Sunny Day... Sweepin' The Clouds Away...

I'm home. I'm alive.

We went to Sesame Place today. It was A BLAST!!! The kids had so much fun and so did Geana and I. It was a long day... but a fun one. We had to get up just like it was a school day and get out of the house by 8:00AM or so. The kids were dressed in their bathing suits and were ready to leave earlier than normal. (Go figure - when you are heading to an amusement park the kids are more motivated to get out the door... school - not so much... who knew?)

When we first got there I had total Deja Vu from my days of working as a Ferengi at Kings Dominion. (That's another story... don't ask.) It was so cool. We parked in this top secret parking lot and went in the back entrance behind these big fences. (I think all amusement parks look the same behind these fences. Golf carts tooling around, tan buildings that look like they are trying to blend in with the concrete, people with walkie talkies - talking about important park business. It took me right back to my Ferengi days...) Anyway - we got to walk into the park before it opened to see where we were going to go during our opening parade today. We headed through the park, past a replica of Sesame Street and down to The Count's Splash Castle - a new attraction - the reason we were there. As soon as we got down there we got to see Ernie, Burt, Telli, Zoe, Elmo, The Count, and more... the kids just about had an aneurysm. They were FREAKING OUT... in a good way - not like the two girls ahead of us who were freaking out in a "these dudes in these freaky, larger than life costumes scare the crap out of me" kind of way. I have to say - I sympathize with them a little. I mean - I used to work with those freaky guys. I used to BE one of those freaky guys. I'd be scared too.

We got our instructions and headed back to the staging area behind the fences. The parade went wonderfully and our kids actually got chosen to walk with The Count in the parade and then stand next to him during the cutting of the ribbon ceremony. (I know that this is why twin parents hate quad parents... and I can't really blame them... but our kids were adorable and I was so psyched that they got picked. Plus - I have to get some kind of reward for the mounds and mounds of laundry I do.)


It was a little chilly in the morning so the kids weren't too excited about playing in the water. The coolest thing about the new attraction is that there is a HUGE bucket of water above the castle that dumps on you every 4 or 5 minutes. The bucket is HUGE. We got soaked.


After we left our obligation at the Count's Castle we did our own thing. We saw a couple of shows and went on some rides. Geana went on the roller coaster with Sammy and just about puked. She still hasn't recuperated. For someone who refuses to let me drive because she gets sick in the passenger seat... this wasn't the wisest of moves. I think it ruined the day for her. She had to sit on the bench and recover for about an hour while I took the kids on some other stuff (which almost made me sick - video at the end of the post).


Perhaps the most hilarious part of the day was after one of the shows we watched the woman in front of us turned around and we had the following conversation:

Woman: Do you guys get recognized often?

Kurt: (Totally shocked and not sure what to say) Uhh... yeah... sometimes.

Woman: I KNEW they were going to have some famous people here for this multiples day. I've seen your shows on tv!

Kurt: (stifling outrageous laughter) Cool - Anna has to poop. I gotta run!

So all in all - a super successful day. We had fun, we were considered famous, and we didn't break any bones or skulls. As promised - here is a video from MY favorite part of the day. The Big Bird Balloon ride that took us up in the air and then spins you around until you lose your lunch.

Carnival!

We took our dirtball children to the carnival tonight. Many lessons were learned.

1. I no longer have an affinity for carnival rides. Like - ZERO. We went on the ferris wheel and I just about puked... BTW - the kids thought this was a riot. Then we cruised over to the bears. (A ride where you sit inside a large metal bear and spin around until you either a) die or b) kill your kid.) I wasn't planning on engaging in this joyous ride but the worker looks up from his phone and says to me, "Dude - which one of you is going to go on with them?" Geana doesn't even ride shotgun in the car without vomiting, thus I was volunteered. This ride sucked more than the ferris wheel.

2. All workers at carnivals are now required to be texting someone from their phone while operating the rides. Literally - every single ride we went on, the operator was texting. We discovered that the optimal time for texting is while the current riders are exiting the ride and before the next wave takes their spots on the ride. This gives the carny ample time to type 50 to 100 characters. One clever operator actually said, "Okay parents - feel free to come in and help get your kids." While we handled the kids, the woman proceeded to sit down, whip out her phone, and text her toothless brother to tell him about the "Quintruplets" that were on her ride, I'm sure.

3. Anna likes funnel cake.

Quarantined

Last night I came home from work late and my mother was there watching the kids. She gave me a brief synopsis of the situation:

1. Anna's got the runs
2. Robby does, too, and he's pooped 5 times in the past 2 hours.
3. Sammy has a fever of 102 and can get tylenol again at 7:30 if he still has a fever.
4. James has been cranky and may be coming down with what everyone else has so watch him closely.
5. Ella seems to be the only one who is doing okay...

Whew!

Mom leaves and Geana is still at her CCD/St. Andrew's parents get together at the school. Thankfully the kids have already eaten some toast and applesauce for dinner. All I have to do is get them ready for bed and put them up...

About 5 minutes after my Mother leaves, I pop my dinner into the microwave to heat it up. Just then - Robby says he has to poop. I rush him into the bathroom and set him on the pot. I take this opportunity to ask him if he's feeling okay and ask him to tell me what has happened today. Well - he bursts into the saddest tears I have ever seen and just says, "I've had a bad day!" Immediately I go to give him a hug, and as I do, he barfs all over himself and all over me.

The phone rings.

It's Geana's friend whose husband is going to come over right now to fix the bathroom faucet that's been leaking. I kindly tell her that I'm knee deep in puke and that tonight probably isn't the best night. We hang up.

I clean up Robby and myself, brush his teeth, and then James says, "I have to poop." He goes into the bathroom, vomit still on the floor, and poops. IT'S A HARD POOP! Ahhh...

We wipe.

Now I go upstairs to get the kids clothes for bed. When I come back down Sammy is complaining of a headache. I check his temperature. 100 degrees. I give him three chewable children's tylenol pills. He doesn't want to take them. I sit down with him and talk him into taking the pills by telling him that they will make him better. Reluctantly - he takes the pills, but only after I get him a glass of water.

I dress the quads for bed.

Anna has to poop. I put her down... she explodes into the toilet. We wipe.

I carry Anna up to bed. Hug. Kiss. "Get better. Good night." I come back down...

I carry Robby up to bed. Hug. Kiss. "Get better. Good night." I come back down...

I carry James up to bed. Hug. Kiss. "Don't suck your thumb. Good night." I come back down...

I carry Ella up to bed. Hug. Kiss. "Thank you for being normal. Good night." I come back down...

Sammy is now on the couch. I get him dressed for bed.

I carry him up to bed (much more difficult). Hug. Kiss. "Good Night". I come back down....

I clean up the crusty vomit on the carpeted bathroom floor. I put all of the dirty and germy clothes in the basement to be washed.

I finally push START on the microwave to heat my food.

I quickly clean the playroom for 2 minutes while the food heats up.

"BEEP"

Ahhh... I wash my hands, remove the food and sit down to enjoy my dinner.

Geana walks in the door, "How was your night?"