Avoid Chuck E. Cheese

Consider yourself warned.  At least around our neck of the woods the Chuck E. Cheese you might remember from a few years ago is a far cry from the Chuck E. Cheese of today.

I expected loud.  I expected overpriced pizza.  I expected it to be crowded.  I expected birthday parties.  I expected really cheap prizes.  In all of that, I was not disappointed.

Unfortunately I also expected a show.  You know, where the curtain draws back and you watch the whole band perform?  Instead we got one stuffed Chuck and a few TV screens showing something constantly.  I never even watched them because it was so loud from the parties and Millie wasn't into it.

I expected a little toddler area, kind of off to the side full of the ride on toys and other "lame" things big kids weren't in to.  Not the case here.  That stuff was just mixed in with all of the racing games.

Case and point:

I was also expecting the playground area to be half decent and with a ball pit.  Didn't their commercials used to center around the ball pit?  Am I the only kid that watched that much TV?  I recall a lot of commercials from my childhood.  I know ball pits aren't as easy to find as they once were for safety reasons, but I had hopes.  Millie has been watching kids play in ball pits for weeks on Youtube.  How does she find these videos?  I'm just not excited to fork out $12 for pump it up (or the like) when she'll play for 15 minutes and be ready to go.

Overall, I'd say if you've got a 10 year old then Chuck E. Cheese is for you.  I'll probably try and avoid it for the next 8 years or so.  By the way if you feel the need to go, it will be worth your time to sign up for the emails for the coupons.  We easily saved $10 on our pizza/drink/token package that way.

For inquiring minds, my pregnancy (12 weeks 1 day today!) is still scooting along.  I feel fine some hours, and horrible others.  When I feel horrible, especially when I'm trying to fall asleep, I find myself deep in though.  My appreciation for women that carry children without the loving support of a husband and women that carry children knowing they will give the child up for adoption has grown this week.  I could write and write my feelings on this, and I do have a deep appreciation for adoption since my family consists of an aunt and four adopted cousins, but I will leave you with a summary.  Basically I feel like these women individually deserve a parade.  Or something huge.  Whatever they would want, but it needs to be big.  Their situations aren't ideal, but the sacrifice and love they show to these babies is about as Christ-like as it gets.

This week I go in for a hefty 2-3 hour appointment where my baby is screened for diseases like Down Syndrome.  It is routine here, and I am not nervous.  While I hope for a healthy, normal baby I would feel incredibly honored to take care of one of Heavenly Father's special children.  I feel honored to take care of any of his children, actually.

One last thing to keep in your back pocket.  If you find yourself pregnant and thinking that the smells from a dirty diaper or dinner cooking will be the death of you, go buy febreze air effects.  I wish I had thought of this sooner.  I've been going to great lengths squeezing my nose into a clothes pin (ouch!), changing Millie by the front door, and hiding in my room while Buck cooks dinner to avoid these smells.  One little spray and I can breathe again!  Unfortunately it doesn't work on your now-smelly-to-you husband.  He used to smell so good, too.