Pride Fest 2010

I hadn't been to the Pride Parade in a really long time and there seemed to be festivals happening every weekend. Feeling like I was missing out on the fun I took Padon, and Sophia into the city for Pride Fest and met my really good friend Nick.

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A really colorful parade emphasising equality among people; particularly Gays, Lesbians, Bis, and Transsexuals, it was a parade your eyes couldn't easily forget. Knowing it was a really colorful event we put on our most colorful and fun outfits; Sophia rocking her purple tu-tu and sun glasses and we took the bus into the city.

It was a lot of fun to watch the Parade and listen to Nick give his commentary on the people in the parade and what some of the groups represented.

The parade started out with the "Dikes on Bikes" and while Padon was interested in the motorcycles he was so not thrilled with the noise and some of them were beyond extremely loud. I felt bad as he started to cry but this group was just the first of 180 "floats" and so we just needed to wait for them to pass. But once he got used to the sound his curiosity had him watching as his hands were clasped over his ears. I felt so buff because I had Sophia in the Maya Sling on my front and Padon on my right hip, held up with just my right arm so I wouldn't squish Sophia. I was amazed at how long I could hold them both - go Mommy!

When candy and necklaces started flying through the air Padon was more interested in the parade and then even more so as company after company came through with trucks and musical floats - Amazon.com, Starbucks, Mov'n 92.5, etc.

When we first arrived in downtown Seattle the Parade hadn't started yet but there were a group of people dressed as semi-nude super heroes rollerskating around and they were a riot! I especially liked this batman and was thinking how I could send this pic to Sarah without getting her flagged at work.

The day before we went to this parade Aunt Janet and Uncle Tim came to visit and Uncle Tim was expressing an interest in getting a tandem bicycle so that he and my Aunt Janet could still ride bikes together as her eyesight fails. This bike had 6 people on it, all peddling at the same time, while one of the (I couldn't tell who) steered the whole contraption. The front had headlights and was really cool. It was one of about three different types of really cool looking "scooters" that all seemed to emphasis sustainability.

As the parade went on things got racier and racier and for me that much more fun. It was crazy to think what these people must be like at home and that they most likely held normal jobs and seemed the standard when they weren't topless and jigging various body parts. The group below I especially wished Walter was there for.

And then there was a reoccurring theme of the Wizard of Oz and for an embarrassingly long time I didn't understand why there were and then I finally remembered that there was a stereotypical link to the gay man and Dorothy. And it made much more sense why about 4 groups in various adult Wizard of Oz costumes were going by.

I found myself starring unabashed at the nude cyclists and disappointed that Padon had fallen asleep. I was really curious to what he would think about naked people riding on bikes. Walter and I have tried to be very open about what body parts are called and acted very nonchalant about them in an attempt to help Padon not ever be embarrassed about his body.

Nick, Padon, Sophia and I stayed for about 168 of the "floats" and then decided we would make our way to the Seattle Center where the parade finished. As we were leaving two gentleman stopped to say how cool they thought it was that I brought Padon and Sophia and that it was really awesome of me to let them see and experience an event that is very important to the gay community. I tried to convey and "of course" attitude and they gave Padon and Sophia each a Pride Bead necklace. Cool enough, Sophia's necklace matched the Maya Sling and with her facing out and clutched onto the necklace she elicited a lot of "ooohhhhh, how cute!"s from people as we walked. The Center was packed and Nick and I walked for quite a while looking for a place to sit down. We stopped for a moment to take a picturesque Seattle Center picture in time to get sprayed from behind by the cold water and wind blowing through it.

Nick was so awesome and really tried to help me watch over Padon and Sophia as I changed diapers and pulled out lunch. He held both Sophia and Padon and Padon really enjoyed having him around.

We ended our time at the Center playing on the bronze Orca Whales where Padon tried out his balancing skills much to my anxst and fear. I like to let Padon try new things and learn from mistakes but as he climbed yet again up the dorsal side of the sculpture to slide back down I could imagine what would happen if he slipped and hit his face.

About 40 minutes into being at the center Padon crashed and just lay down on the cement. And then moved to the grass and just lay there.

Which made for a beautiful picture that I have got to frame.

I love how he looks like he belongs to the woman below. I'm not sure if the look on her face is for me or not.

It was pretty obvious to me that it was only right, at this time, that I excuse ourselves and that we go home so that Padon could have a real nap. Nick was sorry to see us go but joined up with a group of friends and went off for a drink. Sophia fell asleep in the Maya Sling and was so adorable.

When she woke she just kept smiling at me in that delicious, "I love my Mommy" way.

We didn't have to wait very long for the bus and even though I totally squished Sophia between myself and the stroller trying to get it up the stairs and then bonked her head trying not to squish her she was all smiles about 5 minutes later and I got the cutest shot of her.

It was a really fun day!