First things first....they do a great job at Mike Farm. Our less than stellar experience had everything to do with a toddler entering the terrible twos not the location.
So the evening of the big dinner I come home from work and Randal is still napping...not good! The child HATES to get up from her nap early. Even worse I woke her up and made her change clothes (life for a toddler is hard when changing clothes is considered tragic!). So before we even pulled out of the driveway I had a sleepy and upset toddler who essentially went straight from the crib to her car seat. Good news...we drove the suburban so we had Yo Gabba Gabba playing the whole trip and she seemed happy. Now I'm thinking..."this might turn out alright."
Once we get to Mike's Farm we go straight to the banquet hall for dinner and put Randal in the highchair. Just to recap the sequence here (crib to car seat to highchair....little play/walking in between). The changes from one restraint system to another were not making Randal happy. She squirmed and squirmed in her highchair. Matt and I did everything we could to make her happy but it wasn't happening. Then they brought out cups of juice with straws. "Oh, a saving grace" I thought. (Randal loves getting to drink from a straw and drinking Sprite from a big girl cup is typically just the distraction I need to get through a trip to Target). With a big girl cup of juice in her hand I thought we were home free. Nope! She drank the juice in 15 seconds (no lie!). I got her more but she was no longer fascinated by her big girl cup. Matt and I try to distract her some more. All the while Matt (who I should mention is not hearing well (or really at all) out of one ear due to surgery) is complaining about all the noise and the fact that our toddler is on the verge of a major meltdown. Um, not my idea of fun either but were parents to an almost 2-year old...this happens!
Then Santa enters. YAY!...I just knew this would help turn things around. Wrong. After Randal's initial amazement with Santa she started to squirm even more to the point where we had to get her out of her highchair. Then she wants to run up to Santa. I wont let her because its not time to meet Santa yet and there is currently someone at the front of the banquet hall explaining how the evening will work. A full on toddler tantrum ensues. As in my child is lying on the floor crying because I wont let her run around (while all of the other children are sitting nicely) and go meet Santa. Matt looks at me like I should know what to do here and gives me the "shut her up this is embarrassing look." Agreed, it was embarrassing but reasoning with a toddler is not possible. They do not understand. Anyways, I pick her off the floor and try to just hold her. The tables are finally dismissed to go to the buffet so it is no longer all eyes on the one tantruming child (I do not like being THAT parent!).
Randal continues to whine and tantrum. We get dinner and stuff it in our faces because remember we have a very unhappy toddler on our hands. Then we go stand in line to see Santa. Could this be it...finally something that will make my child happy. Nope!!! For being so anxious to see Santa Randal latched on to me and would not let go or even look at Santa.
After the failed attempt to sit on Santa's lap I took Randal back to the car to get blankets for the hayride. Being outside actually did seem to make her happy despite the chilly temperatures and wind. I don't even think I allowed myself to think the hayride would go well at this point. But SURPRISE she loved the hayride and lights!!!! At least the night ended on an up beat note!
Even though the night was 80% total disaster we will actually probably make the trip again next year just not do the special "Dinner With Santa" event. We will most likely go at a time that is more convenient for the babes (plural by then!!!!) and eat and go on the hayride.
Below are some pictures from our evening at Mike's Farm. They are horrible as we were in very dark settings and I didn't have a flash but I felt the need to document the evening anyways.
Enjoy!
With her big girl cup
Lollipop from Mrs. Claus...it pacified her for 5 mins :)
On the hayride :)
Some of the lights
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