Birthday Bowling

Cole isn’t quite old enough to really know what he wanted to do for his birthday but I wanted to do something fun.  What’s more fun that bowling?  Here was my vision.  The family taking turns bowling, whooping and hooraying for each other when we knocked down pins, hi fives, helping each other with the balls and family fun fit for a brand new 3 year old.  We did do some of all those wonderful things over the course of our afternoon, but....

Here was the reality.  We walked in, found our lane and Cole immediately saw the arcade games behind us.  Before the shoes were on, Cole reported, he didn’t want to bowl anymore. He wanted to play video games.  I was the bearer of bad news that crushed his spirit and said, 'we are not playing games, we are bowling.'  Case on the other hand was super excited.  Case had been talking about bowling all morning. Once we got to the bowling alley his excited conversation went into overdrive and for the next 2.5 hours this is what I heard.  ‘Is it my turn now?  Whose turn is it?  Is it your turn?  Why did you get one turn instead of two?  Cole doesn’t want to take his turn can I bowl for him?  Don’t take my turn!  Is it my turn yet?  When will it be my turn?  I want to go home.  I want to bowl more. Is it my turn?’  Ahhhhhhhhh!  I shouldn’t complain but my ears were bleeding, bleeding afterwards!  And my nerves were shot.  I am sure the memories will mellow with time and in a few months, I will look at the pictures and smile.  However in the mean time, I don't have plans to bowl any time soon.

Enough about me, what was important is that he kids had fun bowling with great gma and bpa.  Independent Cole refused help and picked up the 6 lb ball by himself every single turn.  Each time he picked up his ball he would say, 'I am sooooo strong.' He also used the hand dryer to air out the inside of his shirt after every bowl. Cole threw his ball on average 1.5 miles per hour down the lane. His perfered choice of propelling the ball forward was to kick the ball rather than roll or throw.  Sometimes the ball moved so slow I was certain it would stop midlane and the entire time he was asking to play video games.   

The activity was to celebrate Cole but Case had the best time.  Case is now planing his 6th birthday as a bowling party.  He bowled 2 full games and even landed a spare on the last play.  Case didn't roll or push the ball down the alley, he threw the ball just like the pros and his average ball speed was an impressive 6.6 mph.  Even with bumpers intact, Case bowled a impressive 96 for his first game.        

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