Bob and Daniel

Scene from "What About Bob"? Ever seen it? Here's a synopsis. Bob, a man with, well, issues, played by Bill Murray, follows his new psychiatrist Dr. Marvin to his vacation home. Majorly crossing patient doctor boundaries. His Dr. had given him his new book to read while he is on vacation. The book is called "Baby Steps" which is the title of one of my blogs here. While the concept is simple, it blows Bob away and he is feeling a breakthrough from his obsessions for the first time in his life. He is so thrilled he must follow said psychiatrist to thank him. (played by Richard Dreyfuss) After many attempts he can't get Bob to leave. The family, of course, takes to him and he stays. I always thought this movie was funny in sort of a strange way. This was BEFORE Daniel was even born. My favorite scene from the movie is when the family goes sailing. Bob is Obsessive compulsive of the highest order and scared of everything. Then Bob, after getting in good with the family is invited on an outing. This has always been my favorite scene, I don't know why. But I have referenced it over and over through the years. His excitement makes me happy, not in a way of making fun of him, but I am completely thrilled for him that he is sailing.... even if it is while tied to the mast. Whatever accomodations are needed, right?




I bring this up because over the past three days at Boyne Mountain I was watching Daniel, who was nicknamed "fish" by my extended family on our vacation, in his GLORY at Avalanche Bay indoor water park. This was our third trip there. We went with my cousin Beckie and her family (who we traveled east with). Apparently we aren't yet sick of each other!

Daniel would go and go and go at the water park until, as Beckie said, he would collapse into a heap on the floor. Even if he were bleeding from his feet from walking with them wet for 24 hours he'd still say "I'm fine, I can keep going". I don't want to leave yet. We didn't quite get to THAT point, but close enough. He is just beyond in his glory. By the third day I limited the water park to an hour before we drove home, he was literally limping around the park, walking veeeerry slowly.


I said, "Daniel, does something hurt?"

Daniel- "No mom, I feel GREAT". (limp limp limp)

Two of the slides are approximately 3 stories of steps to climb while pulling a huge tube behind you. The first time I did it I had to stop at the top and get my breath and stop my head from spinning. The last two times we were at the park there were huge lines, so you didn't just climb 3 stories straight, you inched up. No one was there this time, so you just climbed 3 stories, got on the tube, went down and did it again. In Daniel's case over and over and over. On Tuesday for 6 hours. I of course made him stop to eat, forcibly. Monday night we were there for 3 1/2 hours. Wednesday for an hour.

Besides the tubes there is a lazy river. Of course he doesn't want to bother with this relaxing experience. He's in it for the thrills. He is fearless. There is also a "race track" where you also climb millions of stairs, lay down on a mat with handles on your stomach and race down as fast as possible. It takes about 5 seconds. Then again you climb again. Then there is the surfing. I could (and did) sit there for hours watching my boys surf. You can lay down on a boogie board and surf the waves, or they have a surf board to stand on. Few people use this. Every time Daniel would jump onto that board and surf those waves, expertly, back and forth until his time was up, he'd yell, "LOOK MOM, LOOK AT ME, I'M SURFING!" Sometimes so loud everyone would look around with a smile wondering who on earth he was talking to. He was the only person I saw in the hours I sat there who talked while surfing. The. whole. time. I would just smile thinking of Bob tied to the sail boat in his glory at overcoming his fear. The way Daniel was yelling was EXACTLY the same. His joy was contagious. People would smile when they'd see me waving back to him, giving him a thumbs up at his joy, acknowledging that I could see him. Then the whistle would blow, he'd roll off and get whisked to the top of the waves and get in line and do it all again. and again. and again.