The Bowling Experience

Was it an experience indeed.. it was. Not the good kind though. Not really the bad kind either. The kind where you are so embarrassed, you can't do anything, but smile.

So I smiled. Joshua smiled. We had a good time.

It all started upon entering the bowling alley. We drove all the way to Port Arthur (which seems like halfway across the country) to go to Drake's birthday party.

Joshua was so excited. Too excited. As soon as we entered the building he took off running into a massive group of men bowlers. Large men bowlers. Linebackers I think. He was trying to pick up their bowling balls and was running towards their lanes.

I, of course.. ran after him.. not noticing I dropped my camera bag on the way in. My new camera. Some guy is yelling after me... but I had forgotten to leash my kid.. oh no! Camera or Kid.. Camera or Kid.. heck.. the guy could keep the camera.. I wanted my kid!! So I ran after the kid.. and the guy with my camera just stood there.. stunned.. like.. 'hello lady, don't you want this?'... to which I was thinking.. 'why yes, yes I do, but I need my kid, he is kinda important. I think his daddy might be mad if I lose him.'

Once I had the kid in hand.. (I was kind of wishing I had a lease, but yea.. I make fun of those people.. we have a Elmo one and I HATE when John uses it) .... I finally made it over to the guy with the camera bag. I thanked him profusely and promised him that when my son won a Olympic medal for the 50 yard dash, I would be sure that he also thanked him in his speech. The guy just smiled and said, "your welcome."

At this point, we had not even found the party. The bowling alley was so large and there were kids and balloons everywhere. And I was now toting.. a kid, a diaper bag, a camera, and a cup. (I seriously think moms should come equipped with more hands) Finally, we found our party. Joshua is going wild over all his cousins and oohing and ahhing over the presents, cake and most of all.. the shiny bowling balls.

Took us forever to get his bowling shoes, but once in hand, we were ready!! or at least I thought we were...

(Granna helping Joshua later on in the evening.)

It was Joshua's turn. He and I went up to his lane. The bumpers came up for him. I explained to him how to roll the ball. I prepared him. He was ready!

He pushed the ball off into space. (mama gave it a good push on the way out too) It was going.. in a straight line... it was AWESOME!!!

(Later in the evening.)

I turned to give Joshua a high five and notice he wasn't there.. in a split second my little sprinter took off down the lane to get his ball back.

NOOOOOOO!!!

Yes.. you guessed it.. bowling lanes are slick.. really slick. And me, being the wonderful and loving mother I am.. didn't even think about it. All I could think was, "Did my baby hit his head?" So I too.. ran onto the slick bowling lane.. and I too.. fell... on my behind. Smack! In the middle of the lane. In the middle of the bowling alley. For everyone to see. And laugh.

My family laughed. Asked if I was OK. And laughed some more. (Love you too guys!) I scooped up my baby and crawled back down the lane with my kid in a head lock. Attractive, I know. But he was OK... and I was OK... I heard behind jokes all afternoon long. People asked me how my hiney felt. I let them know it was 'fine' and that I had 'plenty of cushion' back there.

So a few lessons were learned here...

No more bowling without daddy to help.
Do NOT run into the lanes.
Stuff pillows into hiney before attempting to bowl.






In a few weeks we have a skating party.
I'm scared.
Very Scared.


*Pictures were taken later as the evening progressed. NO ONE got pictures of our little accident. Thank goodness!!!