A few weeks ago, my mom gave my daughters a wonderful present. Instead of Easter baskets this year, we took a girls' day to Albuquerque. The Walking With Dinosaurs Arena show has been making their US tour, and one of the stops was in Albuquerque. We weren't sure how the girls would do, but decided to try it anyways.
We left the house at 7 AM, made the mandatory Bloomfield Durango Joe's pit stop for breakfast and coffee, and hit the road.
We got to Albuquerque and the arena right before show time. They were excited, but nervous too. We had been watching the videos on Yo*Tube to prepare the girls for the giant dinosaurs they would see, but you never can predict what they will do.
Well, when the first part showed a little scavenger dino eating a baby dino, I figured we were in for it. The girls all started crying over the poor baby. Madison, who was attached to my body from the moment we walked into the arena, sat on my lap with her face buried into my chest. Katrina got better after the mean, baby-eating dino left, and Violet found the whole thing amusing.
They all got more brave as the show progressed, except Madi. As long as she didn't have to look at the dinos, she was ok. They had projection screens up showing live feeds of the action on the arena floor, and Madi found watching that much safer than looking at the actual dino.
Cameras were not allowed during the performance (not that anyone besides me actually obeyed that rule), but I did take this really cute pic of Grandma and her girls during intermission.
The second half of the show was much better for the girls. Madi gathered enough courage to turn around and actually look at the dinos, Katrina was enthralled by them, and Violet just laughed. Apparently, nothing fazes that one!
Since I am a good rule-follower and didn't take photos during the show, here is a video from Y*oTube of what we saw:
It really was incredible. The details and realism made it worth it to me. Near the end, they introduced the T-Rex. Honestly, this was the part that worried me the most. I mean, really? How else do you introduce perhaps the most terrifying predator in history?
The creators of this show did an excellent job. They had the ankli-something-o-saurus and the triceratops on the floor, talking about the incredible body armor both animals had. Then then narrator asked, "Just what predator would be able to get past these awesome creatures?"
Cue dramatic lighting, intense music (which terrified Madi) and the silhouette of the T-Rex against the projection screens. Then the screens opened, and out came...
... the baby. Yes, they had a baby T-Rex. And when the baby got sassy with the other dinos, they cornered poor baby. And when the baby started to cry, the narrator said,...
..." The one thing that has remained true throughout all of time. Never mess with Mama!"
And out came Mama! She saved her baby by scaring off the big mean vegetarians (always a plus with my little carnivores) and protected her little one by roaring at the crowd. And then the baby would jump up next to Mama and try to roar just like her. I never thought that a dino roar would be cute, but that one sure was!
Now, you would think, given her reaction to the other dinos, that Madi would be screaming & terrified of Mama. Nope. Not a bit. Because she was a mama dino, Madi loved her. She talked to her. She cheered for her. I know, I don't understand it either. But it made it fun.
After the show, we had lunch, bought Easter dresses at the mall (thanks Mom), and headed home. My little dinos were pooped.
But everyone they have talked to since then has heard about the Mama Dinosaur that said, "You meanies stop pickin on my baby!" Because that is what a Mama Dinosaur says, according to a 2, 3, and 6 year old.
