Bowling!

Jackson had yet another "first" this summer. We registered for the Kids Bowl Free summer program and met up with several friends to go bowling. Before going, Jack and I had an in-depth discussion about what to expect. Jackson almost never wears socks, so I had to explain that he would need socks and that he would be given special shoes at the bowling alley. Like most things in his 3-year-old world, he referenced an episode of UmiZoomi where they go bowling.

When we got to the bowling alley and I handed him the shoes, he actually said, "I'm just like Bot. These shoes are comfy and stylish!" It was the most ridiculous statement ever.

We didn't have one of those ramps, so Jackson had to push the bowl down the lane with whatever force he could muster. Several of the kids' bowling balls had to be retrieved midway down the lane because they had lost momentum.

Jackson was literally biting his nails waiting to see how many (if any) pins would be knocked down. His face stayed like this the first several frames.

After a really enthusiastic start, Jack's attention span fizzled. His friends cheered his name when it was his turn. While I thought it was adorable, Jackson was not a fan of the attention. He covered his ears and began to shut down. He was more interested in the arcade games, using the bathroom, and dancing with me. I didn't force him to continue bowling, but I did make him stay the rest of the game. Perhaps we should have left while he was still in a good mood, because he had a full tantrum when the game ended:

Despite a rough ending, Jackson was only positive when retelling his first bowling experience to Jesse. That's my favorite thing about kids. They seem to always remember the good. Based on his initial excitement and his recap, I would say bowling was a success!