A Nevada Day Tradition

We've started to create a neat little transition of going to Disneyland for Halloween.  Its a great weekend to go, since the kids are out of school for Nevada Day.  And thankfully, Californians don't celebrate Nevada Day, so the park is less crowded!  (However, I did just realize it is a little twisted to celebrate Nevada Day in a totally different state, probably not a good way to support our economy!  Oh well!)  This time we invited my parents, Connie and KB (or Grammy and Pappa, if your talking to Wyatt) to come with us.  Halloween is one of Mom's favorite times of year so I knew she'd enjoy it, and after all the health issues KB has dealt with this year, going with him was like going with a brand new dad!  He would go speed walking for 1 to 2 miles BEFORE we all headed to Disneyland, then spend the day walking through the park.  It was a lot of fun to run into old and new friends every so often since they were all celebrating Nevada Day too.  The weather was gorgeous.  There were new rides and things to see, like the World of Color (which even I hadn't gone to see yet) and fun things like sticking Mom on the Goofy's Sky School after leading her to believe it was a fun simple ride.  Hee hee!

Blessings at Disneyland

When I created this blog, it was supposed to be about my adventures to Disneyland with Wyatt.  It was the reward I gave myself for overcoming the emotional turmoil of an unsuccessful invitro-fertilization treatment, losing 20 pounds, and discovering a love for my life the way it was at that exact moment.  I never in a million years thought I would be coming to Disneyland with a new baby.  I thought that dream for me was over.  Yet, here I was, walking down Main Street, listening to the music, smelling the popcorn and warm churros, pointing out Mickey to Wyatt, all while pushing a stroller with an unexpected, wonderful blessing sound a sleep inside.

It's a definite transition, learning to do things like Disneyland with a baby.  You don't get to go on all the rides with everyone.  You always need to be aware of the time just in case he needs a feeding.  The hand gel is never right where you need it, when you need it.  But its ok.  Because there are a few things I know.  I know that I will be greeted with a smile by a cast member in the Baby Center if I need a quiet place to put Carter's PJ's on him.  I know that sitting on a park bench feeding a baby is a great time to people watch (and maybe eat a churro after).  I know eventually I will get to experience all of the Fantasyland rides all over again, since Wyatt feels he's too old to ride them already.  And I know that Carter will grow to love this place just as much as Wyatt and I do.  Disneyland with a baby is a wonderful, blessed thing!

California Dreamin'

I really needed to get away from this heat and do something fun. Disneyland and the Santa Monica Beach was the answer, as it usually is!

Wyatt's favorite cartoon is Phineas and Ferb. We have to watch them over and over and over and over. We have to find t-shirts with them on it. We have to buy go-gurts and pencils and fruit snacks with them on it. However, I don't seem to mind as much because they are actually quite humorous and every know and then will say something funny that only an adult will get. I don't feel like my brain is turning to mush if I sit and watch it with Wyatt. So you can imagine our excitement when we learned California Adventure was having a Phineas and Ferb Rockin' Rollin' Dance Party! Wyatt does a mean robot dance to the "Phinedroids and Ferbots" song.

I couldn't wait for him to get out there and dance with his idols. Guess what? Wyatt totally choked! He would not step a inch closer to the characters if it meant he had to dance where strangers might see him. He"ll do an entire spastic dance for his Grammy by the pool, but not for Phineas and Ferb! :P Oh well!

The beach was surprisingly a little chilly, and being the Mother of the Year, I was not prepared at all to bring a 2 month old baby to a cold beach.  I looked around and saw a Hispanic mother with her baby dressed in a coat and hat like in winter, and I realized I barely had a small receiving blanket for Carter.  Told you, Mother of the Year, right here.  I had to wrap him in my hoodie.  Oh yes, a Mother of the Year brings a hoodie for herself in case it gets cold, but not warm clothes for her baby.  I will say that there was another family with a baby, who had nothing but a diaper on.  The dad had to keep walking the baby up and down the beach near the waves, away from the group, because the baby wouldn't stop crying.  It's because your baby is cold, dude!  Put some freakin' clothes on him!  They eventually left.

And one last little highlight of the trip was I had a "Sommer Moment" which basically is a celebrity sighting.  Mostly I just see reality stars or a sitcom star or two.  Once, Peter almost ran over Ed Harrison, which was pretty big.  This time we were eating Indian food with Don Cheadle of Ocean's Eleven and Hotel Rwanda!  So very cool!

Once again, it was a great trip to Cali!  I need to go back already!

A Christmas Disney Wonderland

I had to go to Disneyland for Christmas...HAD to!  Wyatt and I invited my parents to come with us, since Byron is pretty much done with Disneyland, and I can't go with just Wyatt anymore.  Wyatt only rides Big Thunder Mountain and the Matterhorn, and I don't want to give my unborn child a splitting headache.

My favorite decorations were in New Orleans Square, which is my favorite section of Disneyland, period. 

The most interesting moment was when a frail old grandma in Birkenstock sandals was walking in front of the "snow capped" castle at night and tripped and cracked her head open smack in front of us as we waited for the fireworks.  Blood everywhere.  Gross, I know.  She fell so fast, she didn't even have time to brace herself with her hands.  She landed straight on her face, and then didn't move for a long time.  She had tripped on some one's camera tripod.  My message to people who are going to bring their grandma that looks like she'd crack in half if she bent over...PUT THEM IN A WHEELCHAIR!  Hello?  Make them wear real shoes, not stupid sandals, and don't let her walk in places that are dark.  And don't let her walk and sight see a sparkling castle at the same time!  Thank you.  I'm done with that now.

My most blissful moment of the trip...my hotel bed and the good ol' Ho Jo.  I'm pretty sure I haven't slept well since I figured out I was preggo.  Too much peeing, not being able to lay on my belly,  a kinked neck for 2 weeks, and I have come to realize my bed is crap.  There was something about that bed at the Ho Jo, and the four pillows all to myself that surrounded my body, that put my in a blissful sleep for 2 nights.  I was sad to go back home, not because I wanted to stay in Disneyland, but that I was going to have to go back to my crappy bed and leave my Ho Jo bed in Anaheim.

But the best moment, my most favorite moment that almost put my hormones into a hissy and brought tears to my eyes...Me holding my Wyatt up so he could see the fireworks, his precious head resting on mine, his body cuddling close to mine and him whispering in my ear, "Mom, these fireworks are beautiful!"  Awwww.  Heart.melting.now.

Our Disney Cartographer

The moment we walk through the gates at Disneyland, Wyatt must be in possession of a map of Disneyland.  He needs to know where everything is, just in the odd case they have moved something.  Then after our visit, he must hang onto the map until it completely falls apart!

During this visit, Wyatt had a great time exploring the caves on Tom Sawyer island and becoming a pirate!



A Little Coloring Time with Jessie!

We needed some down time and headed to the Big Thunder Ranch during an early October afternoon. This little ranch, right behind Big Thunder Railroad is a great little spot most people pass by. There is a petting zoo with very tame animals,
pumpkin carvers, and an adorable craft section with cast members just waiting to sit and visit with you and help you with anything you need (like talk to your child while you take a mental break). This time, Jessie from Toy Story was patiently visiting with the children who were coloring in the craft section. As Wyatt sat and colored,
Jessie sat down right next to him and they colored for the longest time, as though they were old friends.

I was so grateful for the time Jessie took to make that moment special for Wyatt!



Oh, and then there was the time we went on Splash Mountain and they put Wyatt up front. Yeah, not cool.

Our First Trip as Annual Passholders!

This was our reward for me losing 20 pounds and doing well over 100 workouts sessions.  And I do mean "our" reward!  Wyatt was my coach, as he reminded me often to go work out so we could "go to Disneyland." Our most memorable moment of this trip was finding the perfect spot to wait for Mickey and his friends! We were able to take great pictures with all of them!