This last weekend was the Labor Day holiday weekend here. Well, it was probably where you are too. I say that in a general sense because most of the people reading this are American, and my Canadian readers (all 3 of them) understand I’m not talking about their holiday because I spell it correctly (without the “u”) even though their holiday generally falls on the same day.
So yeah, traditionally this last weekend marks the end of summer for many, what with back to school. Labor Day is also when the annual Penny Arcade Expo takes place. (This event features video games that aren’t released yet as well as table top games and much more.) I have plenty of thoughts about the event which I attended all four days, but will save those for the Parents Press Play podcast. (I’ll post a link to the specific episode once it goes live.)
I was, however, able to bring August and Déla on Sunday. Thanks to the use of a couple of friends’ attendance badges they weren’t going to use in the afternoon, the two of them got to go for a few hours. While it would have been nice to have the whole day with them there, it would have been perhaps a bit much.
I could list all the games the kids got their hands on, but won’t. Suffice to say they both now have a few titles they will be asking for come Christmas. Hopefully some might arrive sooner.
What was surprising in a way was how well Déla took to some of the games. She’s not normally that big into the video games, but she really enjoyed checking out different ones. I’m really glad she not only got to go but enjoyed herself as well.
Then it was on to dinner after a few hours of video games. We walked to the waterfront and went to Red Robin for dinner as a treat for the kids.
We could see the Seattle Great Wheel, a giant Ferris wheel, from our seats in the restaurant and while I don’t really have any desire to go, both kids asked. This was an attraction that is relatively new to the Seattle landscape so the novelty of it has not worn thin. Ask them about going up the Space Needle and they will say “yes” but without quite as much enthusiasm.
Since it was just the three of us it wouldn’t be a bad thing to do, a nice way to cap off summer as well as make our afternoon together that much more special.
So we went.
I wasn’t worried about August, but Déla. She doesn’t do well on rides, and despite her being the most vocal about going up, I was sure it was either bravado or simply wishing she were brave enough and not being realistic about her own fears and possible limitations.
Turns out I was not only wrong, I was focusing on the wrong child. August is the one that started panicking when we started going up. And Déla started teasing him about it. Mercilessly.
August did fine, really, it wasn’t a full blown panic attack or anything. After the wheel we watched a street artist paint a picture with spray paint. Then it was a cab ride and home in time for bed.
All in all a great way to end the summer with two of my kids.