Tuesday is Canaan's 3rd birthday, so yesterday just he and I went to Chuck E. Cheese. I haven't been there since I was a wee lad - wow, has it changed. Gone are the days of the eerie mechanical dancing characters and the ball-pit. Now there's Jumbotron screens playing VeggieTales and massive hamster tubes criss-crossing the ceiling, full of jittery laughing children.
I was a bit concerned as Canaan has previously been terrified of anyone in costumes, even so far as to be afraid of puppets, but I was a proud daddy when he immediately started asking everyone where Chuck E. was because, "I wanna meet him!"
When the mouse came and sang (well, danced to a tape of someone singing) "Happy Birthday," Canaan sang right along, gave him a high-five, and even accepted a hug. Atta boy.
Later, after much coaxing, he climbed up into the tubes but refused to go past the entranceway. So there he sits, above my head, making pitiful faces at me through the Plexiglass. I climbed up and fetched him, and everyone cheered for him. I was saddened that he was afraid to climb through, but hey - he's 3.
A guy I used to work with ages ago when I was a tree-guy found us, sat himself down and started peppering me with questions, some weird Christian-oriented 3rd degree which I dodged with vague, noncommittal answers. He asked Canaan if he'd met Chuck E. yet, and I laughed when the boy looked at him with that oddly intense stare of his and replied, "I got hugged by a giant mouse."
Other proud moment was on the merry-go-round, when as he went around he insisted on giving me a high-five, and then knuckles, shouting "Word!" as he did. There I stood, one of the only single dads surrounded by all these moms as my son comes slowly turning around the corner. I grin at him, and what's he do?
Throws up the bull-horns and screams "Rock 'n roll!" at the top of his tiny lungs. I've never been so proud. All the mothers laughed and I just beamed. That's my boy.
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4 comments:
well done.
one of my proudest moments was when Lincoln walked into the room where i was playing guitar, picked up my drum, set it down next to me and started jamming along. he was so close to perfect four time! when i stopped playing he looked up at me with those big beautiful eyes and said 'no mama, i wanna rock out!"
Rock 'n Roll!
Aren't kids the greatest?
Best story yet Jarad. I used to love Chuck E. Cheese! I liked those tunnels under the creepy singing band... do you know what I am talking about? Anyway it seems someone has had a major influence on Cannan.... some rockstar I think. :)
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