On Saturday was the Ocean City Air Show. Since both my kids liked airplanes (or so I thought....) I decided to take them sans Al, since he had to work. We left the house early, so I could 1)get a good/free parking spot and 2)the kids could play in the sand before it got too hot.
Getting there went as perfectly as it could have! I got a free parking space at Town Hall which put me on 4th Street- and all festivities were centered on 16th Street. I loaded up the stroller- fyi- a jump rope works really well to tie a chair to a stroller handle!- and we walked up a few blocks to 9th Street. This way we were close enough to see all the planes, but not too close for all the noise- or so I thought....
From 10am-noon the kids happily played in the sand, ate snacks, and enjoyed the pre-show of an old WWI plane doing loop-de-loops. They even enjoyed the 1st 4 or 5 "acts"- various planes flying by, several parachutes. Addie did question WHY anyone would jump out of a plane- she deemed that very unsafe and questioned if they had asked their Mommy's if they could....
By 1pm, I was thinking about packing-up as both kids were past their normal nap time. It's a good thing I was thinking about packing-up, because at that time, the Fighter Plane made his first pass. (Que Scary Music)
The kids were enthralled by the plane because it was much closer then any of the other planes and it just looked cool. The 2 or 3 split seconds after the plane passed, and that LOUD sonic boom hit, both kids literally jumped from their sitting positions in the sand, tossed their shovels, screamed at the top of their lungs, and clung to me, making me look like I had suddenly grown 8 extra limbs.
Unfortunately for me, since I was "so far away" from the "center"- I was right where the planes were turning around. Read this- I had only a few split seconds to recuperate from the first sonic boom, before another one occurred.
Around me were loads of college kids since I was near the volleyball courts. They were all laughing hysterically at my kids- and I have to say, I was laughing right along with them, Addie and Alden were putting on SUCH a show. Screaming as the boom happened, calm when they saw the plane pass, and then realizing it was going to be loud again, and starting back up with the screaming.....
I packed up in less then 1 min, and in 5 min was quickly strolling down the Board Walk, back to the car. Thankfully the noise wasn't as loud on the Board Walk, and the bouncing of the Walk was lulling my already exhausted kids to sleep.
Now when we pack-up to go to the beach, Addie makes a simple request- "I want to go to a regular beach, no hairplanes (airplanes), please. They are toooooo loud and make me cry."
Even though this ended a bit more dramatically then I had anticipated, it was still fun. Next year I think I'll just come when the show starts, bring earplugs, and sit on the Wall instead of the beach. Live and learn.....
Our Little Diva
Our Little Architect
Happily eating lunch while watching the WWI "Hairplane" that Addie was SURE was her Poppy Duane who had flown all the way from "Hidiho" just to wave at her and then go back home....
The cool skills shown by the Coast Guard- this was the last "act" that we saw in peace....
Here is where you would hear the "Jaws" music- they were playing so happily....
And no, I do not have any pictures of them screaming. I would have loved to have captured it, but in my hasty packing-up, the camera got put at the bottom of my stroller.... Just use your imaginations- they can't be too far off!!
