Wolf Pack

The summer is fading and so we all went on a little vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. Mommy found the perfect place: The Great Wolf Lodge. It had just the right touch of Northwoods, animated animals and toddler friendly waterpark attractions. Apparently you were swept up in the spirit of the place, since you now can imitate a wolf (with a tiny “oooohahhwwrr”) and distinctly told Mommy “HooToot”  for the owl sound when she read you Rokko tonight.

Daddy’s not fond of heights (or anything remotely dangerous, actually) so staying on the fourth floor with a path overlooking the lobby didn’t make him terribly comfortable. But you did a really nice job of hanging on to our hands when we had to go to the elevator. Once there, at your eye level, we were always greeted with a dusty old badger, which you seemed to like.  You also constantly told us the elevator was going “UP!” no matter which direction we were heading.

The first night we were there we went to story time and you only lasted as long as the clock show (an animated adventure with a talking owl, squirrel, beaver, turtle, little native girl and a settler boy from Joliet). You got so squirmy we decided to just finish stories in the room, but you weren’t too thrilled about sleeping in a borrowed, uncomfortable crib in a strange place.

The waterpark was probably your favorite part. We suited you up in swim trunks and a rash guard (a shirt worn to keep surfers from getting board rash), then bundled you in a lifejacket, since some of the pools were too deep for little guys. While it was loud and water came at us from every angle, you seemed to embrace it, sitting in the toddler pool and splashing like mad, chasing squirting streams and rushing face first into what Mommy called “the baby car wash”. You also got to do some time in the bigger pools with us. Daddy even took you in the outside pool where you swam with him under a waterfall.

 

Our second night there your oldest (half) brother Brandon and his wife Maureen came to have dinner with us. You got some wolf ears which Mommy had more fun with than you did. After you went to sleep, Daddy, Brandon and Maureen went to play “MagiQuest”; a interactive scavenger hunt with a wand and fantasy theme.  The next morning, you and Daddy got up and used the MagiQuest wand to make all sorts of things in the lobby talk.  Mommy was at the spa enjoying HER vacation with a new haircut, so you and Daddy got more pool time. While in the wave pool, you had a blast while Daddy held you up like a cork above the waves and you learned yet another new word: “bob”.

You also got along very well with the mascots we saw. You saw Wiley in the lobby several times and then you saw both him AND Violet while we ate breakfast.

And it must have been a great vacation because your sense of humor was on overdrive. You bundled up in towels one night for photos, you sniffed your own feet when Daddy told you they were stinky, and you just wouldn’t stop howling when you saw wolf pictures throughout the resort. You also started combining some pretty funny words that don’t really go together like “Elmo Coke”and “Whole Coke”.

Today, our last day there, we spent walking around the main (and very tacky) street of the Downtown Dells. We took a diversion for a bit and walked the path along the river. You seemed to have a great time pointing out trees, boats and the water. Mommy even got you to say river (which sounded very close to “Rivah”). We ate at Monk’s Pub which had one of the best black bean burgers we ever had. On the ride home, you squirmed and fussed a bit, but entertained us with your new Leap Pad by singing your version of the ABC song which pretty much goes “Ay, Bee, DEEEE! Ay Bee DEEEEEE!”.

 

Next weekend, Ren Faire (if we can handle it).