A Late July Day of Play at Coney

Although we didn't make it to Coney this year for the Fourth of July, Lou & I took the girls over the summer on a day when we totally had the place to ourselves.  Everything about Coney Island screams instant nostalgia, and there's just no way to deny the pang of time-gone-by when we go there.  (The image of little Josie on those turtles all those years ago is just something forever etched into our memories as parents, and every time we go back to that spot we both tear up.)  So, Coney has a little magic for the Schneiders. Here are some photos from this year's trip - which was super special since Baby Bea can now get in on the action.

We had to start with the iconic turtles. Bea was instantly hooked!  She had the time of her life, and big sister Josie held her snugly to reassure her. As the rides ended, Bea signed "more, more" and around Coney we went, asking each time "Do you think Bea can..." and as long as she was tall enough (errr, as long as she was almost tall enough) she did!

Lou's photo of Josie and I on the frogs (ha.)

Bea wasn't the only brave one on this trip. Josie was ready to hit the big kid rides! She was "super pumped" that she was tall enough to hit the coasters. 

Here she is after she rode "The Python" - her first coaster! YES!

This one will go down as one of my favorite pictures. I took it of us heading up the hill of The Python together. At the end of the ride, as we pulled back into the station, I asked Josie what she was thinking as we screamed all the way down the big hill. Her instant-classic response: "Mama, I was thinking Um, maybe I should have waited until I was six to ride this thing."

Here we are on the ship, or canoe, or whatever it is - the swinging boat thingy! (This one kinda scared her, but she was a trooper!)

A little downtime on the carousel is always appreciated.

The giant slide was all kinds of good clean fun!

And the swings were sweet (even if Bea was a few inches too short and we snuck her right on.)

 Some playground time.

 

Those "flying bobs" felt a little too Greene County Fair for my comfort (being that she's my first born and all), but Josie had a blast despite my worries! She came bouncing off of it and demanded I ride it with her - backwards!  (No Led Zepplin blaring. Color me disappointed.)

She wanted to pose in front of it, before we rode it again.

 Turtle time, flying solo. (When.Did.She.Get.This.Big?!)

We left Coney Island that late-July day feeling absolutely giddy. We knew August (with all its craziness) was coming soon but this day was one to forget it all and just PLAY! Good, good times!

Postscript: We actually just went to Coney again over Labor Day weekend. Threats of hurricane-rain kept everyone else in Cincinnati away and it was the perfect afternoon making more Coney Island memories with the whole Schneider/Austin/Johnson clan.