free, we said, what the hay and I climbed aboard to have a turn riding with our sweet, little two year old. Plus, I figured we could get a few cute shots of the two of us joyously spinning round' and round'...."It will make for a cute scrap book page!" I thought to myself with a grin. 

 Well, a fun ride and a cute scrap book page wasn't really in our cards folks. 

He picked out the elephant to ride but once the ride started, he pointed to the frog, and to another horse and also to the bunny but I couldn't take him off of his first choice, the elephant, to put him on all of the other animals, so he threw a fit and started screaming and throwing himself off of the elephant. 

The ride had to be stopped, just for us, to get off. 

Our son was out-of-control.

 I made the walk of shame with my precious, adorable two year old who was clawing his razor sharp nails into the back of my neck and kicking his brister (brother or sister....) in the process of being utterly pissed off and making sure everyone in a 100 foot radius was aware of it.  All I could do was smile and swiftly exit as the other parents kindly smiled. It was more comical than it was embarrassing.... but it was still embarrassing, no less.

His little face makes me sad.

I was having trouble restraining him so I gave him to his father. We walked past the Cheese Cake Factory where beautiful high school girls in their expensive prom dresses and perfectly quaffed hair and picture perfect make-up were dinning with their handsome prom dates, enjoying their dinner outside on the patio. I could hear the a silence as we passed by. I smiled and nodded my head as to say, "Remember THIS CHILD tonight when you go to get your freak on kids!" (Our screaming child should be birth control enough for those young horny souls on prom night, I hoped.) Our son was bending his back and flailing out of Dustin's arms screaming louder than I've ever heard him scream, shouting, "HELP MOMMY! HELP ME! OUCH, OUCH DADDY! NO! NO! H-E-L-P! HELP MEEEEE!" I couldn't help but laugh to myself. He was saying anything he could to get out of Dustin's grasp. He even pretended to be in pain. Sad.

When he finally calmed down, we talked about the carousel being a privilege (as if a 2 year old can really grasp that) and when Mommy says it's time to go, we go. That he needs to listen and obey and that he hurt our feelings by throwing his fit. We told him that when he was ready to say he was sorry for throwing a fit, we would be ready to forgive. 

The whole "NO" thing is so hard at this age. Especially because he was so excited and wanted to ride all of the animals, I felt bad having to leave. He just didn't understand. The carousel seemed like a great idea in theory. I think we'll give him another 6 months or so. Maybe by then, he'll understand it better.