The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd (HOL 60)

House of Laughter 60

Last week when we were at Target, I found a toy on clearance that I wanted to get Isaac last Christmas. I couldn’t resist, and Nancy allowed me to buy Isaac the Shake and Go Raceway. Every one of Isaac’s cars has taken a couple of laps around the track. He likes to sit in the middle while the Shake and Go Cars race around him.

Also last week, we took Isaac to the circus. (He was free, and after the coupon, it was cheaper than going to the movies.) We got to go down and see the animals and clowns before the show started. Isaac particularly liked the clown with the raccoon puppet. We took our seats up in the nosebleed section, and the show started. Isaac loved the little car that drove out with a clown crammed into it. He also seemed to enjoy the fireworks. When the horses came out he was interested at first, but that part of the show consisted of every variation possible on the theme, “Horses walking in a circle”. While the horses walked in a circle, the zebras performed the amazing trick of “Not wandering into the audience and biting people.”

Isaac’s attention definitely wandered during the lame “Dancing With the Stars” clown skit, and we were about to make an exit, when we saw that the tigers were coming out. Isaac was amazed by the tigers, and we decided to end on a high note. We did an hour and a half worth of circus, so we felt like we accomplished something.

I forgot to mention that we forgot to take a diaper bag, and as soon as we walked through the door, something funky happened downtown. My idea was to approach a family with a similar sized baby and try to bum a diaper. Nancy on the other hand has “Dignity.” (Of course she was also the one who took him to the restroom and did an improvised clean up with wet paper towels…..Where’s your precious “Dignity” now?)

The church had a Valentine’s party for the kids Saturday morning. They made cards for kids at an orphanage in Mongolia and played games. Isaac’s big discovery of the day was “Red Frosting”.

All I did was hold the squirt can of red frosting to his lips and pull the trigger…he did all of the rest.

Strength and Honor

Matt

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You just won the Superbowl, what are you doin? (HOL 59)

House of Laughter 59

Isaac and I flew to Florida last week. I was anxious about flying alone with him, but as soon as I went through the Greensboro security checkpoint, my fear subsided. He and I walked up and down the concourse looking at art, pointing out cars in the wall size ads, and climbing up in the shoeshine chairs. The Charlotte airport where we made the connection was even more exciting. There was a NASCAR café where he and I split a giant cookie and milk. The best part about the Charlotte airport though were the golf carts that sped by every few minutes. Isaac waved frantically at every one and laughed out loud as soon as they passed.

While Isaac and I waited for our second plane, a man walked up and asked if I was Matt Cravey. It was a guy I was in cub scouts with, and went to elementary, middle, and high school with. I found out he was living in Chapel Hill, and had e-mailed him a few weeks ago. He actually recognized Isaac from this blog.

The seat next to us on the plane was empty, so “Furious” George and I caught up while Isaac napped peacefully on my lap. He and his wife just had a baby. You can link to his blog here.

Isaac slept through the night the whole time we were there. He was never particularly fussy, either, despite missing his regular naps. I found out that he really likes vanilla soft serve ice cream and Krystal burgers (When mom is away…..).

Friday morning, my mom, Isaac and I braved the tornados and went to Magic Kingdom for the day. There was hardly anyone there, and we barely waited for any of the rides. Isaac piloted our spaceship on the Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger spin. He rode the carousel by himself without me holding on to him. He rode the Haunted Mansion and the Pirates of the Caribbean without crying or fussing at all. (Unlike his father who would start crying and pleading the minute we crossed into “Adventureland”). He seemed to really enjoy himself. I think his favorite attraction was the last one of the day, “The Enchanted Tiki Room”. He danced and laughed all through the show. He couldn’t keep his eyes off the birds overhead.

The next day we went to the Museum of Natural History, and a playground thing called O2B Kids with his cousins.

The flight from Gainesville to Charlotte was a little bumpy. I was on a plane with a group of people who had just wrapped up a convention about acupuncture, and they were all trying to remember the right spot to press to fight nausea.

As the plane approached Charlotte, we heard the landing gear drop, and the engines power down. The trees were getting closer and closer, and the plane was slowing down. I would guess we were maybe 400 feet up, when suddenly, the engines revved back to full throttle, and the plane shot straight back up. My mind immediately thought of the air crash in Charlotte a few years previous. The pilot announced that the runway wasn’t clear. One of the Chi experts on the other side of the aisle barfed into a bag. The one sitting next to me started hyperventilating, and put her head between her knees. To be honest, I wasn’t really impressed with how well pushing the “anti-nausea” Chi point worked in a field setting.

I will be honest, I had a Jesus moment. At first I begged and pleaded that if I got down I would rent a car and drive to Greensboro, then I looked at Isaac, and remembered that God doesn’t work like that. Isaac was fine. I hugged him close and sang hymns to calm myself down.

After about 10 minutes, we made a second approach. This time as the plane was landing, we caught a crosswind, and the whole plane shifted about ten feet left. I wasn’t scared the second time. The poor girl next to me was near tears. I assured her we would be laughing in a few minutes about it, and as soon as the plane landed, there was applause and laughter.

Strength and Honor.

Big Matt