You Best Start Believing in Ghost Stories...Halloween on the Dream | The End P40 8/15

[amandaw]

Poor Bambi! I sure hope he decides to join the family soon so she can get some relief. Hope all goes well for her & the baby!

[Poolrat]

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

Thanks for your patience. I hope to have an update tomorrow, but don't quote me on that.

Sorry dude I could not resist.


I am hoping Ryder makes a safe and quick arrival soon for Bambi's sake. on that happening soon.

I have 2 March babies so he will be in good company..

[KatMark]

Ryder, Ryder, where are you? We're waiting...not so patiently.

[E3yore]

Ryder seems to be very content right where he is. I joked that he was going to be a teenage boy when he was born but now I am concerned that he really will be.

[Captain_Oblivious]

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

Hey everyone. I wanted to apologize for my lack of updates. My usual writing time (work) has been very busy with getting prepared to be out for an extended "baby vacation." Speaking of which...

There is no baby update. He's still camping out inside Bambi, making himself at home - and her miserable. She's dilated to 4cm as of Friday, but he's not budging. We're trying all the "tried and true" methods to induce - walking, pressure points, etc. In the meantime, we're just waiting...

Thanks for your patience. I hope to have an update tomorrow, but don't quote me on that.

Originally Posted by E3yore

Ryder seems to be very content right where he is. I joked that he was going to be a teenage boy when he was born but now I am concerned that he really will be.

I hope he makes his way into the world soon! I remember how uncomfortable Julie would always get in that last month. This too shall pass!

[FreezinRafiki]

Originally Posted by amandaw

Poor Bambi! I sure hope he decides to join the family soon so she can get some relief. Hope all goes well for her & the baby!

Originally Posted by Poolrat

I am hoping Ryder makes a safe and quick arrival soon for Bambi's sake. on that happening soon.

I have 2 March babies so he will be in good company..

Originally Posted by KatMark

Ryder, Ryder, where are you? We're waiting...not so patiently.

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

I hope he makes his way into the world soon! I remember how uncomfortable Julie would always get in that last month. This too shall pass!

Thanks everyone! I know Bambi has it 100 times worse, but I keep checking my phone every few seconds to make sure the battery is charged and it's working. This is one call I don't want to miss.

Originally Posted by E3yore

Ryder seems to be very content right where he is. I joked that he was going to be a teenage boy when he was born but now I am concerned that he really will be.

Earlier in your pregnancy, you joked that he ate like a teenage boy. This is not a good sign.

Originally Posted by Poolrat

Sorry dude I could not resist.

My readers are awesome.

[FreezinRafiki]

And that, as they say in the business, is an attention-getter.

It's also the snack we enjoyed after Splash Mountain. And goodness, no, we didn't all share just the one. We are a very loving family, but I'm quite certain we would have come to blows over sharing a single Dole Whip.

Tasty tropical goodness consumed, we resumed our quest for fun and excitement. (It's not like it's a hard quest - we're in Disney World. Duh.) Our next stop: right where we left before our watches (and tummies) said it was Dole Whip time: Splash Mountain!



Yup, Evan and I went on Splash Mountain again. We sang along with the songs, we danced along to the music, we smiled to mom as we came around the bend...



Hey....wait a minute! Madison wasn't in that first picture, was she? How's she get in that boat so fast? And how is she still so dry?

We disembarked our log, but were not yet ready to give up the aquatic lifestyle. We yearned for the open seas. For the salty sea air blowing on our faces. For the still nights navigating by the stars. For the favorable wind always at our back and filling our sails. For the pillaging and plundering of far off places. Ok, that last one may not sound quite so romantic, but yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.







And best of all - Bambi could ride it! We all entered the Castillo Del Morro, keeping to the left of course, and enjoyed yet another fine run through the pirate infested Caribbean Seas.

But like all good things, our day at the Magic Kingdom was drawing to and end. We would have loved to stay until the last bang of the Wishes fireworks trailed off, but we still had about an hours drive over to the port and needed to get checked in to our hotel. So we started the slowest walk out of the Magic Kingdom that we could possibly muster, while still technically moving forward.





We did stop for a few bathroom breaks up by guest services. Evan insisted on getting a picture with the baseball scarecrow.



We then decided to take advantage of the Halloween decorations and get a nice family photopass picture. Evan, however, was no longer in the mood for pictures. He was hot, he was tired and he didn't want to leave. Not even the prospect of getting to wear the new neon lime green Dr. Doofenschmirtz shirt that Grandma & Grandpa bought him would get him to turn around and look at the camera. Ahhh....memories.



(And by the way - I purposely left this photo uncropped as my protest to the photopass guys. We don't need to see 6 feet of ground in front of us. Or really even our shoes for that matter. You can zoom in a little bit, you know.)



Shortly, we were on our way off Disney property and making the hour drive to Port Canaveral. Oddly, the kids only remember about 7 minutes of the drive.



By around 6 pm or so we were pulling into the parking lot of the Country Inn & Suites. They were a little more expensive than the some of other other hotels in the area that offered parking and shuttles to the port, but they did have several things in their favor. Most of all was availability.

I was a bit put off when checking in that they wanted to put us on the 2pm shuttle to the port. When we did online check in for the cruise, we selected 11am as our arrival time. The person at the desk said they fill up their shuttle schedule on a first come, first served basis based on when you check in to the hotel. Happily, though, they offered to arrange for a cab to take us from the hotel to the ship, and deducted the fare from our bill. I grabbed a few warm chocolate chip cookies, thanked them for their wonderful customer service, and went to help with the luggage.

It was quite a party scene outside the hotel. Literally. It seems a biker group (and not the tight spandex-y kind that ride their 10-speed Schwinns) were going on a cruise the next day as well. They had set up camp on a few patio tables outside the hotel's front door, cracked open a few cases of Busch Light and Marlboros, and were having a good ole time, each one decked out in more leather than the next. Toto, I don't think we're in Disney World anymore.

All kidding aside, it's not like they were rowdy or even rude. They were just sitting around having good time, not bothering anyone. But it was pretty easy to tell who would be on what ship in the morning. Half of the people around the hotel were wearing black leather, the other half black mouse ears.

We sat around the hotel room for a little while, looking at the literature in the room describing the local dining options. We settled on Papa Vito's Pizza, which was just down the road a little bit. It turned out to be nestled in a little strip mall that appeared to be a former no-tell motel, right between a Tattoo Supply company and a Barber Shop. But why let that stop you from enjoying your meal? The food was actually very good. We got a bunch of food to share amung ourselves - hot wings, pizza, spaghetti, calzones, lasagna, etc.

It wasn't until after Evan needed to go to the bathroom that I discovered just how disappointed I was in my family. The entire time we were looking at the menus, ordering, waiting for food, and eating, no one - NO ONE - in my family pointed out that behind me was entire wall dedicated the original "pull my finger" joke.



It's like they don't even know who I am.

So, bellies full of Italian food and hepititis (probably) avoided, we drove back to the hotel and attempted to get some rest. But just like the day before a Disney Trip, most of us were too excited to sleep.

Up Next: I'm On A Boat!

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I hope Ryder comes soon!!!!

Awww, those last Disney moments are the worst, aren't they?? Glad to hear that you had an uneventful rest of your journey that night!

[Captain_Oblivious]

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

And that, as they say in the business, is an attention-getter.

Yes. Yes, it is.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

We are a very loving family, but I'm quite certain we would have come to blows over sharing a single Dole Whip.

Not to mention you had a pregnant woman in your party. Don't mess with a pregnant woman's Dole Whip.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

Hey....wait a minute! Madison wasn't in that first picture, was she? How's she get in that boat so fast? And how is she still so dry?

What witchcraft is this?!

She has proven to be adept at evasive maneuvers.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

So we started the slowest walk out of the Magic Kingdom that we could possibly muster, while still technically moving forward.

While trying not to trip on all those bubbles. I've done that slow walk before, minus the bubbles.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

We then decided to take advantage of the Halloween decorations and get a nice family photopass picture. Evan, however, was no longer in the mood for pictures. He was hot, he was tired and he didn't want to leave. Not even the prospect of getting to wear the new neon lime green Dr. Doofenschmirtz shirt that Grandma & Grandpa bought him would get him to turn around and look at the camera. Ahhh....memories.

Maybe the PP photographer could have just run around behind you guys to take the picture. That would teach him.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

(And by the way - I purposely left this photo uncropped as my protest to the photopass guys. We don't need to see 6 feet of ground in front of us. Or really even our shoes for that matter. You can zoom in a little bit, you know.)

I want a close-up of the back of my son's head!

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

Shortly, we were on our way off Disney property and making the hour drive to Port Canaveral. Oddly, the kids only remember about 7 minutes of the drive.

Surely you had the camera on a remote set-up here, and wouldn't resort to riding illegally.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

Happily, though, they offered to arrange for a cab to take us from the hotel to the ship, and deducted the fare from our bill. I grabbed a few warm chocolate chip cookies, thanked them for their wonderful customer service, and went to help with the luggage.

Wow, that's almost Disney-esque customer service.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

They had set up camp on a few patio tables outside the hotel's front door, cracked open a few cases of Busch Light and Marlboros, and were having a good ole time, each one decked out in more leather than the next. Toto, I don't think we're in Disney World anymore.

Did you join them? Madison would have had them eating out of her hand in under 10 minutes.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

It wasn't until after Evan needed to go to the bathroom that I discovered just how disappointed I was in my family. The entire time we were looking at the menus, ordering, waiting for food, and eating, no one - NO ONE - in my family pointed out that behind me was entire wall dedicated the original "pull my finger" joke.

You'd think Evan would have picked up on it, at least.

Originally Posted by FreezinRafiki

Up Next: I'm On A Boat!

Wearing your flippy-floppies?

[jecskc]

I feel so bad for Bambi. Those last couple of weeks are just miserable. You just can't get comfortable. It won't be long, now, though.

Hoping you get some boat footage posted before we leave ..... in 10 days !!!

[Dugette]

Hi, Barry. I know I've popped in periodically on your other TRs, but I guess I've been more of a lurker than a commenter, so just thought I'd pop in and let you know I'm still here and have been enjoying your reports! Excited to hear about your cruise!

Congrats to your family on the soon-to-be addition of Ryder! I hope he decides to make his entrance soon! We're a few months behind you and it's funny that Bambi was about 17 weeks on the cruise, as I'm just about to that point and would LOVE to go on a cruise right about now. However, I think we're saving our vacation fund for 2013 and taking the baby to WDW instead...I look forward to your future reports to see how baby Ryder likes the place! And, for now, I'll live vicariously though your cruise.

On a side note, I don't know if Bambi has had the frequent and vivid "pregnancy dreams", but I've now learned what happens with them when I catch up on this and your last TR right before bed (last night). Dreamt that DH and I just happened to be in WI and you and Bambi just happened to be hosting a DIS-meet at your place. Woke up wondering why I felt like I'd been chatting with Bambi...funny!

Anyway, looking forward to more!

[MEK]

I hope Ryder makes his entrance soon. Those last few weeks of waiting are murder.

Love the MK pictures. Well, all except for the little boy in green who wouldn't pose for the pictures.

Cute picture of the three of you on Splash.

Great day in MK and its sounds like you got to the Port in plenty of time to enjoy dinner and relax. That was great that they arranged a cab for you because what's up with the 2pm departure to the ship. Yikes.

Really looking forward to reading about cruise.

I guess I joined too late to get the finger joke.

[petals]

Great update. Hope to hear some baby news soon.

[Disneymoon09]

I am so glad I finally logged on today! Not only to see your TR (I'm a sucker for your TR's), but to see that you are expecting! Congratulations, and I hope that Ryder makes his entrance soon!

[amandaw]

The only time that leaving Disney is fun is when you know you're headed to the Mickey boat! I bet you would've been surprised if those bikers would've shown up on the Mickey boat with y'all! Can't wait to hear all about the cruise.