joedisney
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2000
- Messages
- 70
Suddenly, everything is different. The planning, the worries, the 9 months of labor all come crashing together and that day you have been anticipating for so long is finally here. All of the planning, however, didnt prepare you for this. You feel it the moment you leave the hospital with your new child. The world just seems different. The grass looks greener, the air is crisp and you want to say hello to everyone you meet. When you get home, even your house looks different. You bring home that bouncing new baby and everything feels right. Heck, youre even glad when your mother-in-law stops by for a visit. It has only been three days and youve already taken 400 pictures and 18 hours of video. Youre amazed by everything the new arrival has to offer. Burps, gas, you name it, youre impressed. Youre also more than happy to share those precious moments with anyone that will listen.
Thursday January 15, 2004
Its early. Somewhere between 2 and 4 oclock in the morning, Connor wakes up screaming. Daddy, its dark, he yells at the top of his lungs. I pop out of bed and rush over to settle him down before he wakes up the rest of the crew. It was just a bad dream. I calm him down and return to bed. Its still early. Right around 6am when I open my eyes again. Hi Daddy, says a wide-eyed Caley Elisabeth. That cute little face and big smile, make me quickly forget my sleep depravation. Soon, Kathy, Connor and then Christopher are up and stirring about. Alex sleeps in as we get ready to head down to the concierge lounge for breakfast. After a nice breakfast of cereal, oatmeal, fruit, cinnamon rolls and juice, we are on our way to the Animal Kingdom.
Not much sleep, yet everything just feels right. The grass looks green, the air is crisp and everyone is saying aloha. This reminds of something. Its a perfect 70-degree day. . The bus drops us off and as we are heading into the park, we come across a strange potted plant. Kathy and I burst out laughing as it rolls right up to Christopher and says, Hi mister tall socks! The map boy did not find this amusing at all, but everyone else really liked the strange talking plant. Next stop is the gift shop, where we exchange $63 for 2 hats, 3 autograph books and 3 pens. Stocked up and ready to go, we do the Safari, Dinosaur (me and the map boy), Dig Site, Primevil Whirl and Triceratop Spin before lunch. Triceratop Spin is Connors first thrill ride test. It doesnt take much convincing to get him on the ride, but I can tell he is more than a bit nervous as we are waiting in line. Soon after the first drop and spin, his pursed lips are replaced by a cute little smile. Connor is very proud as he tells his Mom about the ride.
On our way to lunch Christopher spots the gift shop with the big pencils. On our last trip he got one of those extra long pencils from this shop, but lost it and has wanted to replace it ever since. He has his own Disney dollars, so we let him go in to pick out a new pencil. As Christopher is about to make his purchase, Caley and Alex spot the candy. Mom looks on disapprovingly as we get two of those big sticky lollipops and a three-foot tube filled with multicolored sugar. Its pretty cool, you pick the size of tube you want and fill it with various flavors of sugar. I, oops, I mean the kids, loved it.
For lunch we make our traditional stop at Restaurantosaurus. During lunch Alex tells us that he has had enough of this place and wants to Go back to Disney World. It appears that the little guy really liked it at the Polynesian and wants to go back. Our neighbor refers to Alex as a Party in a Box. Alex loves just about everything he does. We often joke that he is not our brightest bulb, but he will undoubtedly be our most successful child due to his natural carefree approach to life. So, while he may complain that he wants to go back to Disney World, we know that it wont take much to divert his attention. In this case, we offer him a Mickey ice cream bar and we are on our way. His sister, on the other hand, is not so easy. We gave all the kids a choice between having an ice cream bar now or waiting for an ice cream cone when we get to the other side of the park. Caley chooses to get a frozen pop now. Why would I ever make this kind of deal with a two-year old? Its not like shes my first. Oh well, I am hornswoggled and all.
Next we fit in Tarzan Rocks and the Flights of Wonder. Caley and Alex slurp on their big lollipops as they watch the Flights of Wonder. Both have rainbow colored faces of goo by the end of the show. We decide to get our ice cream cones and then head back to the hotel for some pool time. On the way to the ice cream stand we spot Devine. For those that dont know, Devine is an ivy-covered character on stilts that is sometimes very hard to spot. I am told she will stand still and blend in with the scenery, often going undetected. Today she is gracefully strutting down the path drawing quite a crowd around her. We find a nice shaded bench and the big boys and I get four cones. Alex remembers the deal he had made earlier and is happy with a few licks. As you may have already guessed, this is not good enough for our little princess. She has to have her own cone. But, you said you wanted the frozen pop, I argue. Knowing I cant win this battle and being a bit hornswoggled, I hand over my cone.
Back at the hotel, we put on our suits and head for the pool. Even Mom joins us. The air is cool, but the water is warm. Alex and Caley get life vests that allow them to swim on their own. With Dad close by of course. The Volcano pool is perfect. The zero entry side is great for the little ones. The slide is fun for Dad and the Map boy, although we freeze our butts off climbing up the stairs. Pool time is such a great part of any Disney vacation. It is so relaxing to float around after a day in the park. As I splash with the little ones, I enjoy the view of the castle from across the lake. Life doesnt get much better than this. As the sun goes down, Mom takes the little ones inside while the big boys and I decide to go over to the quiet pool.
With the sun now below the horizon, things are getting a little chilly. We rush to the towel shed and grab three towels. As we unfold the towel we realize that they are really small. This towel is more like a handkerchief, shouts Christopher as we run for the quiet pool. There is no one in the quiet pool and we have a great time in the bath like water. We all know it will be very cold when we get out and are beginning to think we should have left with Mom and the little guys. Connor, however, is having a lot of fun and showing us how he can swim across the entire pool. We are frozen by the time we get back to the room, although, we all feel a bit warmer when we see on the news that theyre experiencing record cold temperatures back home.
Soon we are ready to go down to the concierge lounge for dinner. Everyone, that is, except for Caley. She still has on the tee shirt that she stole from me down by the pool. We decide it is the perfect evening gown for dinner and make our way down the hall to the lounge. The selection is good with ribs, chicken, fruit and assorted vegetables to choose from. After dinner we walk down to the beach to watch the fireworks. Alex and Caley flop around in the sand while the rest of us watch the fireworks from lounge chairs. This is a pretty good spot to watch, but there is no sound and it is not quite the same as being in the park.
Back in the room, Alex takes off one of his shoes and pours out a small pile of sand on the rug. I quickly grab Caley and one-shoed Alex and bring them outside to pour out the rest of the sand. On the table in the room is a welcome card with a huge chocolate bar. The beds have been turned down and there is a towel in the shape of a monkey hanging from one of the lights. I love Disney. After getting cleaned up, Caley is asleep seconds after her head hits the pillow. The boys settle in to watch some Toon Disney. Connor loves the old Disney cartoons. They are watching a classic Chip and Dale as they wrestle with a giant walnut.
The first full day of our shiny new Disney vacation is complete. As my head sinks into the pillow, I think of that out-of-body feeling you get when you first arrive at Disney. How everything just feels different. The air is warm, the flowers are blooming and everything looks clean and inviting. Even the people seem friendlier. Just like that feeling you get when you first bring home the new arrival. For a short time, it seems as though nothing can go wrong. Why is it at this point, in both life and during a Disney Vacation, that things usually do start to go wrong? Just when you thought you were fully prepared to take on the world, life throws you one of its many curveballs.
Tomorrow we will be meeting up with my sister Janet and her family for breakfast at Cinderellas Castle. Months before I was able to score some of the most difficult reservations to get in all of Disney. The reservations are in place, the kids will be rested, I told Janet to meet us at the castle early; nothing can go wrong. The magic will continue as we start out the day with breakfast at the castle. What could be more perfect? As I drift off to sleep I am thinking, tomorrow, Im going to hit one out of the ballpark.
Darn those curveballs
Thursday January 15, 2004
Its early. Somewhere between 2 and 4 oclock in the morning, Connor wakes up screaming. Daddy, its dark, he yells at the top of his lungs. I pop out of bed and rush over to settle him down before he wakes up the rest of the crew. It was just a bad dream. I calm him down and return to bed. Its still early. Right around 6am when I open my eyes again. Hi Daddy, says a wide-eyed Caley Elisabeth. That cute little face and big smile, make me quickly forget my sleep depravation. Soon, Kathy, Connor and then Christopher are up and stirring about. Alex sleeps in as we get ready to head down to the concierge lounge for breakfast. After a nice breakfast of cereal, oatmeal, fruit, cinnamon rolls and juice, we are on our way to the Animal Kingdom.
Not much sleep, yet everything just feels right. The grass looks green, the air is crisp and everyone is saying aloha. This reminds of something. Its a perfect 70-degree day. . The bus drops us off and as we are heading into the park, we come across a strange potted plant. Kathy and I burst out laughing as it rolls right up to Christopher and says, Hi mister tall socks! The map boy did not find this amusing at all, but everyone else really liked the strange talking plant. Next stop is the gift shop, where we exchange $63 for 2 hats, 3 autograph books and 3 pens. Stocked up and ready to go, we do the Safari, Dinosaur (me and the map boy), Dig Site, Primevil Whirl and Triceratop Spin before lunch. Triceratop Spin is Connors first thrill ride test. It doesnt take much convincing to get him on the ride, but I can tell he is more than a bit nervous as we are waiting in line. Soon after the first drop and spin, his pursed lips are replaced by a cute little smile. Connor is very proud as he tells his Mom about the ride.
On our way to lunch Christopher spots the gift shop with the big pencils. On our last trip he got one of those extra long pencils from this shop, but lost it and has wanted to replace it ever since. He has his own Disney dollars, so we let him go in to pick out a new pencil. As Christopher is about to make his purchase, Caley and Alex spot the candy. Mom looks on disapprovingly as we get two of those big sticky lollipops and a three-foot tube filled with multicolored sugar. Its pretty cool, you pick the size of tube you want and fill it with various flavors of sugar. I, oops, I mean the kids, loved it.
For lunch we make our traditional stop at Restaurantosaurus. During lunch Alex tells us that he has had enough of this place and wants to Go back to Disney World. It appears that the little guy really liked it at the Polynesian and wants to go back. Our neighbor refers to Alex as a Party in a Box. Alex loves just about everything he does. We often joke that he is not our brightest bulb, but he will undoubtedly be our most successful child due to his natural carefree approach to life. So, while he may complain that he wants to go back to Disney World, we know that it wont take much to divert his attention. In this case, we offer him a Mickey ice cream bar and we are on our way. His sister, on the other hand, is not so easy. We gave all the kids a choice between having an ice cream bar now or waiting for an ice cream cone when we get to the other side of the park. Caley chooses to get a frozen pop now. Why would I ever make this kind of deal with a two-year old? Its not like shes my first. Oh well, I am hornswoggled and all.
Next we fit in Tarzan Rocks and the Flights of Wonder. Caley and Alex slurp on their big lollipops as they watch the Flights of Wonder. Both have rainbow colored faces of goo by the end of the show. We decide to get our ice cream cones and then head back to the hotel for some pool time. On the way to the ice cream stand we spot Devine. For those that dont know, Devine is an ivy-covered character on stilts that is sometimes very hard to spot. I am told she will stand still and blend in with the scenery, often going undetected. Today she is gracefully strutting down the path drawing quite a crowd around her. We find a nice shaded bench and the big boys and I get four cones. Alex remembers the deal he had made earlier and is happy with a few licks. As you may have already guessed, this is not good enough for our little princess. She has to have her own cone. But, you said you wanted the frozen pop, I argue. Knowing I cant win this battle and being a bit hornswoggled, I hand over my cone.
Back at the hotel, we put on our suits and head for the pool. Even Mom joins us. The air is cool, but the water is warm. Alex and Caley get life vests that allow them to swim on their own. With Dad close by of course. The Volcano pool is perfect. The zero entry side is great for the little ones. The slide is fun for Dad and the Map boy, although we freeze our butts off climbing up the stairs. Pool time is such a great part of any Disney vacation. It is so relaxing to float around after a day in the park. As I splash with the little ones, I enjoy the view of the castle from across the lake. Life doesnt get much better than this. As the sun goes down, Mom takes the little ones inside while the big boys and I decide to go over to the quiet pool.
With the sun now below the horizon, things are getting a little chilly. We rush to the towel shed and grab three towels. As we unfold the towel we realize that they are really small. This towel is more like a handkerchief, shouts Christopher as we run for the quiet pool. There is no one in the quiet pool and we have a great time in the bath like water. We all know it will be very cold when we get out and are beginning to think we should have left with Mom and the little guys. Connor, however, is having a lot of fun and showing us how he can swim across the entire pool. We are frozen by the time we get back to the room, although, we all feel a bit warmer when we see on the news that theyre experiencing record cold temperatures back home.
Soon we are ready to go down to the concierge lounge for dinner. Everyone, that is, except for Caley. She still has on the tee shirt that she stole from me down by the pool. We decide it is the perfect evening gown for dinner and make our way down the hall to the lounge. The selection is good with ribs, chicken, fruit and assorted vegetables to choose from. After dinner we walk down to the beach to watch the fireworks. Alex and Caley flop around in the sand while the rest of us watch the fireworks from lounge chairs. This is a pretty good spot to watch, but there is no sound and it is not quite the same as being in the park.
Back in the room, Alex takes off one of his shoes and pours out a small pile of sand on the rug. I quickly grab Caley and one-shoed Alex and bring them outside to pour out the rest of the sand. On the table in the room is a welcome card with a huge chocolate bar. The beds have been turned down and there is a towel in the shape of a monkey hanging from one of the lights. I love Disney. After getting cleaned up, Caley is asleep seconds after her head hits the pillow. The boys settle in to watch some Toon Disney. Connor loves the old Disney cartoons. They are watching a classic Chip and Dale as they wrestle with a giant walnut.
The first full day of our shiny new Disney vacation is complete. As my head sinks into the pillow, I think of that out-of-body feeling you get when you first arrive at Disney. How everything just feels different. The air is warm, the flowers are blooming and everything looks clean and inviting. Even the people seem friendlier. Just like that feeling you get when you first bring home the new arrival. For a short time, it seems as though nothing can go wrong. Why is it at this point, in both life and during a Disney Vacation, that things usually do start to go wrong? Just when you thought you were fully prepared to take on the world, life throws you one of its many curveballs.
Tomorrow we will be meeting up with my sister Janet and her family for breakfast at Cinderellas Castle. Months before I was able to score some of the most difficult reservations to get in all of Disney. The reservations are in place, the kids will be rested, I told Janet to meet us at the castle early; nothing can go wrong. The magic will continue as we start out the day with breakfast at the castle. What could be more perfect? As I drift off to sleep I am thinking, tomorrow, Im going to hit one out of the ballpark.
Darn those curveballs
