I substituted at school today. It was for the afters school group that's after regular school hours. The children in the group were a mix of ages, but most were between four and nine. We go outside after a short while and the children love to do all sorts of things in the school yard.
Some of those things are definitely okay; some of them are not. As a substitute teacher, I'm still learning what falls into which category. For instance, I learned today that the children don't sit on the top of the picnic table (because I was sitting on it and a helpful child told me the rule.) Toys or equipment can be used as intended, but in some cases they can be used for other reasons.
For instance, you can't use small golf clubs as clubs or weapons. You can, though, utilize some of the various items around the grounds with the sand box. I looked over today and saw two see-saws, four hula-hoops, several plastic scoops and some cones in one area near the sand box. There was mulch on top of some of the items and sand in several piles. When I asked the main teacher if it was okay, she glanced over and said, "that's fine, they're building a trap."
I suddenly remembered from my childhood the trap building. There was pit digging and trap building but it almost always was initiated by a boy and usually was something the boys spent lots of time doing together while I did other things and didn't understand the draw of the trap building.
My son isn't quite old enough to build traps yet, but some of those boys are in the same class as my son. I wonder when we'll start to have "traps" build in our back yard?
The Big Boy Update: My son did not want to go to school today. He told me he wanted to go to his doctor (he said her name was Sue) and then go home. He couldn't tell me how he felt bad, but when we got to school, he decided it would be okay to go ahead in to class.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: My daughter told my husband for no particular reason the other day, "dad, I don't like spiders." Interestingly enough, dad doesn't like spiders either.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Trips and Vacations
We came back from our Florida spring break vacation yesterday. Everyone was glad to be home. As we were unpacking, my children saw neighbors in their yards and wanted to go out to play. They got dressed in their warmer clothes (because we left the warm weather behind in Florida) and we all went outside to see everyone.
Stories were exchanged and we found out what the others had done while we were away for the week. I talked about the pool and the trip to Disney and some of the other things we did. One of the other fathers said, "It sounds like you were on a trip. It would have been a vacation if you didn't have the kids."
I laughed and nodded. I hadn't made the distinction before. I mean yes, there are trips and there are also vacations, but I like going places with the children. We don't have to go someplace alone to make it a vacation.
Besides, my in-laws let us sleep late all week. And there was coffee when I woke up, ready to drink. That's just my kind of vacation.
The Big Boy Update: At Costco my son saw a large kayak-type thing. He walked all around the big yellow, plastic body and said, "it's made of bananas"
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: My daughter wanted her food warmed up a bit. My husband took it over and put it in the microwave. I think she was worried it was going too long because she said, "I want you to push the bumper button." We figured out she meant the button that bumps the door open and stops the heating process.
Stories were exchanged and we found out what the others had done while we were away for the week. I talked about the pool and the trip to Disney and some of the other things we did. One of the other fathers said, "It sounds like you were on a trip. It would have been a vacation if you didn't have the kids."
I laughed and nodded. I hadn't made the distinction before. I mean yes, there are trips and there are also vacations, but I like going places with the children. We don't have to go someplace alone to make it a vacation.
Besides, my in-laws let us sleep late all week. And there was coffee when I woke up, ready to drink. That's just my kind of vacation.
The Big Boy Update: At Costco my son saw a large kayak-type thing. He walked all around the big yellow, plastic body and said, "it's made of bananas"
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: My daughter wanted her food warmed up a bit. My husband took it over and put it in the microwave. I think she was worried it was going too long because she said, "I want you to push the bumper button." We figured out she meant the button that bumps the door open and stops the heating process.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Dream Speak
My husband showed me something on his phone today when we were in the plane going home. He asked me if I knew what it meant. I told him I had no idea. He said, "last night at 3:00AM you knew exactly what it meant." He had written down the conversation because it was funny:
Me: "Did you all start on the centerpiece yet?"
My husband: "Huh?"
Me: "For the mall, you know, the dinosaur one?"
My husband: "What? Are you dreaming?"
Me: "Oh, you always forget. Never mind, it's okay."
He said I shook my head at him in disgust at the time because he had clearly forgotten.
The Big Boy Update: My son did not want to go to the bathroom before getting on the second plane. I'm not going to give you the gory details, but underpants were changed before we took off and still nothing happened. He insisted he didn't want to go, that he wanted, "to hold it and not go." I told him he had better hold it and that he'd made his choice. He held it, but he had an "upset tummy" by the time we landed. It was upset until he got to the bathroom and finally went. This isn't a constipation issue, this is a choice thing we're working on. It's hard to explain to a little boy how it's not good for your colon to hold it in.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: When we were at the airport today taking a bathroom break, my daughter asked me, "can I have some water from the water mountain?"
Fitness Update: We travelled via plane today. We went through three airports and got on two-and-a-half planes (we had to move from the second plane to a third due to mechanical issues.) I just looked at my phone and it appears we walked 6.5 miles. No wonder my children were tired.
Me: "Did you all start on the centerpiece yet?"
My husband: "Huh?"
Me: "For the mall, you know, the dinosaur one?"
My husband: "What? Are you dreaming?"
Me: "Oh, you always forget. Never mind, it's okay."
He said I shook my head at him in disgust at the time because he had clearly forgotten.
The Big Boy Update: My son did not want to go to the bathroom before getting on the second plane. I'm not going to give you the gory details, but underpants were changed before we took off and still nothing happened. He insisted he didn't want to go, that he wanted, "to hold it and not go." I told him he had better hold it and that he'd made his choice. He held it, but he had an "upset tummy" by the time we landed. It was upset until he got to the bathroom and finally went. This isn't a constipation issue, this is a choice thing we're working on. It's hard to explain to a little boy how it's not good for your colon to hold it in.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: When we were at the airport today taking a bathroom break, my daughter asked me, "can I have some water from the water mountain?"
Fitness Update: We travelled via plane today. We went through three airports and got on two-and-a-half planes (we had to move from the second plane to a third due to mechanical issues.) I just looked at my phone and it appears we walked 6.5 miles. No wonder my children were tired.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Early Easter Bunny
Today was our last full day on vacation; we leave to go home tomorrow and I am none to thrilled, because we're going back into near-freezing weather and I still want to hang out at the pool.
To finish off the week, we went to my in-law's club this morning for a breakfast with the Easter Bunny. He came early, so that families on spring break vacation would have a chance to see him. (Also, we heard his schedule was busy next week and he was already booked elsewhere.)
The children had a fun time getting eggs at the hunt, petting baby lambs, holding baby chicks, ducks and rabbits. There was a big buffet afterwards, which was my favorite part (because I love food, you know?)
The rest of this post is dedicated to some of the funny things my children have said over the past few days, some of which happened this morning.
The Big Boy Update:
I'm shy - My son wanted to go up to the Easter Bunny today, but he was unsure. He came over to us and said, "I'm shy." Then he went and asked his younger sister to go with him. She did.
Imposter! - We had been at the Easter Bunny breakfast for some time. The Easter Bunny had been milling about, taking pictures, making gestures at people and making not a sound at all. My son, who had apparently been observing the Easter Bunny, came over to my husband and said, "daddy, daddy, it isn't the Easter bunny. It's a human. I knew it!"
Medical Checkup - My son and I were in the hot tub with my in-laws this afternoon. My son decided Grandpa needed a checkup and began looking him over and giving medical advice. At one point he yelled out, "arm check! No boo boos, just old." After a bit more he said, "There are three problems, two of them are in your nose. There is a spider in there and the other one is a mystery. There is a problem with your ear. There is a sound in it and it goes all the way down to your mouth."
I want to take him home - We went to Butterfly World today after brunch. The number of butterflies we saw was far, far more than I had expected. There were so many we had to try and avoid them. My son loved it. There was one very large black and white butterfly that got very close to him. He turned to us and said, "I want to take him home."
The Tiny Girl Update:
I hear rain - We were in the car and we thought it was about to rain. My daughter let us know the situation immediately, saying, "I hear rain. Just one drop."
May I be excused? - My daughter has been a shining example of grace and courtesy of late. Without prompting she will ask, "may I be excused?" when she's done eating or needs to go to the bathroom. The other day, we were at a pizza parlor and she asked to be excused...so she could go and dance to the music playing on the speakers.
Unmasked - This morning at the Easter Bunny breakfast, my daughter came over to us and said, "it's a costume." Somehow, she and her brother figured it out. They weren't upset or concerned in the least, they just stated it as an observation.
To finish off the week, we went to my in-law's club this morning for a breakfast with the Easter Bunny. He came early, so that families on spring break vacation would have a chance to see him. (Also, we heard his schedule was busy next week and he was already booked elsewhere.)
The children had a fun time getting eggs at the hunt, petting baby lambs, holding baby chicks, ducks and rabbits. There was a big buffet afterwards, which was my favorite part (because I love food, you know?)
The rest of this post is dedicated to some of the funny things my children have said over the past few days, some of which happened this morning.
The Big Boy Update:
I'm shy - My son wanted to go up to the Easter Bunny today, but he was unsure. He came over to us and said, "I'm shy." Then he went and asked his younger sister to go with him. She did.
Imposter! - We had been at the Easter Bunny breakfast for some time. The Easter Bunny had been milling about, taking pictures, making gestures at people and making not a sound at all. My son, who had apparently been observing the Easter Bunny, came over to my husband and said, "daddy, daddy, it isn't the Easter bunny. It's a human. I knew it!"
Medical Checkup - My son and I were in the hot tub with my in-laws this afternoon. My son decided Grandpa needed a checkup and began looking him over and giving medical advice. At one point he yelled out, "arm check! No boo boos, just old." After a bit more he said, "There are three problems, two of them are in your nose. There is a spider in there and the other one is a mystery. There is a problem with your ear. There is a sound in it and it goes all the way down to your mouth."
I want to take him home - We went to Butterfly World today after brunch. The number of butterflies we saw was far, far more than I had expected. There were so many we had to try and avoid them. My son loved it. There was one very large black and white butterfly that got very close to him. He turned to us and said, "I want to take him home."
The Tiny Girl Update:
I hear rain - We were in the car and we thought it was about to rain. My daughter let us know the situation immediately, saying, "I hear rain. Just one drop."
May I be excused? - My daughter has been a shining example of grace and courtesy of late. Without prompting she will ask, "may I be excused?" when she's done eating or needs to go to the bathroom. The other day, we were at a pizza parlor and she asked to be excused...so she could go and dance to the music playing on the speakers.
Unmasked - This morning at the Easter Bunny breakfast, my daughter came over to us and said, "it's a costume." Somehow, she and her brother figured it out. They weren't upset or concerned in the least, they just stated it as an observation.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Stylish Shoes
I'm not a slave to fashion. I'm not a fashion minion either. I think I'm more of a fashion bystander mostly. I look at the fashions and some I gladly have no interest in. Other fashions I can do fairly easily, like running shoes. The colors are crazy right now and you can't find normal-colored shoes, so I just by the shoes and don't worry about it. But other fashions I want to be a part of, only I can't figure out how.
Take ankle boots, for example. I see women wearing skirts, shorts and all sorts of shorter-length items wearing ankle boots. The look great doing so. The fashion looks "right" on them. But when I go to the store, anything I try seems to be "wrong"—it doesn't work. Not only does it not look right, it looks downright unfashionable. I like the look, but with that fashion, I'm left at the sidelines, wearing my sneakers or my sandals, wondering how those other ladies make it work.
Today we were at an outdoor mall. We had dropped the children off at an indoor play land extraordinaire (we had to carry them out to eat lunch, they were having such a good time.) While Nana watched the children, my father-in-law, husband and I went off in search of a place for lunch in the mall.
Once we'd selected a place, I decided to go into a mainstream clothing store to walk around. I had just said, "I don't like going into those boutique stores. They just don't work well for my low-grade level of fashion." I walked over, opened the door, walked in and realized I'd made a mistake and gone to the store next door, which happened to be one of those very clothing boutiques.
Their clothes were different though. Their way of displaying them was to put them in sort of blobs and not perfectly neat, folded stacks. This was largely because a lot of their inventory was thin or lacy or knitted materials delivered in little garments that covered only small bits of your body.
It wasn't a lingerie store, these were the latest in summer fashions. There were dressy clothes, jeans and a random set of shoes placed between stacks of clothes. It was like a clothing treasure hunt and I had fun picking up and looking at many of their clothing items.
Then I found a shirt I liked. There were some jeans in black (I've always wanted jeans in black) and, wait, what are these neat-o ankle-height shoe/boot things? I found about six things I liked in ten minutes that covered the normal amount of body parts and headed to the dressing room. The two ladies working there were friendly and we chatted and there was no pressure about anything and, hey, those black jeans fit and the shirt went with it and that pair of heeled shoes/boots (they're some sort of amalgam I'm not sure how to describe) were dynamite and I decided I needed them. (That means I wanted them a whole lot, not that I really "needed" them.)
My husband called and I told him to come to the store and give me advice. I told him, "see, look, I can wear these shoes with these jeans and then...hold on (dressing room action) they also go with this running skirt I came in with. Wow, don't you think I should buy this great stuff, honey?"
He said, "why of course dear, whatever makes you happy." Okay, you know it didn't go down that way, but he did say they looked nice and I always appreciate his truthful opinion, so I bought the lot.
I am excited about those shoes—which are both comfortable and stylish—and I can't wait to get home and have opportunities to wear them. I think I might just have figured out a way to get off the sidelines of fashion with these new boots.
The Big Boy Tiny Girl Bathroom Update: At lunch today we decided it was time to take the children to the bathroom. When we told them it was time to go, my daughter said, "there are no bathrooms here." My son had his own reason for not going to the bathroom, saying, "I'm holding it forever."
Take ankle boots, for example. I see women wearing skirts, shorts and all sorts of shorter-length items wearing ankle boots. The look great doing so. The fashion looks "right" on them. But when I go to the store, anything I try seems to be "wrong"—it doesn't work. Not only does it not look right, it looks downright unfashionable. I like the look, but with that fashion, I'm left at the sidelines, wearing my sneakers or my sandals, wondering how those other ladies make it work.
Today we were at an outdoor mall. We had dropped the children off at an indoor play land extraordinaire (we had to carry them out to eat lunch, they were having such a good time.) While Nana watched the children, my father-in-law, husband and I went off in search of a place for lunch in the mall.
Once we'd selected a place, I decided to go into a mainstream clothing store to walk around. I had just said, "I don't like going into those boutique stores. They just don't work well for my low-grade level of fashion." I walked over, opened the door, walked in and realized I'd made a mistake and gone to the store next door, which happened to be one of those very clothing boutiques.
Their clothes were different though. Their way of displaying them was to put them in sort of blobs and not perfectly neat, folded stacks. This was largely because a lot of their inventory was thin or lacy or knitted materials delivered in little garments that covered only small bits of your body.
It wasn't a lingerie store, these were the latest in summer fashions. There were dressy clothes, jeans and a random set of shoes placed between stacks of clothes. It was like a clothing treasure hunt and I had fun picking up and looking at many of their clothing items.
Then I found a shirt I liked. There were some jeans in black (I've always wanted jeans in black) and, wait, what are these neat-o ankle-height shoe/boot things? I found about six things I liked in ten minutes that covered the normal amount of body parts and headed to the dressing room. The two ladies working there were friendly and we chatted and there was no pressure about anything and, hey, those black jeans fit and the shirt went with it and that pair of heeled shoes/boots (they're some sort of amalgam I'm not sure how to describe) were dynamite and I decided I needed them. (That means I wanted them a whole lot, not that I really "needed" them.)
My husband called and I told him to come to the store and give me advice. I told him, "see, look, I can wear these shoes with these jeans and then...hold on (dressing room action) they also go with this running skirt I came in with. Wow, don't you think I should buy this great stuff, honey?"
He said, "why of course dear, whatever makes you happy." Okay, you know it didn't go down that way, but he did say they looked nice and I always appreciate his truthful opinion, so I bought the lot.
I am excited about those shoes—which are both comfortable and stylish—and I can't wait to get home and have opportunities to wear them. I think I might just have figured out a way to get off the sidelines of fashion with these new boots.
The Big Boy Tiny Girl Bathroom Update: At lunch today we decided it was time to take the children to the bathroom. When we told them it was time to go, my daughter said, "there are no bathrooms here." My son had his own reason for not going to the bathroom, saying, "I'm holding it forever."
Thursday, March 26, 2015
The Cool Pool
My in-laws have a swimming pool at their house here in Florida where we're vacationing. I hear pools aren't that uncommon in Florida, but from where I come from a few states in a northerly direction, they're the ultimate in cool.
I love my in-laws pool. Well, to be technically correct, there are two pools. There is a hot tub or spa round part that's higher up and a main pool that's about two feet lower down. The two pools can work together, cycling water through the spa pool, over a little waterfall area at the rim of one side, flowing into the main pool and then back again.
There is a heater component that makes the water in the spa portion nice and warm (or hot if you let me at the controls.) With that heater running and the waterfall flowing, the entire pool can be increased in temperature. With the heater unit working and the waterfall off, the spa pool gets nice and hot and the main pool remains fresh and cool.
My children love the hot tub part. The seats are at a good height for them to stand on and the center is fun to dive down into to get dive sticks. It's also warm (or hot if you let me at the controls) and doesn't require any direct swimming supervision. But my children love the big pool too, and they renamed it. They will be in the hot tub splashing back and forth between several adults and then one will say, "I want Papa to come to the Cool Pool with me and do the slide."
Hot Pool and Cool Pool, I love them both. (I love the hot pool more, but you had already guessed that, right?)
The Big Boy Update: Yesterday we were at Animal Kingdom in a safari truck, on a safari ride through one of the most expansive "rides" Disney has. You drive through a veritable natural zoo and see far more animals than you expect. My son saw the tall termite hills and recognized them from one of the educational kids shows he watches. He asked us, "is that where termites live?"
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: We were driving to dinner tonight and my husband was explaining what we were going to do. (This is something you do with kids a lot.) He said we were going to a buffet and the first thing we'd all do is get a tray for our food. From the back of the car my daughter said, "what in the world? A train?" After we laughed at her phraseology, my husband explained that he had said "tray" and not "train."
I love my in-laws pool. Well, to be technically correct, there are two pools. There is a hot tub or spa round part that's higher up and a main pool that's about two feet lower down. The two pools can work together, cycling water through the spa pool, over a little waterfall area at the rim of one side, flowing into the main pool and then back again.
There is a heater component that makes the water in the spa portion nice and warm (or hot if you let me at the controls.) With that heater running and the waterfall flowing, the entire pool can be increased in temperature. With the heater unit working and the waterfall off, the spa pool gets nice and hot and the main pool remains fresh and cool.
My children love the hot tub part. The seats are at a good height for them to stand on and the center is fun to dive down into to get dive sticks. It's also warm (or hot if you let me at the controls) and doesn't require any direct swimming supervision. But my children love the big pool too, and they renamed it. They will be in the hot tub splashing back and forth between several adults and then one will say, "I want Papa to come to the Cool Pool with me and do the slide."
Hot Pool and Cool Pool, I love them both. (I love the hot pool more, but you had already guessed that, right?)
The Big Boy Update: Yesterday we were at Animal Kingdom in a safari truck, on a safari ride through one of the most expansive "rides" Disney has. You drive through a veritable natural zoo and see far more animals than you expect. My son saw the tall termite hills and recognized them from one of the educational kids shows he watches. He asked us, "is that where termites live?"
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: We were driving to dinner tonight and my husband was explaining what we were going to do. (This is something you do with kids a lot.) He said we were going to a buffet and the first thing we'd all do is get a tray for our food. From the back of the car my daughter said, "what in the world? A train?" After we laughed at her phraseology, my husband explained that he had said "tray" and not "train."
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Disney Discourse
I feel like I have to write about our two-day trip to Disney World we just returned from, because hey, it was Disney and everyone talks about their trip to Disney, right? I feel obligated. I mean who goes to Disney and doesn't just exude excitement over the experience? Who doesn't LOVE Disney? I ask you?
Okay, that person is me. I think it's me for a collection of reasons. First, I only went to Disney World once when I was quite young. I have memories that are vague of the experience. I know it was a fun trip, but that's about all I remember. That trip didn't turn me into a Disney fanatic. We had family vacations, they just weren't to Disney and I don't think I was any less of a happy child. I knew the characters, but since we didn't have cable TV with the box and the paid Disney channel, I wasn't inculcated with the thrill and, well, "magic" of Disney.
That is not to say I dislike all things Disney; I'm just ambivalent. Couple that with the two visits to Disney World after the one when I was eight-years-old and I can honestly say I'd rather skip the parks and hang out at the pool.
My first adult trip was with my husband before we had children on the third of January one year. It was very, very cold and I was very, very chilled the entire day. It was packed plus slammed plus crammed with people finishing their holiday break and it was a miserable day. We could park hop with our tickets but going to a second, overcrowded park in one day did not improve my opinion of the Disney properties.
The next time I went to Disney I had a not-quite two-year-old and an eleven-month-old who could only take a few steps at a time. Disney is not fun with children who don't want to be in a stroller, can't be left alone so you can go to the bathroom or get them food, don't understand why they have to be held to wait in a twenty-five minute line and are unhappy because they can't play in the dirt and grass and eat rocks. That trip is when I had my Disney meltdown.
There was another day trip after that that I declined to join. My daughter and I stayed at the pool (did I mention I preferred the pool?) while my son, husband and in-laws drove up to meet my brother-in-law's family. They had a delightful day. I was happy my son had a good time.
This year, things would be different though. This year, my children were old enough and we were going to take two days and it was going to be—dare I use the word?—AWESOME. That's right, I was going to be in awe of the wonders of Disney. And yeah, yeah, I know I've got this snarky attitude going on coupled with what's clearly an expectation of utter Disney failure, but that's the amount of trepidation I had going into this "adventure."
I'm not going to bore you with a blow by blow of what we did, other than to say we went to a very busy Magic Kingdom yesterday and met up with our friends who left months ago to live on the road in a 45-foot rig. Everyone was excited to see each other and we spent the day together. Today we went to a much-less crowded Animal Kingdom until late afternoon and then drove home.
You know what? It wasn't half bad. Hell, it wasn't even a quarter bad. There were frustrating bits, but most of that was logistical stuff and we expected that. We rode rides and the children loved them. (Stick my daughter on a roller coaster and she is one happy kid.) We saw shows, including ones with 3-D glasses and seats that surprised you with hidden features and the children were entranced. If I could have taken a good picture of them in the dark, I would have.
We saw animals, went on a safari and saw a bird show. My son was excited about each and every animal and talked about them throughout. The children were patient with the lines and enjoyed seeing their friends and spending time with them. And then there were the characters.
My in-laws had made us a reservations at a "character dinner" which is a buffet, but one in which the characters from one of the Disney stories walk around the room and meets you at your table. We were there during the Winnie the Pooh time. Both children were just thrilled. They were patient and then when it was their turn, they would jump up and go to the character, hugging him or her and grinning those infectious children grins. I am not sure I'll forget the way my son happily hugged and romped with Eyore.
So overall, how was it? I survived and I didn't have a break down this time. I even had fun. I particularly had fun watching the children have fun. But at the heart of Disney, isn't that the point? To have fun through the eyes of the children?
The Big Boy Update: My son loves animals. He watches a show about animals and their special ways of surviving in the wild named, Wild Kratts, after the Kratt brothers who host the show. My son knew of and about more of the animals than I expected.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: We were all going on a people mover that I can't remember the name of in Magic Kingdom that goes through some of the rides in Tomorrow Land. When we went through Space Mountain, we went into complete darkness for a while. I said aloud, "I can't see anything." My daughter, who was sitting happily on my lap said, "I'm right here."
Fitness Update: Animal Kingdom is larger than The Magic Kingdom, but we must have ridden around more because we walked about a mile less at only seven miles today in the park.
Okay, that person is me. I think it's me for a collection of reasons. First, I only went to Disney World once when I was quite young. I have memories that are vague of the experience. I know it was a fun trip, but that's about all I remember. That trip didn't turn me into a Disney fanatic. We had family vacations, they just weren't to Disney and I don't think I was any less of a happy child. I knew the characters, but since we didn't have cable TV with the box and the paid Disney channel, I wasn't inculcated with the thrill and, well, "magic" of Disney.
That is not to say I dislike all things Disney; I'm just ambivalent. Couple that with the two visits to Disney World after the one when I was eight-years-old and I can honestly say I'd rather skip the parks and hang out at the pool.
My first adult trip was with my husband before we had children on the third of January one year. It was very, very cold and I was very, very chilled the entire day. It was packed plus slammed plus crammed with people finishing their holiday break and it was a miserable day. We could park hop with our tickets but going to a second, overcrowded park in one day did not improve my opinion of the Disney properties.
The next time I went to Disney I had a not-quite two-year-old and an eleven-month-old who could only take a few steps at a time. Disney is not fun with children who don't want to be in a stroller, can't be left alone so you can go to the bathroom or get them food, don't understand why they have to be held to wait in a twenty-five minute line and are unhappy because they can't play in the dirt and grass and eat rocks. That trip is when I had my Disney meltdown.
There was another day trip after that that I declined to join. My daughter and I stayed at the pool (did I mention I preferred the pool?) while my son, husband and in-laws drove up to meet my brother-in-law's family. They had a delightful day. I was happy my son had a good time.
This year, things would be different though. This year, my children were old enough and we were going to take two days and it was going to be—dare I use the word?—AWESOME. That's right, I was going to be in awe of the wonders of Disney. And yeah, yeah, I know I've got this snarky attitude going on coupled with what's clearly an expectation of utter Disney failure, but that's the amount of trepidation I had going into this "adventure."
I'm not going to bore you with a blow by blow of what we did, other than to say we went to a very busy Magic Kingdom yesterday and met up with our friends who left months ago to live on the road in a 45-foot rig. Everyone was excited to see each other and we spent the day together. Today we went to a much-less crowded Animal Kingdom until late afternoon and then drove home.
You know what? It wasn't half bad. Hell, it wasn't even a quarter bad. There were frustrating bits, but most of that was logistical stuff and we expected that. We rode rides and the children loved them. (Stick my daughter on a roller coaster and she is one happy kid.) We saw shows, including ones with 3-D glasses and seats that surprised you with hidden features and the children were entranced. If I could have taken a good picture of them in the dark, I would have.
We saw animals, went on a safari and saw a bird show. My son was excited about each and every animal and talked about them throughout. The children were patient with the lines and enjoyed seeing their friends and spending time with them. And then there were the characters.
My in-laws had made us a reservations at a "character dinner" which is a buffet, but one in which the characters from one of the Disney stories walk around the room and meets you at your table. We were there during the Winnie the Pooh time. Both children were just thrilled. They were patient and then when it was their turn, they would jump up and go to the character, hugging him or her and grinning those infectious children grins. I am not sure I'll forget the way my son happily hugged and romped with Eyore.
So overall, how was it? I survived and I didn't have a break down this time. I even had fun. I particularly had fun watching the children have fun. But at the heart of Disney, isn't that the point? To have fun through the eyes of the children?
The Big Boy Update: My son loves animals. He watches a show about animals and their special ways of surviving in the wild named, Wild Kratts, after the Kratt brothers who host the show. My son knew of and about more of the animals than I expected.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: We were all going on a people mover that I can't remember the name of in Magic Kingdom that goes through some of the rides in Tomorrow Land. When we went through Space Mountain, we went into complete darkness for a while. I said aloud, "I can't see anything." My daughter, who was sitting happily on my lap said, "I'm right here."
Fitness Update: Animal Kingdom is larger than The Magic Kingdom, but we must have ridden around more because we walked about a mile less at only seven miles today in the park.
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