Brookfield Zoo Christmas Lights and the mother of all meltdowns.

On the last Day of November we took the kids to the Brookfield Zoo to see the Christmas lights. 

They were all bundled up and we were looking forward to a fun evening as a family.

It started out great, everyone was smiling and excited to see the lights.

The zoo went all out with huge trees and Christmas lights and decorations everywhere.

They even had animal characters dressed up to greet and take pics with the kids. 

Things were going good, but shortly after we arrived we decided to let the kids ride the carousel while we waited for the giant tree lighting ceremony. 

They all had a great time, especially Cam who was enamored with the kangaroo he had chosen to ride. 

The trouble started when the ride ended. 

Cam was distraught that he had to get off. 

He just couldn't understand why he must part with his beloved kangaroo. 

The poor boy cried and cried. 

I tried taking him away from the carousel to get his mind off it. He kept crying, 

"Kangaroo! Kangaroo!" 

I tried buying him treats and popcorn, he didn't want them. 

"Kangaroo! Kangaroo!

I tried taking him to see the actual kangaroos in the zoo, but when he realized they weren't the carousel kangaroo, he really started wailing!

"KANGAROO! KANGAROO!"

So I had no other choice, I took him back to the carousel, to wait in the long line again so he could ride that dang kangaroo. 

And this is where having a kid on the autism spectrum can escalate a situation like this into a pretty epic meltdown... As is very common for spectrum kids, when Cam gets his mind set on something, he can't be deterred, he has very rigid expectations and doesn't cope well with variations to those expectations. Cam's mind was set on riding the kangaroo. Waiting in line was excruciating for him and he cried the whole time. Finally they opened the gate and dozens of kids rushed in to pick their animal. 

There were 2 kangaroos. 

We ran to the first but it got snatched right before we got there. 

I saw the other one across the way. 

No one was on it.

I hightailed it over there as fast as my pregnant booty could hustle. 

Cam saw the kangaroo. 

It was his! 

But then a second before we got there another mom plopped her 2 year old on top of it. 

Cam was hysterical. 

Oh how he screamed and screamed!

"KANGAROO! *loud wailing scream* KANGAROO!!

I politely asked the mom if there was any way her son would be willing to ride a different animal. 

Seeing Cam's hysteria, she tried to coax her 2 year old off but he stubbornly said, "no, my kangaroo."

The mom felt horrible but it wasn't her fault and we were making a scene, so after all that waiting in line, I hauled Cam off the ride to wait in line again. I explained to the operator what had happened and she kindly let us stay at the front of the line to wait for the next kangaroo. 

Having to wait again made Cam crazy. 

As he kicked and screamed on the ground, a small herd of kids pushed past us to the front. 

I was too busy dealing with Cam to say anything and just hoped they wanted to ride different animals.

Then as the ride slowed down, I heard one of the boys claim the kangaroo. 

Oh no he didn't.

Mama bear picked screaming Cam up off the ground and walked over to the boy, 

"Sorry, that is MY son's kangaroo."

The boy's sister said, "well my brother wants it."

I looked at her at the edge of insanity and dared her with my crazy eyes to try and take it from me. 

She wisely backed down and Mama bear and Cam pushed our way back to the front. 

The gate opened again. 

We claimed our kangaroo.

And all was right again in Cam's little world. 

After that we got as far away from the carousel as we could. 

We took him to the monkey house, and with carousels and kangaroos far from his mind, he was finally able to relax and enjoy the zoo. 

Daddys are more fun to ride than kangaroos anyway :)