For MLK weekend we went up to see my sister's family before they all move to the East Coast next month. I took Friday off work and we went up Thursday to get in an extra long weekend. We had fun hanging out with Cousin Brooke, Auntie Sarah and Uncle Bryan. Liam has gotten so used to hearing Brooke call Mac "Uncle Mac" that he has picked that up himself! He's back to saying "Daddy" but if you ask him Daddy's name, he'll still say "Uncle Mac." I also managed to squeeze in a little bit of a run while I was up there, which I always enjoy.
We came home Sunday and broke up the long drive home with a stop for lunch. Normally we aren't fast food people, but you can't beat the indoor play areas for kids. I suggested we stop at Burger King in Portland, which had the added advantage of being next door to a super arket since we were precariously low on diapers for Liam.
I rode the bus past this BK every day for 4 years, but never went inside so I had no idea what I was in for. This was the BIGGEST indoor play structure I had ever seen and it was a complete ZOO! I mean kids were just crammed into this thing, running and screaming - one of those places where I just can't help but think, "Thank God Mac is fixed!"
My kids started in a far corner bouncy alcove, but Liam soon started flirting with the tunnel leading to unknown places. The first few times he came right back, but then he was out the other side and not paying any attention to my calls to return. No big deal, I just walked around the ouside of the play area to the other side to go get the munchkin. Only one tiny little problem: when I got to the other side HE WASN"T THERE!
I looked back in the tunnel, in the room with Megan, in the low tunnel next to the first one. I still didn't see him. I yell "Liam!" but there is no answer. I make a lap around the structure - I notice there are a lot of BIG kids here, but no Liam. I grab Megan and tug her by the arm around the place twice more and then panic starts setting in. I mean my kid is SO much cuter than all the other little brats here, what if somebody walked off with him? Or what if he is stuck somewhere?
I took Megan out to Mac, who was waiting in a Disneyland-like line to order food, and went back to the play area. Mac got out of line and followed behind with Megan. "Well, take off your shoes and start climbing through there." Mac tells me.
I head to the front and as I pass by the corner, some awkward kid is flopping down the stairs about three feet above my head, just as happy as can be. Yup, it's Liam, no worse for the wear. It seems he must have taken off up the stairs and was up in the stratosphere layers of this plastic tube monstrosity, while I was searching the lower reaches of this place, not giving enough credit to my kid's climbing skills. Still, it took a bit for my heart rate to come back down to normal. From now on, it's McDonald's only for us!
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