Giving Thanks for How Far We've Come at the Happiest Place on Earth

[luvmy2babies]

I am NOT a nurse, but I do work in a hospital. I would check with your pediatrician about giving your kids the flu shot just before you leave on vacation. My pediatrician did not recommend giving it within a week of leaving, not knowing how it would affect the kids. But I understand the pros and cons of going either route. I would just double check with your pediatrician.

Two of my kids got sick within a few days of getting the shot. I am not saying they are related, but they did get sick. I just don't want anything bringing a damper to your trip....you've all earned it.

By the way are your doing BBB for your DD?

I do plan to ask about dd. I meant to get her shot a week ago, but it didn't work out. As far as ds, I don't really have a choice. Infants have to get 2 doses one month apart and he's already had his first one. I ended up asking them if I could bring dd in at the same time. I'll ask about the vacation then. They've always done well with shots though.

 

[luvmy2babies]

Well, I got 2 loads of laundry done yesterday evening as planned. Got it washed, dried and put away, so we have everything we need for the trip and have clean clothes when we get home.

One week from today we'll be getting ready for our first full day at MK. Forcast is up on weather.com now for 4 days of our trip and it looks good enough. Isolated Thunderstorms on Monday (30% chance of rain). Other days say mostly sunny. Low 80s during the day high and high 50s in the evening.

Got more packing done last night. Soooo hoping to keep us in the one large suitcase. I'm telling myself I don't have a choice. One big one, one little one dd can pull. That is it. A backpack for dd and one for me and I can't pack mine too full to go into the bag with ds' carseat. The urge to pack everything your baby owns is strong, but I'll be fighting it off for sanity's sake with the memory that he didn't use everything I brought the last time and remembering we're not driving. When I flew alone with dd I told myself to travel with the notion no one would help, so that is what I'm doing this time too.

Oh, and 1971, no we're not doing BBB this trip. I guess it was a case of he who hesitates is lost. I decided against it at first (didn't want to use up the time or spend the money) then later thought, well, maybe just the $50 package and bring a dress from home.

When I called there I asked for an appointment at MK for either Monday or Tuesday and the only thing available for the entire week was a noon appointment on Thanksgiving day at the DTD location. I don't plan on going to DTD at all this trip, much less in the middle of the day on Thanksgiving.

I haven't called back again. I just said "Oh well". I had to spend so much time calling the Dining line, I didn't have time to stalk the BBB appointments too. Thankfully dd hadn't asked for it.

Well, back to work. Another deadline, probably more overtime.

Oh well, this time next week, we'll be on vacation

 

[julirina]

I have loved following your PTR and I'm so excited that you be there in just a week! I think giving your DD that weekend heads-up is a great idea. She'll get a chance to do a little planning and get the excitement out of her system before she has to deal with being a "big girl" on travel day.

You have seriously thought of *everything.* I'm so impressed. I hope your trip turns out to be as magical as you've imagined!

 

[Swmr359]

I'm going to try to limit any purchases to things I can just put in the backpack or just stick to the resort gift shop.

Don't forget you can have the shops in the parks send your purchases back to your resort for you!

 

[luvmy2babies]

Don't forget you can have the shops in the parks send your purchases back to your resort for you!

I was trying to forget that little piece. Don't want to need another bag for the trip home. Of course I'm sure they sell those too. Usually I'd be relying on the space left by the diapers I use up during the trip, but thanks to Garden Grocer I won't be packing any beyond what I need for travel.

Speaking of space in the suitcase, did more packing and more laundry today. Dd's backup Akershus dress (aka a dress I got off ebay for spring because I thought it was super pretty) arrived today. I have a feeling that when she sees it, the royal blue dress is going to be the backup. Why? It's pink.

The little notepads with matching pens I bought to take into the park came today too. The memory books I made are too big to take into the park, but I want us to be able to write down anything important that happens or anything I want to remember later for my memory book or trip report.

Was advised to go ahead and get dd's shot as long as it wasn't her first flu shot ever. So both children got their flu shots this morning. The nurse was great. She was so fast that neither child really had time to get upset. I held dd and the nurse asked dd what grade she was in while she wiped the alcohol on her shoulder, then she asked her teacher's name and by the time dd got the name out, the needle was in and out. She had me hold ds with his arms and head over my shoulder. She quickly injected his thigh. He shot me a real "what in the world" look.

Got home and opened dd's homework folder and there was a note...no homework this week. All we have to do is study for the tests on Friday and practice reading as usual. There's a packet coming home reviewing concepts taught this week, but it doesn't have to be turned in. Great timing on that one. Another deadline at work this week will likely mean extended hours again. Plus dd has a hair appointment on Thursday.

Oh, and success on the car seat bag. Picked it up at Toys R Us on the way to work as planned. I also picked up a Leapster Explorer. It was all dd asked for for Christmas. They are the only ones who have the purple one. I'm adding a few games though. Probably going to get ds a couple of musical learning toys I plan to get anyway so he has something to play with that day.

It's nice to see things coming together, espeically since it's almost time to go.

Weather forecast changed yet again. Last I checked it was back to a 10% chance of rain on Monday but mostly sunny for our 1st 4 days. It's almost like another activity watching it change. I've used weather.com for a lot of trips to various places though and the forecast right before I leave is usually pretty accurate.

Sleep is not only calling, it's yelling.

 

[jillyb]

Here's where I've been checking out the weather:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...LB&textField1=28.5047&textField2=-81.3742&e=0

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

luvmy2babies, I have something that may help you. I made an appointment for my DD11 to go to BBB with her sister, but she has decided not to go. I was telling her about your family and she said she would like your DD to have her appointment time if she'd like it. It is Nov 23 at 1 at the DTD location and is for the basic package. If you would like it send me a PM and we can arrange for when I will call to cancel and when you will call to get it.

 

[luvmy2babies]

luvmy2babies, I have something that may help you. I made an appointment for my DD11 to go to BBB with her sister, but she has decided not to go. I was telling her about your family and she said she would like your DD to have her appointment time if she'd like it. It is Nov 23 at 1 at the DTD location and is for the basic package. If you would like it send me a PM and we can arrange for when I will call to cancel and when you will call to get it.

Wow, how kind of you and your little girl. Thank you so much for the offer. Going to Downtown Disney won't work for us, but be sure to tell your daughter that I really appreciate the offer and what a kind person she must be. I hope you and your family have a wonderful time on your trip next week.

Thank everyone again for all the kind words and well wishes posted on my pre-trip report. I'm going to leave it in my signature so I can always find it easily. You all rock!

 

[1971DBday]

Cannot wait!!!!!
At least a crazy life is making the wait time go by faster!!!!!

 

[luvmy2babies]

Whew!

What a day. Went in at 7:40 this morning, got off at 2:30, picked up the children, took them to the Godparents' house. Love those people. The daughter sits for me often actually.

Drove the 40 minutes back to work and was back at my desk at 4:20 after I picked up some food. I worked until 8:00.

Drove the 40 minutes home, picked up the children. Ds was fast asleep and didn't even open one eye. Dd was asleep and the son (he's 20) brought her downstairs and she woke up then. I had asked if she'd take dd's braids out if she had time and thankfully (since I'd been at work an hour longer than I planned ) she had gotten the braids out.

I was glad because right after school tomorrow, dd has an appointment to get her hair done. She gets a shampoo and texturizer. She is getting it sooner than usual to make it easier for me to do an updo and stick that rhinestone tiara on next week.

The Godfamily totally rocks. The daughter goes to the same school as dd and when they paired high school students with elementary students in the mentoring program, they put dd with her. So now when she goes over, she can get help with her homework too.

So, tomorrow I get off at my regular time and will probably do today's routine again on Friday. Hopefully I am close enough to my goal to avoid working on Saturday. That is the team's goal now. Everyone is really stressed too.

Side effect of being an only parent as a result of the other parent dying...the child worries about you quite a bit. When I got there tonight, dd had a few words for me about being late...said she was worried something had happened and had even dreamt it had after she'd fallen asleep.

From the sound of ds' snores, he wasn't traumatized by my being gone.

I'll be more than ready for a vacation after this crazy week.

Oh and I've still got

 

[micandminforever]

Thoughts and Prayers continue to be with you. Hang in there next week you will be in Disney World filled with Pixie Dust Magic.

 

[Shelli_5]

I just discovered your pre-trip report & read all 7 pages in one sitting! Your courage, strength, & devotion to your children are truly inspirational. Your upcoming trip will be a magical experience that you & your DD will treasure for years to come. I can't wait to hear about your DD's reaction when you tell her where you're going!!

Shelli

PS - I live in the Triangle area of NC, too. "It's a small world after all."

 

[Shelli_5]

I was trying to forget that little piece. Don't want to need another bag for the trip home. Of course I'm sure they sell those too.

You probably don't want to know this either, but Disney stores can box up your purchases & ship them home for you.

Shelli

 

[luvmy2babies]

I just discovered your pre-trip report & read all 7 pages in one sitting! Your courage, strength, & devotion to your children are truly inspirational. Your upcoming trip will be a magical experience that you & your DD will treasure for years to come. I can't wait to hear about your DD's reaction when you tell her where you're going!!

Shelli

PS - I live in the Triangle area of NC, too. "It's a small world after all."

Thank you for your kind words. Having found this board has been priceless in planning this trip. I really appreciate all the information and everyone's responses to my PTR.

People around here who know us, and know what is happening are ecstatic for us as well. When I told the director at ds' daycare this morning (they are open through Wednesday next week) that ds would be out and where were going, I thought she might jump out of her chair.

I can't believe I get to tell dd tomorrow and we're leaving the next day. I've wanted to do this ever since I became a mom, but dd has actually been asking to go since she was 4. The planning has been fun, even stalking the dining site and calling Disney multiple times a day was fun.

I'm looking forward to seeing it all come to fruition now. Before this week, I would think about telling her maybe 1 or 2 times a day. Now, every time I look at her I think about it. I looked at her in the rearview mirror on the way to school this morning and just smiled inside.

Yeah, it really is a small world. Thankfully that ride is back up for next week.

 

[luvmy2babies]

You probably don't want to know this either, but Disney stores can box up your purchases & ship them home for you.

Shelli

Yes, I remember reading about that somewhere. They are so good at making it easy for you to spend your money.

I was just telling someone this morning, that it wasn't real hard...make the deposit and have it paid 45 days out and I was telling her that even though we didn't get a chance to due to not knowing the dates, you can book really far out from your trip. They were really surprised.

I am using Orlando Stroller Rentals and Garden Grocer and as an adult traveling alone with 2 children, those two things are life savers. Because I won't have to have a stroller at the airport, I could bring ds' carseat and get him his own seat on the plane.

I've dropped a nice chunk of change on the trip and all the extras, but some of the extras will be used for subsequent trips to other places too. And because it was over a span of a few months I didn't really feel it like I have when I've gone other places.

I see you have a trip in just 3 more months. I think it said Feb 2011. Have a great time.

 

[luvmy2babies]

Have I mentioned how much I love my darling son? Yesterday I was in our 2nd team meeting of the day when my cell phone vibrated. Took a look and saw the number for the daycare, whispered to someone "I have to take this," and ducked out the door.

He'd had a blow-out diaper and that had destroyed his last change of clothes. Given the time of year, it would not be good for him to be in a diaper only and even his socks didn't escape the mess. And given we leave Sunday, I was not about to leave him there like that and risk him getting a cold. So whoop, I had to go. Before I could get out the door it was, "take the loaner laptop so you can finish your report…" Ahh lovely.

Fortunately I had an outfit for him in my van and didn't have to either go home or stop to buy him one. When I got there, they'd manage to dig up a t-shirt. He was happily crawling around and when he saw me, he smiled, let out a big squeal and crawled over to me at Olympic pace. Just what you need after a short but trying day. I picked him up and thanked him profusely for getting me out of that meeting and his caregivers were cracking up.

After they got him dressed, I took him and went and filled the van's gas tank, then went back just in time to get dd. She had a hair appointment at 4:30. Got food and got over there in time. The hair dresser had her daughter with her which was nice. She and dd are a month apart and quite close, but only get to see each other when either I or dd have an appointment or one of them has their birthday party. Left there about 7:00 happy to have that done.

Ds fell asleep in the van on the way home, so I changed him and put him to bed. I put dd to bed and took out the computer for work. After 3 hours it was way past my bedtime. I fell asleep while I was typing. The whole team is working their butts off so we don't have to work tomorrow. Nobody wants to work on Saturday and I really don't want to. I mean it's not like I have nothing else to do.

Dd has choir rehearsal tomorrow from 11am to 1pm and then another mom is taking her for a play date with her daughter. I plan to have the big reveal set up when she gets home.

I've decided to take the backpack I got her, with everything in it, and put the princess wands and dresses I got her in a gift bag next to each other on the couch and put the post card "from" Tiana on top. I just have to get batteries for her camera and a gift bag for the wands and dresses. What I haven't decided is whether I let her look at the stuff first and try to figure out what it means and then give her the card or do it in the reverse order. Decisions...decisions.

Not much longer now.

 

[luvmy2babies]

Well, today is a big day. We leave tomorrow which means a whole lot will be going on.

I get to check us in on Southwest today

Dd has choir rehearsal and I asked my mom to pick her up by 10:30. We'll see how that goes. Hopefully it will mean she gets here by 10:45. Rehearsal starts at 11 and usually she gets here at 10:55. But she volunteers with the children's choir which dd really loves and comes to pick her up and brings her back which I appreciate, especially now that I have ds.

I thought I was going to have to work today and I wouuld have but they are going in at 9:00 and I could not get there until 11, so that leaves me out. I'm working from home for a while before 9 though.

I got off work last night an hour ealier than I thought I would, so I stopped before picking up the children and did some shopping last night I was going to have to do today.

Got myself some jeans, socks, and a couple of shirts. I got ds some onesies and socks. Got dd some undershirts and a Disney Princess watch (Tiana, Cinderella and Aurora). It was cute, an LCD watch. I just had to search them until I found the 1 they had with the correct time. I hate setting those things.

I also picked up some travel sized toiletries and some small empty bottles to transfer lotion and hair products into for packing. I also got two more SD cards, some batteries, and finally managed to get the right printer ink.

Having that out of the way will make things move a bit faster today. By the time dd gets back from her playdate I plan to be ready for the big reveal.

For now, time for breakfast.

 

[1971DBday]

That's the tough thing with kids you just don't know how they are going to react!!!! Have you though about having the WDW vacation planning video going so when she walks in the door she can hear it playing. That would lead her into the room with all of the gifts you have setup for her...and then just pop the question....

How would you feel about going to Disney World???? You know her the best, but sometimes just seeing that shocked little face trying to calculate it all and then I would hope she would start jumping up and down in excitement with probably tears in her eyes and then let her start ripping all of her presents open.

I am just looking forward to reading your report tonight!!!!

Good luck and if I don't get a chance....Have a WONDERFUL trip and maybe we will run into each other at the World!!!!! Save some sunshine for us!!!

 

[luvmy2babies]

Got in the A group, but with ds we'd be boarding before the B group anyway assuming they still do family boarding.

Anyway, not sure how many are in each group, but it looks like we are at the end of the A group. I got A56, dd got A57 and since ds was on a separate reservation I had to go back and do his after and he got A60.

Going to set up EBCI for the return since we'll be in Animal Kingdom at the 24hour mark and I don't want to have to think about it.

Since dd left with my mom I've been packing and setting things up. Our main suitcase feels pretty heavy, but when I weighed it, it was only 35lbs. Still, in case the scale is off, I took ds' food and the toiletries out and switched them to the smaller bag. After dd looks at all her stuff, I'll put her dresses and wands in the larger one.

I've got our travel clothes laid out, got ds' carseat adjusted and put into the bag and I have my backpack in the seat even though I still need to toss my camcorder and camera in after I tape and snap pictures of dd's big moment.

My mom called though to let me know that even though I told her 3 times we weren't going to be in church tomorrow, the choir director gave dd a little (one line) individual part in the song they are doing. She had told me she was going to give her a part in the song for December, not November.


Hopefully dd won't think about it when she finds out she won't be going to church tomorrow.

Ds is napping, so I'm signing off for now to go print some things out I need.

 

[1971DBday]

Not that you have time...but hoping you will post before you leave.