Well, that phase is over

I've reported in the past on Daisy's fear of merry-go-rounds. One time at the Golden Gate Park carousel, she cried the entire ride (even though we were on a stationary bench); last time, with Adele, she wouldn't go on the ride at all, which was fine with me, except that it was painful to watch her struggle-- I think she half wanted to go on, and half didn't. So she kept running up and saying she would get on and ride "all by herself," then running back to the bench and saying she would just watch. She went back and forth a few times, and then finally decided on the bench, although she looked agitated the whole time, as if still torn between her conflicting impulses. But we enjoyed waving to Adele every time she went by.

Today, we got to the park and Daisy immediately ran up to the carousel, saying she wanted to go on "all by herself" again. I had heard this song and dance before, and I'd left my money in the car--so I asked the guy operating the carousel if we could just go in and look around, assuring him that she would not actually ride. Ha! Daisy seemed to have a strong will and purpose today; she said not only that she WOULD ride all by herself, but that she would ride the chicken, specifically. (Ooh, I guess that had symbolic value... hadn't thought of that before. DAISY is the big chicken! But today, she RODE the chicken, conquering and controlling it!)

Usually she starts crying when we even step up on the platform, so I was surprised when she made it that far... then I lifted her up on the chicken (the rooster, actually), and she was STILL smiling. I stood there nervously, waiting for the ride to start, because I was positive that when we started moving, THEN she would start crying. No. She beamed the whole time.

I had to go back to the car, get my money, and pay the carousel guy for the ride... and then Daisy rode four or five more times, twice with her friend Lulu. I wish I had taken pictures. One phobia down! I wonder what will be next?