I love her!
I love her too!
Today while attending another birthday party at Pump It Up, the electricity went off and stayed off for several minutes at least. Pump It Up is made up of two rooms filled with giant jumpy castles, blown up slides, climbing walls and tunnels. I was sitting on a bench talking with another mom when it all went dark. Talk about immediate chaos. I knew Jordan was in the tunnels in the back. You can only get to this tunnel by going up a climbing wall or going through several holes and over short walls to get to the back where the tunnel was.
I cannot tell you the immediate icy fear I felt. People were shouting for their kids and some kids were crying. As stated it was dark. I jumped up and ran. I started climbing through the holes and could feel the thing deflating. I could hear Jordan crying and screaming for me. I kept shouting her name and said I was coming.
My fear was it was going to deflate all the way and, she would be trapped under the heavy plastic tarp. I kept thinking about suffocation.
I will say the leaders in our room from Pump It Up had it together. They whipped out flashlights and started gathering the kids in the middle of the room. All I could get out to this young Pump It Up lady was my daughter is in the tunnel. I was so choked up that was all I could get out as I shouted at her. The girl went right and I was going through the holes on the left. I could hear Jordan crying and screaming Mommy. I found her! I pulled her up over the wall, shouted to the Pump It Up person I had her, and went back out.
Jordan later asked me how I found her when the Pump It Up lady was the one with the light. I told her that I heard her and, I found her with my ears. I told her that is what Mommies do.
Jordan later asked me how I found her when the Pump It Up lady was the one with the light. I told her that I heard her and, I found her with my ears. I told her that is what Mommies do.
Pretty soon after coming out, the electricity came back on -- not all the way because it was still dim but enough to now see. I was very relieved to see the two big slides were still up and the climbing wall that Jordan had been in back of was still up as well. I told CHH later that they must have generators or something because of those items still being up. Other items had deflated but many of them had netting as well so one would think someone could breath if trapped in them. All I know was my heart was in the pit of my stomach and I felt true fear. After the party when I called CHH to tell him what happened, I cried. It scared me.
Also when the lights came back on, I had been talking to a Mom who had two sons at the party -- 4 years old and 3 years old. This Mom was absolutely panicked because she had found her oldest son but couldn't find the three year old. She was saying his name and said she couldn't find him. I started running to the opposite of the room to look for him and, we saw another Mom carrying him over. My friend and I both sat on the ground hugging our kids. We were so choked up. I could tell by her voice she was trying not to cry.
A few years back my sister had rented a jumpy castle for a birthday party. Unknown to us, one of the kids hit the switch that shut it off. My husband saw it happening and took off running for the castle. He dove in right when the whole thing collapse. He was in there, holding it up, and shoving kids out the entrance. He later told me it was heavy and hot. I remembered this incident when the lights went off at Pump It Up and that is why I panicked especially knowing Jordan was in the back.
I have been to Pump It Up for birthday parties more than I can count on two hands. This has never happened before. I'm relieved that they seem to have some sort of back up system for the bigger items and, as stated, the staff was wonderful and went to work quickly. I learned two things today: Even though I feel safe in these rooms and not fearful of a stranger taking my kid because these are private parties, I need to still keep my eye on my kids and know the general area they are at. I did know today because I had seen Jordan go in the tunnel. The second thing is to learn the lay out of the place. I had been through the tunnel Jordan was in and knew how to get back to her and also knew there were two ways out. Even though it was dark, I could hear her and I knew were to go because I had been through it.
After the Pump It Up party, Jordan and I rushed over to Little Gym for another friend's birthday party. CHH and Katelyn were already there. It was great to see them and to visit with the girls' Aunt Julie. The girls had a wonderful time at this little boy's party. They always do.
I will have to say this is the second time I have been to a birthday party and had a scare. I told CHH what is up with Jordan and I at birthday parties.
When Jordan was 2 1/2, we were at a water park birthday party. I had taken off her floaties because the kids were eating birthday cake. I turned my head away from my daughter to help the birthday girl's Mom because she was pregnant and carrying something. I made the mistake of asking another Mom to watch Jordan because she was playing with the kids. This Mom was watching her own child and when I thought back later, it was not fair of me to ask someone to watch her when they were trying to watch their own kids. Anyhow it was but a minute but when I looked back, Jordan was gone. I wasn't afraid someone took her but was scared to death that she went in the water. I was running and had everyone looking. She had followed another Mom down to the wave pool and was in the process of walking back up with that Mom. At that time I remember thanking God and just hugging her. When I got in the car that time and called CHH, I broke down and couldn't even drive. I had to get myself together. I felt like an awful Mom because I had let myself take my eyes off of my most important treasure to help someone else out. Never again. My job is my child when I'm at places like that. At least today, I knew where she was!!
When Jordan was 2 1/2, we were at a water park birthday party. I had taken off her floaties because the kids were eating birthday cake. I turned my head away from my daughter to help the birthday girl's Mom because she was pregnant and carrying something. I made the mistake of asking another Mom to watch Jordan because she was playing with the kids. This Mom was watching her own child and when I thought back later, it was not fair of me to ask someone to watch her when they were trying to watch their own kids. Anyhow it was but a minute but when I looked back, Jordan was gone. I wasn't afraid someone took her but was scared to death that she went in the water. I was running and had everyone looking. She had followed another Mom down to the wave pool and was in the process of walking back up with that Mom. At that time I remember thanking God and just hugging her. When I got in the car that time and called CHH, I broke down and couldn't even drive. I had to get myself together. I felt like an awful Mom because I had let myself take my eyes off of my most important treasure to help someone else out. Never again. My job is my child when I'm at places like that. At least today, I knew where she was!!
