After a long day of travel, we’re back from 9 days in Disneyworld. It was another amazing trip – and rather than unpacking and putting the house back together, I’ve decided to soak in my memories a bit while they are still so fresh. We didn’t bring a computer with us, and most of our time was spent in the parks, in the pools or sleeping – but I did manage to keep a list of some of my favorite moments. So in no particular order, here is a snapshot of our vacation:
1. Picking Brendan up, his eyes meet my eyes, he makes the connection and yells ‘I’m going to mickeys house!! All of his friends line up to hug him goodbye.
2. Soooo good on plane! Nap, movie (I read a magazine!) snacks
3. “Mom want to look out the window with me?” (Puts his arm around me and shows me the lights)
4. Spending the first night at the hotel at the airport with a view of the runway
5. Going to look at the airport pool at midnight
6. Watching him truly help us by pushing the stroller and bag
7. Going to sleep in same room the first night of vacation
8. The start of vacation - very first day – with everything ahead of us
9. B wanting all of us to hold hands
10. Getting a little shy in airport and clinging to mommy after his short car nap.
11. Brendan going down the staircase to the breakfast buffet saying ‘I’ll be Elsa, you be Anna’ and realizing I will sing in public if my son asks me too. (softly)
12. Seeing the cousins for the first time
13. Champagne at checkin on the club level.
14. Evening swim in pool. And Brendan deciding he wants to go down the BIG (250 foot!) water slide - twice!!
15. Cousins entertaining each other at Via Napoli.
16. B wanting to get in the shark mouth just like he did last year
17. Had to stop and play the drums at Epcot.
18. Playing games in the arcade - each of us taking turns picking a game to play.
19. Changing our plans completely but realizing it’s all fun no matter what we do.
20. Watching b walk up to have a talk with uncle Steve.
21. Meeting Mickey, Minnie and Pluto – and watching the older couple clearly from someplace far away, all by themselves and with no children, truly excited to meet Mickey and get his autograph.
22. B sleeping 12 hours. And waking up saying he wanted to ride the race cars, then go to the pool.
23. Dancing together at the parade.
24. First time seeing the castle.
25. Race car driver - didn’t want to get off. Didn’t want to leave the ride.
26. On bus - sitting on my lap - telling me the story of when I picked him up from school on Friday and said, ‘guess why I’m here…’
27. Meeting Anna and Elsa - his choice to wait in a looooong line. Also wanted frozen balloon instead of Mickey ears.
28. Watching him pick out Peter Pan toy - looking at all options, weighing choices
29. The boys playing in the room so well together. Not having to watch b every second like I did last year
30. Espn club - beer, nachos, wings - waitress brought light up buzz light year for Brendan
31. All day b making sure all of us were together and waited for each other.
32. Riding the monorail (awesome!) and going to Narcoosees: the peach salad, the halibut and herbed gnocchi. B loved the monorail and said he’d give mommy a kiss every time one went by.
33. Tower of terror for mommy and daddy . B becoming obsessed with going.
34. Leaving the stunt show because it was too loud and scary. It wasn’t fun, but we got through it and made good choices together as a family .
35. Seeing Main Street and the castle at night.
36. Going on pirates together - Brendan loving it - being just the right amount of scared. Daddy being thrilled and getting B a suprise.
37. Catching glimpses of the electric light parade - watching Brendan on daddy’s shoulders waving his little heart out.
38. The lighted boat parade - I had never seen it and it was such a nice surprise!
39. B being extra tired and snuggly most of the day.
40. B playing on his own in the with with his cousins. Hearing him tell them that the stunt show was too scary
41. Going down the big water slide 5 times in a row. Michael holding a hand on b’s back so he wouldn’t fall on stairs.
42. Building a sand castle with Michael.
43. Michael saying he didn’t recognize b’s face. Said it seriously several different times. Then b smiled and laughed and he said ‘ohhhhh! He just wasn’t smiling!’
44. Grilled cheese and French fries with grapes in bucket. While mom and dad had piña colada.
45. Dinner with B sitting next to Brett. Brett really talking to him. Especially about the stunt show.
46. Tower of terror at sunset
47. Walking home, watching magic show, getting ice cream
48. First jelly belly challenge
49. Getting out of the hotel early and on time with no tantrums.
50. After thinking the potamus pool was empty, finally spotting a big guy! And then seeing another one on Small World.
51. Riding the flying dinosaurs just me and Brendan
52. Riding Everest twice! Once just with my mother-in-law
53. Going back early and letting b nap and play with his new truck - because that’s what he really wanted to do.
54. B winning a big prize all by himself at the midway games!
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55. Rob getting good news
56. Baked lays and reading a magazine in the room while b slept
57. Dinner in Mexico - food just okay, but table amazing! B waving to every boat and watching volcano explode.
58. Letting b plan the night: riding Mexico boats twice, looking at all the light up toys, kicking soccer balls, playing with string puppets, playing drums, chasing the yellow train around and around - and getting the heck outta there before the fireworks started.
59. Snuggling in bed and watching frozen
60. Being first in the pool and watching b happily play around on his own
61. Going down big water slide over and over. Doing some just mom and Brendan.
62. Lunch out of buckets. B snacking on pirates booty.
63. B loving Peter Pan ride when last year it scared him a little.
64. Giant storm - lots of thunder and lightning. Ducking in to monsters inc while it passes
65. Race car ride opens back up just in time. B loves it so much
66. The castle with a beautiful sunset
67. Riding small world - b remembering it and pointing it out before we even said anything
68. Letting b stay up late and watch cartoons while we got ready for bed. Then sharing a big sundae in the room with rob after he went to sleep.
69. Full day at the pool for dani’s birthday – her 40th starting out with a big rainbow!
70. B playing pool games and winning some beads and a bracelet then giving them to mama and making sure I wore them each day. (I was honored)
71. Best steak ever at yachtsman steak house - and pull apart onion rolls – followed by birthday cake.
72. Mini date with rob on hunt for cinnamon rolls. (Didn’t find any)
73. A sleepy Brendan making it through dinner by snuggling on moms lap with a movie.
74. Taking pictures of the boys on the bench swing and b having to take his shoes off like his cousins.
75. Trying to curl dani’s hair in her room while the boys took a bath together and played with a bucket of army guys.
76. Being first ones in pool.
77. Buying 9 cinnamon rolls, and b eating a whole one.
78. Watching the boys play in the pool by themselves.
79. Brendan running pool games with strangers - telling them where to go, watching them do it, and him saying ‘good job! You did it! You win a prize!’
80. Giant storm clears the pool! Sitting on balcony to watch it
81. Floating along lazy river chatting with my mother-in-law
82. B falling asleep sitting up, half way through his peanut butter sandwich.
83. Giant No way Jose Sundae bought by my sis!
84. Happy boys in the arcade
85. Soarin’. One of my favorite rides. But I almost didn’t go on when a heart broken little boy didn’t quite make the height.
86. B saying he wanted to go into a nondescript building in Epcot. I asked why and he said ’cause Mickey is in there’. And he was right! He remembered!
87. Getting to magic kingdom exactly when it opened, before too many people were there.
88. B’s joy playing in the splashy sidewalk.
89. The way he knew exactly which rides he wanted to do.
90. My favorite parade that started our first moment of our first trip to Disney, starting again in our last moments in the magic kingdom. Remembering you can’t plan magic.
91. Starbucks making my drink wrong and it being better!
92. Learning again that it’s the spontaneous together moments where the magic happens.
93. B falling asleep in my lap on the bus ride home and feeling the drool running down my arm.
94. His nap at the pool - and watching how happy he was to wake up and be there.
95. More trips - as many as we could - down the big slide.
96. Boardwalk shows and games after our last dinner at espn club.
97. Brendan hearing the theme from Superman at MGM and striking an appropriate pose.
98. Catching the show they did on the castle where Mickey scares away the bad guys and nightmares by getting everyone to chant “Dreams come true… Dreams come true…” Brendan asking a lot of questions about it and then hearing him say, “Dreams come true!” so many times after that.
99. Asking, ‘how much do you love mommy?’ and getting this response:
100. Family moments.
It was a great vacation. Here are some things I will remember for the next trip:
– Wicking. It’s hot there. Nobody cares about your cute outfit – just keep cool and try not to sweat more than you have to.
– Don’t over plan. There is so much fun to be had – but the best moments happen in the space between, just like at home.
– No matter how great is is to be on vacation, it’s always so nice to be home. Especially in your own bed.