Page 46 March 2015 A toddler, a swingset and so much more to the story By Kindra Hall Every once in a while a particular photo graces my news feed; a photo I dread. It’s the photo of a friend’s toddler with a broken appendage. The caption is always a nonchalant, “Well, that just happened” quip. Like the breaking of a bone is no big deal. But as the parent of a couple toddlers myself, I now learned there is more (much more) to the story. That being said… It was a few days before Christmas. We decided that a swingset would be the perfect gift for our son, 3 1/2, and daughter, 2. We looked online and ordered the best one we could find. Of course, since it was a few days before Christmas, there was no amount of Santa-magic (or Amazon Prime) that would get it to our house before December 25, so instead we printed a photo of said swingset and hung it on the window that overlooked the space where their castle would eventually inhabit. Thoroughly distracted with various Frozen figurines, they appeared to be OK with the delay. There was a significant delay; which is why you’re reading a story about a Christmas gift in March. Several weeks passed without any sign of a swingset arrival. Meanwhile, friends visited and the kids would ask if the guests wanted to see the new swingset. Visitors were slightly confused when the kids took them by the hand, walked them to the kitchen and pointed to a sheet of paper taped to the window with a photo of a swingset on it. Finally the swingset arrived in several large, extremely ominous, packages. Michael and I took one look at the boxes and immediately Googled, “swingset assembly person.” Two weeks, several hundred dollars and one afternoon later, the swingset was complete! I arrived home from work that afternoon, greeted by my sweet husband, a glass of red wine and the sound of my children’s laughter as they explored the nooks and crannies of their (February) Christmas gift. For 40 whole minutes they played. Forty, beautiful, carefree minutes. Then, during minute 41, it happened. Our bold 2-year-old little girl slipped; a simple slip down two rungs of the ladder. I watched it happen: nothing huge, or obviously traumatic. It was just a few rungs – just a couple feet. But when she landed on the soft, deep-green winter grass, I heard a cry I hadn’t before known. Not a scream as I would have imagined, not a dramatic wail, but rather a consistent whimper. It was in that moment I knew. This was the beginning (or at least the middle) of my broken-bone story. Michael took our baby girl to urgent care and I spent a distracted evening with our son, awaiting my baby’s return. Verdict: fractured tibia. Treatment: splinted above her thigh for four days, a cast for four weeks, a boot for four more, and (only) a 10 percent chance of development challenges due to growth plate damage. My husband sent me a photo of our tired toddler as they left the capable hands of the urgent care physicians. I posted it on Facebook with the nonchalant caption, “Any ideas for keeping a 2 year old off her feet are welcome,” and texts to friends included the nonchalant hashtag, #swingsetforsale. Looking back in those first hazy moments, I am certain my friends secretly knew there was much more to the story…And there was. The truth is, I’ve held a certain suspicion that I haven’t come to fully appreciate – or at least understand – my daughter. She’s a tough one. While my mild-mannered son never threw a tantrum, my ferocious daughter had bruises all along her forehead from hitting her head against the tile floor. Like the lyrics of a Katy Perry song, she’s hot and cold, yes and no, and not afraid to roar when necessary. Then there’s the fact that she’s in constant competition for attention with her slightly older brother. When he was born I couldn’t take my eyes off him, and I didn’t have to. Baby two never has that luxury…at least not until they break a bone. In the first vulnerable days following those 40 infamous minutes, my daughter was never out of my sight. The boys went to the office and preschool (presumably two different places) and the girls stayed home. With all eyes on her, she showed me her impressive command of the English language, her ability to color intently within the lines and her desire to properly name the various hues of pink. We went to the zoo and stared at the mama chimp clutching her new baby. “Look! That’s Mama. And that’s me!” my sweet girl shouted, feeling the protective love between mother and child through the zoo glass. We had tea parties with Ariel and Elsa dolls while I wore a crown and my daughter wore a doctor coat. In those first few afternoons, as I laid my sweet girl down for her naps, I felt like I finally had confirmation that there is always more to the story…and what a gift that more can be. For me, a broken leg meant a new love for a girl I finally got to know – my girl. By the time you read this story, the pink cast will be gone (and the swingset may or may not still be in the backyard) and life will have, more or less, returned to normal. While I am certain we will face greater challenges than this, my hope is to always remember how important the rest of the story can be. Kindra’s ferocious little girl and her sparkly pink cast. Serving the Arcadia area since 1958          Find us on Facebook! Member Since 1959      •  •    •    •    •         www.ingleside.com • 602-840-3446 PAMPER YOUR PET WITH OUR PREMIUM GROOMING SERVICES. Call us today for an appointment. 602-952-1754 BRIAN A. 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Page 47 March 2015 Arcadia dad helps local families plan Disney vacations By Kaley Kalil Alex Cenac and his family moved to Arcadia 1 1/2 years ago from northern Phoenix to be closer to his wife’s office and their children’s school. Originally from Louisiana, Alex and his wife, Monique, have five daughters, between the ages of 4 months and 11 years old. When the Cenacs first moved to Phoenix in 2008, Alex became a stay- at-home dad. “As a hobby, I was helping friends and family plan their trips to Walt Disney World and Disneyland. So, a few years into it, I figured it would be smart to turn my hobby into a job as an independent travel planner,” Alex said. In the past two years, Alex has assisted hundreds of families in planning their vacations to Disney parks, resorts and cruises. In order to better serve his diverse client base, he frequently completes first-hand research by traveling to the very places he recommends. In December, Alex was happy to perform such research, visiting four Disney parks in Orlando, staying at three Disney World resorts, and checking out the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion at Universal Studios, Florida. “Early December is a great time to visit the Orlando area, since the crowd levels are low and all of the parks are decorated for Christmas,” he said. In fact, Alex spent 27 of last year’s 365 days in Orlando, visiting Disney World and Universal Studios. “Walt Disney World is the same size as San Francisco and roughly twice the size as Manhattan in terms of acreage. There are four theme parks, two water parks, Downtown Disney, 27 resorts (30,000 rooms), four golf courses, two mini-golf courses and countless restaurants. I’ve been to Walt Disney World over a dozen times, and there are still many things that I have never experienced,” he said. Two of Alex’s four Disney World trips last year were with his family. He and his daughter Genevieve, 4, enjoyed Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival and the Star Wars character meals at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. “My wife and I dined together at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, a AAA Five Diamond award-winning restaurant. It was one of our top five dining experiences ever!” he said. A quick travel tip from Alex: Loews Royal Pacific Resort is located at Universal Studios Florida, adjacent to Universal’s Islands of Adventure (a short boat ride or walk from Universal City Walk). By staying at this resort, guests are entitled to one-hour early entry into one of the Universal theme parks to experience certain attractions, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Resort guests are also given free Universal Express Passes, which gives pass holders front-of-the-line privileges – a value of $30-$80 per guest. When asked to compare Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Alex’s standard response is, “Disneyland is a better theme park, but Walt Disney World is a better vacation.” Have questions about attractions in the Orlando area? Contact your neighbor, Alex, at alex.cenac@mei-travel.com. Traveled lately? Tell Kaley via email: kaley@arcadianews.com. Alex and his daughters at Walt Disney World in Orlando.