A West Ed Adventure

For Mother's Day, Shaun booked us a fun weekend away.  We decided that our perfect weekend would be last weekend and it would be spent seeing the sights of West Edmonton Mall.  It's been a long time since either of us had been there, and Sam was en route to his first time ever.  We had so much fun!  Some interesting/helpful tidbits:
1) If staying at the mall, some room deals include passes to the waterpark... so worth it to get them this way as the part is quite expensive.
2) At the waterpark you can call ahead and book a cabana.  It's a private little room for $45 to store your things.  It also has a private bathroom.  This was great for us because we used the potty a couple times (it was closer than the change room) and it was easy to grab my camera.  Also a really great way to sneak snacks in!!! :)
3) Anyone with a toddler would totally get their money worth going to the kids play place.  It's 4 tickets for the child (adults are free and tickets are $1.49 each).  The kid gets a stamp to go in and out all day.  Closed in, safe and there is a height maximum so you don't have to worry about your little one getting run over.
4) The sea lion show does a dress rehearsal at 10am.  Very easy to see and no crowds to try to push past.
5) Getting to any area right at opening is the least stressful.  As the day goes on, the mall gets busier and busier and fuller and fuller.

First stop... kiddie pool!

Building up his bravery for later in the day!

SPLASH

Daddy and Sam try out a big slide.

Sam did this one once with me and then the rest of the times he went down all by himself!  At first he pretended to drive a car down and at the end he was laying down and riding it like a pro! 

Peek!

Shaun tried out all the crazy slides including this pink one!

Wave pool

Trying to keep Sam from going under while he fought for his independence was very difficult.  He wanted to do it all on his own but the waves were very strong.

This wave go the best of Shaun!

Waiting for Dad to come down this crazy yellow one.

Funny face!

There's Shaun!

After the pool we went and drove the pirate ship.  Big highlight for this little matey!

We tried out a couple of the rides at Galaxyland.  Sam was too short for most and this airplane one was one that fit him.    Just had to get him in and then leave him to fly it on his own.

Pretty skeptical of the whole thing (maybe it was the super creepy, overly nice, sort of homeless looking man that was running this ride.)

The other ride Sam could do alone... brrrap!

Love this boy!

We were having no fun at all!!!

Cheers!  Tony Romas is a great place to take a kid!  We went to the one on Bourbon Street.  Great meal, super helpful.  Perfect supper!

Day 2 started with breakfast and then hitting up the playplace the SECOND it opened.  SOOOO MUCH FUN!

I gave it my best try but apparently it was not made for someone mommy-sized.  Thank goodness I bailed on it before I got spotted or stuck!

Squeeeeezed under.

Who says this place is just for toddlers!?!?  This bouncy house was soooo much fun!

This is a picture from under the rope ladder.  This ladder hurt my feet sooo much.  Kids are made of steel, no joke.

Sam liked to push me down the slide...

... and then turn to his daddy to laugh about it.

Here we are waiting for Dad to come down the slide... funny faces!

This slide was right at the entrance of the playplace where all the other parents just sat to watch.  Cute when Sam came flying out but slightly embarrassing when I came launching out and landed on my bum on that mat.  We got shot a few disapproving looks, but it didn't really slow us down.

I recommend this adventure to anyone with toddlers.  The mall has everything you'd need without having to load up to change activities.  The drive was painless with a quick pitstop on Gasoline Alley in Red Deer both ways.  So much fun!  I think it will need to be a new family tradition!