December 21, 2015

My husband and I took our children to the Polynesian Culture Center for the live nativity canoe ride and invited Maikale, Sini, and Lavender to go with us. I called to get information and prices and found that if you brought a Pepsi product with you they would waive the $5 fee, so we collected cans from our neighbors and headed out to Laie. I also found out that we could have Maikale ride int he canoe with us and they would walk her wheel chair to the location where we would be getting off the canoe. We picked the kids up and went and got in line for the canoe. We had a 15-minute wait and during this time the kids got to know each other, and I pointed out the lights to Maikale and told her we were going to to go on a canoe. In the canoe I sat in the front for with Maikale and a two more of our kids, and my husband sat behind me with more of the kids. Maikale seemed to be enjoying the canoe until I pointed out the first three live characters.....she laid her head back and began to cry. I was able to soothe her, but she kept tearing and het head buried in my arm the remaining time on the canoe. I talked to her about the animals and lights, but she would have nothing to do with it. After we got off the canoe Maikale continued to quietly cry and we decided to stop at McDonald's on the way home for an ice cream cone. The ice cream cone definitely did the trick! She cheered right up and seemed to forget the canoe ride.

(3 hours 30 minutes)