Sunday, May 1

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.

25 comments:

  1. Oh man, Jack has been doing that A LOT lately! Especially the feigning injury thing. I feel like th biggest a-hole in the history of a-holes when dealing with not only a tantrum but the fact that bystanders are listening to him screech "owwww mommmy no" as if I'm abusing him.

    It's hard out there for a mom.

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  2. Oh my goodness! This happened to us at the beginning of the year! It was so embarrassing! But at least you got cute pictures of your husband and Conrad on the horsies! ;-)

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  3. Poor little guy....poor you guys. I know that was frustrating. I've seen a lot of with my younger siblings. (The youngest is only 8...and I'm 22!) The poor kiddies just don't get it at that age! His face just made me sad too.

    This is the kind of thing that makes me think I'm not ready to be a parent yet! Yikes. I don't know if I'll ever be really ready! Major props to you girl!

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  4. My 2 and a half year old nephew is in a "fit throwing" stage right now, too. I watch them most days and it is so hard disipling them sometimes because you know he doesn't quite understand yet!

    But I'm not going to lie...I sometimes HAVE to laugh at how ridiculous it is. I love those pictures. Now THOSE will be good scrapbook memories!

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  5. Oh no - poor thing. But I kind of love that it's all captured on film. Those are the things that are cool to see as a grown up that he'll find funny when he has kids someday!

    (And that's for acting as birth control to the teens! You might have changed a life!)

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  6. Such DARLING photos of Dustin and Conrad :) That carousel is GORGEOUS!!

    And please know that I felt sorry for your little guy...but I had to snicker a bit looking at those photos of you carrying him out...my Brooks has started to do the limp body, fall-to-the-ground-crying reaction if he doesn't get to hold his sandwiches all by himself (half of which i know will end up all over his shirt). oh our sweet boys ;)

    And i must tell you I loved how you treated the situation Chelsea. I look up to parents like you who lovingly teach their children good principles :)

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  7. what a doting daddy! those pictures are sweet. as one mom to another, good job on giving him the talk afterwards. we've all been there, and it's rough. i have 2 in the tantrum throwing stages. and they love to throw them at the same time! (usually when we're leaving church)

    thanks for you lovely comment on my blog. looking forward to following your story!

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  8. Comical, indeed!! What a sad little face, although, I find that I can't stop giggling! ;)

    Oh, and my little Hudson pretends to be in pain, too, at the tender age of 20 months. WHAT!?!? My favorite is when he screams OUCH in Target as we roll down the aisles, and everyone stares like I'm pinching him. Mortifying.

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  9. aw! poor little guy! this post made me laugh a bit though especially: " I smiled and nodded my head as to say, "Remember THIS CHILD tonight when you go to get your freak on kids! " " ...haha! oh my, that's great :)

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  10. I'm sorry that I'm laughing, really I am...I think. WHY do they insist on doing what they know would be THE.MOST.EMBARRASSING?!?!? Whyyyyy

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  11. Ohh my goodness...My friend has a 2 year old little girl and she has the same problem right now. Btw: That carousel is so beautiful:) Have a lovely Monday, sweetie
    Kisses

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  12. awww his face is hilarious. is it bad that sometimes thats' the funniest face they make?

    beautiful photos though!

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  13. oh my goodness. what. an. adorable. family. so cute! love your outfit, too ps. <3 EverRubyGirl.blogspot.com

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  14. 1. you look so cute.
    2. i've been called out of church 3 weeks in a row b/c miles has screamed the whole time. not sure what happened to my easy baby but this post made me feel a little normal.

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  15. Aw, little sad Conrad!
    But your outfit makes me smile. :)
    You look amazing!

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  16. Oh man! Those are the best times huh? Well, at least you did get a few cute picks and you can laugh at the rest later.

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  17. oh this melts my heart... i can't help but laugh a little. :)

    to answer your question: midwife assisted homebirth.

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  18. Yep yep yep! Been there! LOTS!
    He'll start to understand NO sooner than you know it! (it feels like forever though) You guys are such a darling family!! ♥

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  19. Oh no! Lol these pictures are SO cute! I can't help but laugh a little bit hehe.

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  20. Ps: I’m hosting a cute necklace GIVEAWAY today! Hope you’ll join in!
    Kisses and have a great day:)

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  21. that is hilarious- I love that Papa Bird took photos of the whole event-
    I used to love to take photos of my monkeys crying- now (when they are at the age that they would kill me if I did) I am so glad I have these memories-

    Lovely to find your blog and so nice to 'meet' you!

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  22. haha omg that is the most adorable sad face ever! so so cute!

    I love all the photos! looks like so much fun!

    thanks for linking me in your weekly surf posts :) im following x

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  23. Love you and your boy, tantrums and all:)

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  24. i couldn't help but laugh at the carousel story! man oh man the days of having a toddler :)

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