Vacay Day 5--Happy Birthday Nora and Ryan!

YAY! Finally my last post about D-world. This was Feb 20th, Nora and Ryan's third birthday. It's almost like it's their first birthday--the first one I'm celebrating anyway. The previous two birthdays were hard for me. It just felt like a bad anniversary--the anniversary of one of the worst days of my life. What a horrible thing to say, right? It's their birthdays! But it was a very tough anniversary for me--all the more to feel badly about, I guess. It's the truth, whatever. I'm getting some healing about this is the point. I finally wanted to make a big hairy deal out of their birthdays this year. I may have also felt the need to make up for moping around the previous two birthdays.

SOOoo, our last day of vacation, we met up with Nana and Grandpa and then we got going. We started the day in line to see Jasmine and Aladdin. We waited a long time in line. Once we got to the front, Aladdin asked Ryan for his pb sandwich, so he could give it to Abu and Ryan happily complied. Ryan is not particularly attached to his food, you see.



Ryan got a little extra attention from Jasmine. How could she resist?
We headed over to Tomorrowland and Caitlin was lucky to get paired up with Grandpa, who was going to make sure the bad guys didn't get them.


After the Buzz Lightyear ride, we went to this amazing 3D movie, called "Mickey's PhilharMagic." So cool. Ryan got scared in the middle, when lion came toward him roaring. He started crying, so I was yelling to Grandpa to pull off his glasses since I was a few seats over. Ryan quickly recovered and put his glasses back on and calmly watched the rest of the show. Nora, on the other hand, had become a bit desensitized over the course of the short trip and enjoyed both the Buzz Lightyear ride and the 3D movie with tons of smiles and chatter. No worries from her which was very different from the Winnie the Pooh ride the first day at MK.

After the movie, the kids got to pick out one thing at the gift shop, this was mostly b/c I needed to give them something to do in between this event and the lunch we planned--we had an hour to burn.


The kids played on the porch of Crystal Palace for about 45 minutes before our reservation. It was really the only shade we could find. It was also the first time they got to just play in the course of the trip. So, I made reservations here because the Pooh Crew hangs out here and I was hoping Nora and Ryan would have a sweet lunch celebration for their birthdays. We were sure sad about daddy not being well enough to join us. The kids LOVED seeing their friends....


Lots of rubbernecking was happening. Not a lot of eating was happening.



Nora and Ryan got little cakes and cards from the Pooh crew as well. So much fun.

After this lunch, we were wiped out. Goodbye, D-world. It was real. Kids were awesome. We had a great time and made some great memories. Success! I love that we have a fun time to look back on like this. I'm so thankful that the kids are healthy enough that this was even a possibility. There were many days, especially in 2009, where I never would have thought this would be possible--especially this soon, when Nora and Ryan are just barely 3. They are just being so healthy and normal. Thank you, Wonderful God, for surprising us. We were never bold enough to ask for this.

Vacay Day 4

I took Caitlin to the Main Street Barber Shop near the MK main entrance, first thing on Day 4. She had been wanting a haircut and I'd read that the prices were reasonable and there was pixie dust involved. Sold.



Next we got in line to meet Ariel and I have a bunch of poorly lit pictures of that.
Next, onto the Magic Carpet Ride.

Ryan and I rode together, so no pictures of us. After, we went to a really cool simulated "Jungle Cruise" on a river boat. The guide was very "punny" so, of course, John thought that was the best part of the entire trip.
Then, Caitlin had her heart set on the Splash Mountain ride, which surprised me, but she said it and she was going to do it. All throughout the day, we asked her "are you still going to do it?" YEP. So, John went to get Fastpasses for them for Splash Mountain and I went and got in line to see the Fairies. It was Terence and Tink. They have this place all set up so that the flowers and leaves are gigantic and it looks like the fairies are small in proportion. Despite this, as soon as we left, Caitlin said "I thought they were going to be really small." Huh? I thought she knew they were all regular folks dressed up. Maybe not. I let it go.Swiss Family Robinson's treehouse was next. It was pretty cool. A nice opportunity for Nora and Ryan to get out of the stroller and move around and up and up and up.
After Lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern, Caitlin and John headed over to redeem their fastpasses and ride Splash Mountain. I tried to sit with Ryan and Nora and watch Caitlin and John come down the ride, but the littles were cranky and antsy. I decided to go get Caitlin's zebra mouse ear hat embroidered with her name. I surprised myself by getting hats for Nora and Ryan too. You do kind of get sucked in at D-world.





I took about 20 pictures of them in their mouse ear hats and this is the best I could get. By the way, Caitlin did do Splash Mountain without hesitation, and loved it.

After some rest time, we headed out to Downtown Disney where we were to meet Nana and Grandpa for dinner at Wolfgang Puck. We had also planned on stopping at the Lego store, but ended up not having time for that. The kids didn't mind though, since there were so many other things to see. Like this super cool dragon made out of Legos in the river!


Kids picked flowers (sorry Disney!) while we waited (way too long) for our table.


Lots of fun and great food at dinner. Nora ate my entire dinner, nearly.


This was the last time we saw John. He got awfully sick overnight and the next morning. Fortunately, he got to rest and the kids had a nice birthday and last day at Disney (next post) with Nana and Grandpa.

Vacay Day 3

Day 3 was Magic Kingdom. We took the ferry over from our campground on a beautiful, sunny morning. The kids loved the boatride.

Amy and Phil and their gang had been to MK already before we arrived, so they had ideas of what the kids might like. First thing first, though: family picture with the castle in the background. can't do D-world without that, right?























Next, we went to Fantasyland for a Winnie the Pooh ride, which was rated "not scary for anyone, ever" in our taking-kids-to-disney book. They should bring Nora along in their evaluations of these things in the future b/c she proved them wrong. The ride was really cute and should have been very benign. Ryan loved it. Nora cried. It was dark so I think she just gets worried / disoriented.

















She cried and huddled next to me the whole time (after this initial photo that I took before we really got going) and then proclaimed "I'M NOT SCARED" as soon as it was over.
















Next was "It's a Small World." Nora did better on this. So much to look at! it was my favorite and I think the kids loved it too. Caitlin was sitting with Jack most of the day, so I am noticing I don't have as many pictures of her.


i love how Nora's arm is on John's leg. Safer with daddy.










In awe.

Ryan had some mysterious rash on his face this day. Still not sure what that was about.

























Goofballs. Caitlin and Jack really had a great time together. I'm so glad they got along so well.








Amy, our family photographer :)














After a few rides in Fantasyland, we went to hang out in front of the castle and wait for a cute little show to start.








While we waited for the show to start, the boys brought us all lunch.

















The kids really enjoyed this little show. Lots of princesses were in it as well as the mice and their dog friends.






After lunch, we watched this big parade. The kids loved it. The music was really fun and positive and catchy. (I had it in my head for the entire week after we got home)

As soon as the parade was over, Ryan completely fell apart. We decided to call it a day at 4pm. It was a long day for them, especially after the previous 2 days. Nora and Ryan both fell asleep on the ferry ride home. Caitlin and John decided to try out the swimming pool at the campground and brought us home a freezer pizza. In the meantime, Nora and Ryan ate toast and peanut butter for the 9th time in 3 days and then went to bed early.