Roller coasters?

[LauraP]

Our company picnic was at Six Flags this past weekend. They have an annual "do" where they rent out the entire park and supply food and drinks and we have the run of the place with our kids and colleagues. It is a blast.

This year, for some reason, I was feeling feisty, and took Sierra on a roller coaster--a REAL one (well, comparably speaking--it was a wooden roller coaster, here is a description: http://themeparks.about.com/library/coasters/blwildone.htm). About halfway up the first incline, the nice slow one where you can hear the click-click-click that gets the adrenaline pumping, I started to worry about how she'd handle it. I know, heck of a time to think of this. She LOVED it--loved it, loved it, loved it. Loved going around the corners and up and down the hills, and around the spirals. She laughed and screamed and really seemed to enjoy herself thoroughly. I didn't need to worry, I guess.

I was so pumped, I decided to ride the Mind Eraser (http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/yellowpages/coasters/minderaser_sfa.shtml) next, a suspended looping coaster (SLC) that you dangle from. Perhaps one of the stupidest things I ever did spontaneously, and I kept my eyes squeezed shut the whole time (it was still scary). But, I am glad I did it, in retrospect. These things scare the beejeezus out of me, and I ride maybe one every 15 years.

It was kind of cool how many cell phones and big dangly earrings and bling and such (shoes too) littered the ground underneath the ride! I wonder if the employees have freebie day at the end of the season (in the ski resorts, after the snow melts, there are all kinds of goodies to be had)

[peglem]

Glad you had such a good time! I can't even get Allie to do the carousel.

[tgrimes]

so did your daughter go on the second one too?
I saw a program on Discovery about roller coasters, and how some enthusiasts go all over the country (and sometimes out of it) to ride different coasters. It was really interesting, how they thought so much about where they felt the g's, where there was weightlessness, how it compared to other coasters, etc.

[LauraP]

Tgrimes--nope, only I was stupid enough to do that one! I think she would have gone with me, but I'd like her to enjoy any future roller coasters she rides, not be terrified!

Also, last week, she went through an entire dental cleaning and x-rays and tartar scaling with no problems. This is probably mighty tiny news, but this is only the second time (consecutive, though!) that she's done this. For years, when she was having baby teeth extracted due to crowding, etc., she had to be anesthetized for all dental work, because it was too traumatic. Now, she is handling routine dental and physical exams with no problems. It is a small thing, but one more bit of progress that we can count. Nice to be able to check off a few boxes for this girl :)

[peglem]

Also, last week, she went through an entire dental cleaning and x-rays and tartar scaling with no problems. This is probably mighty tiny news, but this is only the second time (consecutive, though!) that she's done this. For years, when she was having baby teeth extracted due to crowding, etc., she had to be anesthetized for all dental work, because it was too traumatic. Now, she is handling routine dental and physical exams with no problems. It is a small thing, but one more bit of progress that we can count. Nice to be able to check off a few boxes for this girl :)


Oh, that's huge, huge, huge

Allie has had one cleaning w/o anesthesia, I was so hugely proud of her!