Porky and Danielle, Besties for Life

As part if Madsen Family camp we visited Six flags over Georgia. I don't know if you have ever been there and I didn't know if I wanted to go because I don't really like roller coasters. In the end my sister in law Kathryn told me I should come after I had said I wasn't going anywhere and I packed up baby Danielle and came.
It was hot an miserable at six flags. The fountains were boarded up and had signs that said they were conserving water with the drought. I had a theory that they were also conserving money since they didn't want people jumping in the fountains and running around. Georgia is so hot! Six flags has an area with kid's rides but there were some problems with it- Danielle actually seemed to like the rides but she was only tall enough to go on two of them. One of the two was a little caged merry go round that she wouldn't go on because she couldn't be alone in the cage. I felt like I had ruined John's perfectly good roller coaster experience and we sadly left the kid's land.
I love theme parks. I love that people pay money to get in and then have hundreds of other opportunities to spend tons of cash. Am I interested in buying a piece of pizza for seven dollars and a water bottle for four? Yes. Am I interested in playing the target game in an attempt to win my daughter a monster sized stuffed animal. Yes. Do I want to buy a souvenir in every shop I see or maybe just a two dollar package of M&M's? Of course! One family member declared disgust at the offer of a four dollar frozen lemonade when they were in line for a ride, baking in the sun. Why go to a theme park though? Obviously they belong to the crowd that brings water bottles. Used water bottles. There are so many fantastic options other than roller coasters at six flags. I don't know what was more surprising, the excellent marketing and outrageous prices or someone not expecting that.
Baby Danielle found her favorite thing to do, and it was the characters. I have always been a little creeped out by the characters honestly. There is a person in that sweat suit. John and I went to a trend west timeshare show and the man shared a story. Every morning on their Disney vacation a character came to breakfast. The first day his four year old opened the door and was super excited that they were allowed to eat with Mickey Mouse! The following day his older (maybe five year old) son came and asked his dad if they had to let the man in the goofy suit in. John and I laughed but that was not the effect this man was going for. this was his touching story. At six flags I learned that Danielle would gladly go home with some of the characters. She had eyes only for Porky the Big, her biggest stuffed animal. Bugs Bunny was absolutely boring, but Porky also seemed to like Danielle.
She grabbed his hand a few times and danced for him. I don't know if Porky was a he in real life but I think Porky is usually a boy- do they pay attention to the gender in theme parks? She walked with Porky and gave him hugs. She would grab his hand, run away a few steps, then come back to grab his hand again. Every now and then people would want a picture so we would move Danielle. Rather than scream she just waited and them went back to play the hand game. (I think she might have been in some of the pictures actually). When he had to go Danielle tried to follow him. And our non cuddly baby leaned her head against Porky and gave him a hug. Danielle followed around a stuffed pig for over 30 minutes.
I was so glad we went. After that I was thirsty and hungry so we bought a piece of pizza and two waters. I searched for a porky the pig doll to no avail. Also no little personalized cups that said Danielle. I could get a sippy cup that said "girls rule" but that is no fun. Also no cute baby clothes in Danielle's size. I even went on a roller coaster. I went upside down. It was just as terrible as I remembered. But I am glad Danielle has a new best friend, the man sized costumed Porky.