We went on our annual excursion to the Ohio State Fair yesterday and I kept thinking of the story I shared in a post three years ago, when I first started blogging. I pulled it back up from the dusty archives and tweaked it with my slightly improved writing skills, so it would be a bit more worthy of your read. THIS is the start of our grand experience. I share it so my new readers and friends can grasp the entirety of how we embrace fun at the fair! Every single year, my daughter throws up while riding the rides. Every single year, I continue to NOT do what a good mother would do. This was the first year I started this unpredictable mission… and three years later, we continue to bask in the sun without shadows…
Take a ride and ENJOY! And if you tend to vomit from the excitement and whirls in the air, don’t worry. We’ll take care of you.
And there it is…
The Ohio State Fair is always a summer must for our family. This year my daughter had the opportunity to perform in the “showcase pavilion” with the dance ministry we have been involved with for years. Some of the dances from the spring recital were chosen for this event. Our plan was to go in time for her to perform and then hit the rides after for the rest of the day and evening. Turns out that storms were in the forecast for the afternoon, so we made a quick change and left early to make it to the fair in the morning just as the rides were opening…
We always pack food and drinks and spend nothing at the fair (sorry all you fair folks who love the fried Twinkies) accept buying the ride bands for the kids. We usually take the time to see all the animals and do all the “country things”, but time was limited and our priorities were sound. It was the rides that the kids lived for and so it will be the rides we do. Off we went to the kiddie land area leaving my daughters costume in the car, and as this magnificent day had only begun…our world was just about to change.
With one thought, who knew we could change our world…
My husband inquired, “I wonder if the kids are big enough to ride the big rides now…I will go over to that area and check it out.”
And with that impromptu moment of question and wondering, we quickly found that the gates would soon open to the world of REAL rides!
It was a bit like running smack dab into Heaven.
Both kids never knew it could be so good! This was an entirely new world for them, as they have only been held captive of the mini-coasters chugging at the pace of a snail, the froggie leap that barely leaves the ground, and the monkey slow spin cycle rides that now all seemed like tinker toys to them. This new part of the park opened the door to HUGE rides and enormous potential for fun!
I must admit, I was scared at first for my daughter who wanted to ride EVERY one of them. Waaaaay up in the sky she flew upside down and swirled with the teenagers through loops and spins. I was amazed at her courage. The thrill was bigger than anything she had experienced in her 8 years. Watching my son fly through the air and wiz around on these large roller coasters was almost surreal. Last year, he couldn’t even get on some of the kiddie coasters! Now he is flying with the new league, up high in the sky with the screams and shrills coming from all who are with him. Amazing. This was the BIG TIME! A whole new world! I was excited for my kids because this was yet one more rite of passage in their lives.
My heart always skips a beat or two when these moments occur…deep inside…a realization. Another season completed. A new step into our future. They are growing…fast.
As our amazing luck would have it on this day of all days, there seemed to be NO lines for all these crazy big and fun rides! I felt like I just brought my kids into Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory and they were running around with that crazed look in their eyes attacking the enormity of it all! My daughter was especially hyper with screams and running to each ride, as she tends to eat life whole with one big gulp! I of course, fuel their spastic flames with yelling for them to “GO GO GO!!! Get on THAT one! No line here! Wow! Look at that ride! I wouldn’t go on that if you paid me! HURRRRRRRRRRY!!!! They are boarding now… RUN and you can catch it!!!!!!”
Apparently, I was even more submerged in the feeding frenzy than my kids… I’m all for grabbing hold of the crazy good that life brings you and squeezing it til it’s dry.
Watching the clock fly by for three hours of ride after ride…..we were getting close to the time we needed to get to the pavilion for the dance performance. We had 45 minutes and my daughter hadn’t eaten a thing all day, sweating from the 90 degree weather and going strong on the rides still! I say to myself:
“What would a good mother do?”
This always whispers in my heart over and over again… usually when I know full well I am NOT doing what a good mother would do!
My response? “Oh, what the heck…they are having a blast! We will just do the rides til the last minute and run to the pavilion and change quickly in the bathroom (gross) and she can hop on stage and dance her little heart out!” Storms were going to come in, and the rides were starting to get crowded, but still many were open. So I decided to let my daughter keep going on the rides, knowing full well this was probably not the right thing to do.
I chose joy over common sense.
“Is this really what I should do?”
Those words kept creeping in like a lurking shadow to the sun, as I squealed with my daughter running faster to the next ride. But… this particular ride seemed a bit more daunting, as I watched it creep up higher and spin faster and loop over… I realized this one was too much. I tried to catch my daughter with each go around, and I noticed her head limp and tilted down on her shoulder. My nerves started to vibrate as my pulse quickened. I am now sweating profusely and ready to scream, “STOP THE RIDE!!!! MY BABY!! MY BABY IS NOT OKAY!!!!” I kept walking over to the toothless operator, holding my breath and ready to release the MOMFREAK within…. It was the longest ride in the park… felt like it anyway…
My daughter comes toddling off of it with a slow gurgling limp of sorts. She is not well. I am just grateful she is conscious, because I seriously thought she passed out on the ride! As she gets closer, I realize the face… I know that look… it’s coming.
In the middle of the walkway, she blows. Over and over again. I rub her back and ask walkers by to just continue walking please. It’s only water coming out, because she hadn’t eaten a thing all day. (NOT what a good mother would do…) A few more purges and she looks up at the next ride…
“SWINGS!!!! BUT SOOOO MUCH HIGHER MOMMY! I WANNA GO!!!!!”
Now HERE is that moment. The voice returns. It gives all the stats: “Daughter hasn’t eaten all day, 90 degrees outside in the burning sun, riding rides for over three hours, just puked, will be on stage in costume in T-45 minutes….” Then the looming question that always shakes my spirit with conviction…
“What would a good mother do??????”
As my daughter runs to the high flying (I mean flippin’ HIGH!) swings with a squeal and a leap…. I answer the question boldy:
A good mother would say no to more rides, get her in the shade to rest, feed her and hydrate her and make her stay quiet for a few minutes in order to ensure that she makes it through the performance and is healthy and strong. With these last 30 minutes before the performance, a good mother would make her wind down from the wonderful exciting three hours she just had. I would clean her up and do her hair and get her looking “performance ready”. I mean, God FORBID she pukes or passes out on stage right?
Hmmmmm…….
Yeah, that’s what a “good mother would do”.
“WAIT FOR ME!!!!! NO, JUST GO GO GO GO!!! THEY’RE BOARDING!!!! HURRY AND GET ON!!!!! WOOHOO!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!!”
Turns out, sometimes it’s very rewarding to NOT do what a good mother would do….
We made it in time to stuff a PB&J down, guzzle water, change in the public restrooms, throw back sweaty hair and join the dancers!
After the performance, the rides were PACKED and it was hot and the thunder was heard off in the distance. We left the fair feeling satisfied and grateful for taking it all in…
One big gulp at a time.
Absolutely perfect and will say that you are one of the best mothers I do have the pleasure of knowing. I love your reaction and think you did what you had to in that moment and do t think your daughter will soon forget. So, on more levels then one I think it worked out the way it was supposed to 🙂
I absolutely LOVE how it worked out, and continues to unfold every darn year!! When you are in that moment, people looking on in disgust- it is so hard to make a decision according to what you believe to be right. I’m just so glad I keep making the right choice for my girl with this one. Puke and all… she never stops! I just adore that about her!
You go, you not good mom, you! We go to the Indiana state fair every year. The kids don’t ride a single ride. We’re basically there for the food. Yet we also have someone throw up every year. 🙂
HA! The food!! I actually throw up a little in my mouth every time I go there… and walk by all the booths with the stale sample plates of loaded nachos and brisket bubbling over in the heat…
I just can’t.
Tears actually came to my eyes when you asked what a good mother would do and then you chose to let her have that experience. I bet she will never forget it!
Oh Christina!!! I hope she always remembers it! Each year, we joke about the tradition that started three years ago- on the BIG RIDES. I read this piece to her… she loved it. She gets it. And I’m so so glad to offer her this kind of reckless joy! 🙂
PS: I can’t BELIEVE I haven’t gotten over to see you! SHAME on ME!! Promise I will SOOOOOOON!
I’m not sure it’s a question of what a good mother would do, considering I would do the same thing and I won’t say that I’m not a good mother. LOL! Great story!
Oh April! SO wonderful to see you here!! thanks so much for taking the ‘ride’ with me… I LOVE that you would have done the same thing!! Lets go to the fair together… be warned, Cassidy pukes. LOL
You’re an amazing mother! I love the description in this piece, how I can really understand how your daughter is taking a big bite of life at the fair. What a wonderful family tradition!
Thanks so much Sarah! I love this story so much, because to me? It embraces the true essence of gripping JOY tight and letting go of the worry. And the best part is the outcome. Each year we go… I see and feel that joy all over again. 🙂
This is my first time reading this post, and I love it so much! Sometimes NOT doing what a good mother would do is exactly what makes you a good mother!
Thanks SO much Katie! Funny- it took me ALL DAY to edit it and rewrite parts.. could have written an original post times three with that time suck! But well worth it. I love this story- and it reminds me of the JOY I need to continue to embrace with my kids. 🙂
Only you, my love, could include a picture of vomit and TOTALLY have it work! Priceless. I love that you choose joy over common sense … it’s such a good example for the rest of us. Let’s make that our rest-of-the-summer theme! xo
AW! I LOVE that Michelle!! AMEN sister!! Lets DO IT! JOY JOY JOY!
Choosing joy is ALWAYS a good thing, and what a mother would do. 🙂
Definitely what THIS mother would do! Some may say it’s reckless… I say with ABANDON!! lol 🙂
Love this! Sometimes you’ve just go to puke and keep on riding. A good mother knows when it’s time to just have some fun and deal with the consequences later. 🙂
EXACTLY Jen! The JOY totally wins every time. 🙂
ah, what’s a little puke on the fairway? nothing people haven’t seen before! LOL
I say Keep Gulping!! 🙂
Do you know that one mom who was standing there watching this unfold said “Don’t even worry about cleaning it up. People never do!”
I love that she was trying to ease my awkward and embarrassing moment…
I frantically took the paper towels I brought (I came prepared- these pics were from this year THREE of it happening- apparently I am bold enough to stop and take a picture at this point) and started wiping up the puke for all to watch with that horrified look on their faces.
Hey- it’s what good mothers do! They clean up their kids’ puke. lol
Will do it all again next year!! 😉
Oh my gosh, what a story! Good moms live in the moment too. 🙂
You are absolutely RIGHT Jennifer!!!! 🙂
I must admit…I’m normally choosing the side of “good mother”. I am not very adventurous. I do, however, try to decern why I want my kids to do or not do something. Am I saying no simply because I am tired or bored or scared? Am I saying yes simply because I don’t want them upset with me? Am I saying yes because I know it may not be my cup of tea, but there is nothing unsafe or immoral about it? Am I saying no because it is dangerous or they are sick or it is against the Bible? The answers to these questions help me make better choices all around (that and praying about it).
As to you not being a good mother by letting her ride those swings…I don’t think that makes you a bad mother. I think that makes you aware of what your daughter and yourself can handle. If my kid bounced back that quickly, I think I’d let them ride, too! 🙂
I love that you discern through God’s truth! I think that is exactly what He intends us to do… as we navigate the turns of motherhood.
And you are so right. This particular turn? Was a risk I was willing to take, so that my daughter may experience JOY in the moment. And that she did. That she continues to do every year she pukes and gets back on those rides!! lol
I adore this post SO MUCH. My husband very gently reminded me recently when we were on vacation that it is actually okay sometimes to loosen up and let the kids have plain old fun. I had kind of forgotten that. This is another great reminder of that message. :)-Ashley
And isn’t it amazing what JOY comes from letting go? There is a time for reckless abandon in motherhood! EVERYONE benefits. 🙂
I agree with Ashley, sometimes you have to let the kids go and do what they want to do. At some point then they learn for themselves when it’s time to pull back the reins too, which I think is a good thing for their independence. There are many times I want to say no, and my husband convinces me to say yes…he is much better at this than me.
It’s never easy to do, Michelle! I was terrified!! And even this year… I saw her face on the ride and freaked out saying “She’s not going to make it off the ride before she blows!!!!!”
I ran to her with that urgent mother internal plea of “What do I do with THIS?” And then she blew…. all over the cement right in front of an audience of many onlookers who collectively groaned.
I was horrified. For me. For my daughter! And then? Cassidy squealed “HEY LOOK! There’s my bagel from breakfast!!” Which gave us all some seriously needed comic relief!!
Sometimes big things aren’t that big after all. 😉
My favorite part: “…ready to release the MOMFREAK within…”
Perfectly describes us, doesn’t it? I love that you let her go on the big rides and even ride them after she chucked. That is what she will remember: that you had the faith in her to keep going.
Thank you for revisiting this post and reminding us all that we need to have a little faith in the kiddos, let them decide, and have a LOT of fun when we can.
Thanks to you as well for linking up with the #SHINEBlogHop this week so I could find you,
Oh Sarah! I just adore your comment! Thanks for getting it. For really really getting it. All of it. 🙂
Here’s to believing in our kiddos, even when they puke!
This totally brought me to tears because I ALWAYS have that question in the back of mind “what would a good mother do?” I always feel like I’m the immature mother for being so silly and not doing things that a responsible mother would do, but you know what, reading this all I could think of how awesome and fun a mother you are! Being fun and silly and not so serious is much better, in my opinion 🙂 I would want that kind of mom.
EXACTLY Jessica!! I would want that kind of mom too! And you know what? I actually think that sentiment often… when I act ‘youthful’ and ‘silly’- my kids seem to shine a bit brighter.
Funny thing huh?
It seems to always open up new light. 🙂
Yes!!! Oh I love this so much! And not just because I regularly choose joy over common sense (and oh do I and oh am I glad to be in your company there, friend!). But I love the way you tell this story. So perfect. Always go for joy. Always 🙂
YAY!!! Another reckless mama!!! LOL
I love that you get this Tricia!! There is such joy in truly letting go for a time… and capturing the moment with abandon!!! Even when there’s puke involved. 😉
I am cracking up. Sometimes being a good mother isn’t always what you “should” do, sometimes it’s rolling with the punches and having a good time. Growing up the fair was one of my favorite things. Thanks for sharing this cute (maybe a little gross, too. hehe) story.
It is TOTALLY gross Charity!!! I mean projectile vomiting in front of a crowd of onlookers and hearing their collective groan is no easy feat to survive, much less celebrate! lol
But truly? Sometimes the greatest joy comes from reckless abandon. 🙂
Oh my gosh! I wasn’t prepared for the photo, but man, you’re an awesome mom! Let kids be kids, I say 🙂
HA! Yeah… it was even better in real life Lauren!! Every year… but this time it was in front of a crowd JUST getting off the ride. Right after she exploded, there was a collective groan and then Cassidy squealed “LOOK! There’s my bagel from breakfast!!”. Great comic relief right there. I then promised the onlookers I would clean it up… 😉
This. Is. Awesome. I wasn’t always THAT mom, but when I was…lol…My Three Sons loved me for it! What a great story, vomit and all. These types of stories are always the popular ones on my blog too. Anything about the crazy antics of my kids, hubby or me, they love it. I always want them to be mesmerized by my spiritual ones, lol, but I really don’t mind as long as they enjoy them. Your kids are blessed!
It’s amazing how those moments of fearless abandon can release such JOY!! Motherhood offers us opportunities to be reckless AND intentional as we whirl through navigating the turns in this journey. See what I did there? 😉
What a great story and a fun tradition you have w/ your kiddos. Let’s not say a “good mom”…lets say a “little more responsible mom” would have made her stop. B/c you’re an awesome mom. They will have these memories forever!
Ya know- sometimes there is nothing more exhilarating than being RECKLESS!! Joy sometimes comes from living life with abandon… this is proof of that very thing!!!!
I am such a worry wart. I wouldn’t have let her get back on. You’re so brave! I would have hugged and carried her home. I’m overprotective, what can I tell ya. And this, coming from someone who LOVES rides. I would have been upset to leave because I would have gone on every single ride!!!
I here ya Cristina!! I have been that kind of mom many times!!! And yet? Some of the hardest decisions may in fact give us room to wiggle out of our worry… and let go with faith that they will be okay! What’s a little vomit anyway? 😉