Happy Third Birthday to Asher!

We accidentally have stumbled upon a new family tradition: Go to a waterpark for your birthday!

Asher had so much fun at Elias's waterpark birthday that he felt certain he should have his third birthday at a waterpark, too. We told him a few weeks before and he started asking each morning: "We go to waterpark today? No? Saturday?" He would declare at breakfast: "It's time to start packing now for the waterpark." He told everyone we passed in the neighborhood that he was going for his birthday and he would be three and he was big and going to go to the waterpark. He was so excited, in fact, that there would be no shut eye in the car ride. Just lots of asking when we would arrive. It would be a long three hours.



Whoever planned this condo and these W/D's
in the kitchen obviously did not have children.

We loaded up the car again and off we went. Asher had an absolute ball. It was rather chilly (they had opened the enclosure around the indoor pools) but he chattered his way through all of the pools. Their lazy river was really fast. The last night, Asher would just walk in with his puddle jumper float and cruise around all on his own. Rusty walked the perimeter of the river to keep an eye on him. It was rather entertaining. Just a little floating three-year-old lazing around at top speeds.

 

The most memorable moment for me was also our second night. There had been fireworks on the beach in front of our room the night before, so Asher was expecting fireworks again this night. We assured him there would be no more; they made it hard to sleep the first night. When, alas, some other wiseguy starting shooting fireworks illegally directly in front of our condo again. These were close and really, really, really loud. Asher started crying and buried his head in his daddy's shoulder. When I came in the room, we had the most adorable conversation.

Asher: Momma, those fireworks cared me.

Momma: They what baby?

Asher: CARED me.

Momma: Oh, they scared you. I'm sorry. It's ok, though. They won't hurt you. We'll tell them to stop.

Asher: They are still down there. Those fireworks, those fireworks they made the stars cough.

Momma: The stars are coughing?

Asher: Yes. The fireworks made them cough.

Momma: Oh. Ok. Well I'm sure they will be fine.

Bless him. He thought the stars were coughing. That's just the sweetest little random string of words ever to me.

The second most memorable moment is probably all of the other moments that told me that traveling is a ridiculous amount of work at this age. The smooth trip for Elias's birthday must have been a fluke. Because this was tough. Whew. Whiny three-year-old. Testing three-year-old. Teething one-year-old. Climbing one-year-old. Screaming both-year-olds. Non-napping both-year-olds. I will think long and hard before any more trips. Goodness.

We are blessed - soo blessed - to have these times together. It was a fun adventure. I think we possibly have set the birthday bars too high, but that's ok. We shall see what next year holds!

Happy Third Birthday, Asher Ray Kroboth! We love you!