Roller Coaster...Of Love

For some time now our biannual trip to Canada`s Wonderland Amusement Park had been delayed: something to do with me being pregnant with babies and being a new mom to twin infants put roller coasters and amusement parks at the bottom of my to do list.  After a rain delay a few weeks ago we managed to get there with the help of my in-laws who babysat for us while we coastered, just 3 years later than our last trip and the day before my 34th birthday.

4 rides into our trip the group of us decided to stop for lunch.  I somewhat unwisely ordered chicken on a bun which was priced as if it was Kobe beef despite being deep fried in a tin roofed hut.  We ate and made our way to another few rides.  By the third ride post lunch break, one that spun like crazy, I felt nauseous, but I tried to power through.  We were standing in line for a ride called, Back Lot Stunt Coaster*, the sun was beating down on us and I felt like I was going to pass out and puke - in that specific order.  When I suggested that I skip the ride and go lay down on the grass somewhere while they waited in linew and then enjoyed the ride, Chris looked secretly relieved.**

I stumbled over to the grass and lay down on the lawn for over an hour, twitching like some kind of hobo junky, using my purse as a pillow, opening my eyes only twice when I heard passer-byes asking each other, "Is that lady okay?".  When my crew returned from their ride they assured me that I would have puked everywhere had I stayed and Chris went to get me some vitamin water to help me rehydrate.

For the rest of the day it was a fine balance between resting and riding, with my nausea escalating exponentially.  I finally tapped out when there were discussions of lining up and riding the Leviathan, it was just too much to handle.  I was able to coax others into hanging out instead with promises of funnel cake and candy apples after we played at the arcade - and because the lineup was humongous.

"Next time giant coaster, next time!" says Sarabeth shaking her fist adamantly.

I must admit my nausea made me feel old and sad - I've never had any trouble riding any coasters.***  I wondered if this was something I could blame on the minions, perhaps pregnancy had altered my ability to enjoy amusement parks.  I'm always on the look-out for more things to blame on Molly and Jack, especially since I had a very successful C-Section and can't complain about being in labour for 42 hours.

When I got home I began to research if pregnancy and birth was the cause for a change in my reaction to G force (gravitational force due to acceleration and free fall).  It turns out I can't blame my kids for this one, I need to blame myself: for a possible sinus related cause of nausea and for getting older.  It turns out that as we age our balance gets worse as does our ability to readjust after going on rides.  So unless I become a yoga enthusiast in the next two years, I guess I need to pack some Pepto next time.

And I'm happy to report that I wasn't the only one who left the theme park feeling a little bit pekid****, one of our cohorts took it upon himself to eat a giant smoked turkey leg to prove to the rest of us that they actually sold this confection at Canada's Wonderland.  Apparently eating like Fred Flinstone doesn't always end well.  I may be a year older now, and need to pep up before going on rides but at least I don't eat questionably prepared giant slabs of meat just to prove a point.



*I don't know who was in charge of renaming the rides when Paramount sold Canada's Wonderland, but really that was the best that you could come up with to replace, The Italian Job?  Try harder next time, please. Insert disappointed mom face here.
**I guess he assumed that a day without the babies would mean that no one would puke on him.
***With the exception of being really short and positioned in the head rests so I get my ears boxed in certain specific rides.  Some coasters are like taking a round from Mike Tyson, but with less biting.
****Misery loves company.