Road Trip Day #3

SEAWORLD!!

So Ellis woke us all up at 7:30am sharp (the one hour time difference between Utah and California made no difference whatsoever). Our hotel was right across the street from Seaworld and offered a free shuttle. The park opened at 9:00am and we were going to be first to "get our Shamu on."

After packing Ellis's diaper bag, Millie's bag and Mommy's bag, the dreaded moment arrived. I was going to have to do Jackie's hair. Although I suggested a lovely headband or barrettes (Millie was willing to share hers), I was handed a rubber band and (because of the broken elbow) told to put Jackie's hair in a ponytail. Now, the only hair training I've received was how to do pin curls and put a wig on someone. A ponytail would be a piece of cake.

30 minutes later (and with divorce papers nearly signed), I had successfully put a ponytail on Jackie's head. It wouldn't win any awards (and there was a good chance a swift wind would knock it away) but it was there.

Since we didn't want to pay big bucks for breakfast at the park, I left to pick up fast food breakfast somewhere. Another 30 minutes later, I returned- passing the 8:45am shuttle crammed full of people- there would be no way to fit Jackie (and her ponytail), Millie, Ellis, myself, Ellis's diaper bag, Millie's bag, Mommy's bag and our double stroller (plus the joy that was in our hearts) onto this shuttle. The decision was made to walk to the park.

30 minutes later, we found ourselves lost in a strip mall parking lot (granted, the parking lot had boats in it) and I was sunburned. Jackie asked for directions and, 30 minutes later, we were at the park!

The park was pretty empty so we headed over to the Arctic exhibit and watched the penguins and puffins. They had one morning show with Sesame Street characters so we went to that. Millie danced a bit and we had water squirted at us (I felt bad for the actors dressed in 7-foot high costumes that had to pretend to surf...). Millie and I hit the dolphin show (while Mommy enjoyed a $5.00 smoothie that would had fit in Ellis' sippy cup).

After the dolphin show we went to the area where you can pet manta rays- while holding Millie up, her shirt got wet (which caused trauma) and my sunglasses fell into the manta ray pool. While no one was looking (and before a ray could eat them), I snatched them out- causing 15 rays to swarm over the area (probably hungry for the human flesh I was offering).

After enjoying a nice lunch defending our food from swooping seagulls (although Millie was thrilled because her lunch came in a plastic Shamu lunch box), I sucked down my Mountain Dew and Jackie feasted on her Diet Pepsi. We were ready for the Shamu show. (It was at this point we realized that we should put sunscreen on- luckily it was early enough for Millie and Ellis- to late for Mommy and Daddy). We then went to the 4D Elmo show- which was really fun (until Ellis dumped her bottle on my lap. Millie wouldn't wear the 4D glasses, but still seemed to enjoy the Sesame Street show- even though when watching it without glasses, it made your eyes go crossed).

Jackie had come prepared with bubbles to amuse Millie before the shows started (although once Ellis licked the bubble wand, it seemed to lose its potency). Once the show began, the magic of Shamu enchanted us. Jackie was ready to leave our family to pursue a career as a whale trainer and- as one trainer and Shamu did a beautiful twirl in the pool, a single solitary tear slipped down my cheek.

After the Shamu show, we were about done. Millie and Jackie tried the pet show- but Millie was done for the day. We quickly looked at the polar bears and white dolphins/whales and then- because Jackie's elbow was still "slung" and Millie was too short, I decided that I should go on one water ride (the Atlantis ride) before we left. Of course the ride had been running all day, and the moment we got there, there was a technical malfunction and the ride closed.

So, we gathered our stuff and- 30 minutes later (with Jackie and my face as red as lobsters) arrived back at our hotel.

I had read about a great family, fresh seafood place in Mission Bay so we gathered in the van and found it- only to discover it was undergoing renovations. 40 minutes later, the girls fell asleep in the van- so we found a taco shack near the beach, got fresh fish tacos (after the owner made fun of my severely burned face) went home, got in bed and fell asleep at 8:00pm. We were going to be fully rested and recharged for our next day- the zoo!