Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It's Off to Celebrate We Go!--LAST UPDATE!!! PG 62 ENJOY!!!!!!!!!

[MegansMom]

Oh Jen... I cried reading that. I am glad the day turned out great.... and I am sure it was hard for you to realized what had happened!

Oh Laura....so sorry I made you cry!!! It really did turn out great after all the morning drama and tears....I should have foreseen alot of what happened, but it has been a great lesson going forward indeed!!!

It sounds like Megan still had a magical birthday filled with Pixie Dust because of two wonderful parents. The pictures were wonderful of Megan and the princesses.

She did!!! She loved getting to see "the girls" for lunch!!! I love those pictures too!!!

 

[pooh'smate]

What a wonderfully touching update. Loved it even though I was a bit teary, first tears for Megs, then you, then they were tears of joy that you had a MAGICAL day.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oh, Jen, what a rough start to the day! I would have been a bit weepy, too, if I had been you! Thank goodness it all turned out so lovely!

 

[MegansMom]

What a wonderfully touching update. Loved it even though I was a bit teary, first tears for Megs, then you, then they were tears of joy that you had a MAGICAL day.

Thanks sweetie! This one was hard to write to have to go back through and relive that morning, but the evening turned out to be so worth it! It was a great BIRTHDAY DAY!!!

Oh, Jen, what a rough start to the day! I would have been a bit weepy, too, if I had been you! Thank goodness it all turned out so lovely!

Thanks Jackie!!! It was hard fighting back those tears....it was such a hard-to-pinpoint emotion, but I am glad that in the end it all worked out so well. We LOVED the lunch at CRT, and I sincerely hope we can go do that there again! So sorry to leave you all without many pictures for the rest of the day, but just know that there was fun all around!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Thanks Jackie!!! It was hard fighting back those tears....it was such a hard-to-pinpoint emotion, but I am glad that in the end it all worked out so well. We LOVED the lunch at CRT, and I sincerely hope we can go do that there again! So sorry to leave you all without many pictures for the rest of the day, but just know that there was fun all around!

Totally understandable. Sometimes it is best to just be in the moment and not worry about anything except having fun!

 

[praisehisname]

I'm so glad that the day got turned around and you all had such a magical time! Even though it started out rough, thankfully you were intune to Megan's needs and were able to fix things for her!

 

[MegansMom]

Totally understandable. Sometimes it is best to just be in the moment and not worry about anything except having fun!

You got it CP!!! That was what we did the rest of the night! The funny thing too was that we even had a little rain shower that night....nothing like the downpour in Dumbo, but we just threw on another set of ponchos, tried to tiptoe from one ride to the next under the awnings, and ran and giggled through the raindrops when we couldn't. It was fun!

I'm so glad that the day got turned around and you all had such a magical time! Even though it started out rough, thankfully you were intune to Megan's needs and were able to fix things for her!

That is often what are days like here---making sure that we are keeping in mind how Megan will react to things, and trying to prevent as much as possible. Later on in the day when things weren't as traumatic, she revealed that she didn't want to do BBB because she remembered they put a jewel on her face last time---they did, and I remember I had to take it off right away after her reveal---and the thought of them doing that REALLY bothered her. I have explained to her on that day and since then, that we NEVER have to do that again. I think that is beginning to help her release her fears about it, but if we never get to do the BBB again, that will be okay too!!!! I will always have the wonderful memories of the first time we went when we were down at Disney with my family....it was GREAT!

 

[MeMom]

NEXT UP: Our last morning breakfast at 1900 Park Fare!!!

After a rough start, it looks like you had a wonderful time.

It was nice to see her so happy with Ariel, and I am glad you got to do that, as it is closing soon. Brooklynn will miss her visits there.

We're doing our first Park Fare breakfast this summer as a special big girl morning for Brook with just Jill and me. I look forward to sharing your pictures with her so she can begin to be excited about it.

 

[MegansMom]

After a rough start, it looks like you had a wonderful time.

It was nice to see her so happy with Ariel, and I am glad you got to do that, as it is closing soon. Brooklynn will miss her visits there.

We're doing our first Park Fare breakfast this summer as a special big girl morning for Brook with just Jill and me. I look forward to sharing your pictures with her so she can begin to be excited about it.

We really did MeMom!!! It was a little hiccup in a very wonderful vacation.....I am just so glad that I was able to fix it all for her so she could go back to enjoying the trip!!!

I was so happy that we had almost NO wait for Ariel too.....we haven't done that since our first trip there in 2006, so it was nice to visit Ariel for a bit. Now, the original Ariel we had in 2006 looked DEAD ON ARIEL, so I was a little disappointed, but Megan didn't seem to notice or mind one bit!

I think you will really love that breakfast! The ambiance is so wonderful for a girly meal, and the characters were sublime!!!!! I really can't wait to share it with you....it was one of our favorite moments of the trip!!!!! I have lots of pictures for you coming up!!!! Stay Tuned!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

I am so glad you had such a great day! So often I think I spend too much time worrying about the perfect picture or doing the perfect thing when the true joy of Disney is spending time together.

Megan looked adorable in her outfit. I am so glad she enjoyed the Princess lunch and had a great birthday at Disney.

Erika

 

[MegansMom]

I am so glad you had such a great day! So often I think I spend too much time worrying about the perfect picture or doing the perfect thing when the true joy of Disney is spending time together.

Megan looked adorable in her outfit. I am so glad she enjoyed the Princess lunch and had a great birthday at Disney.

Erika

Thanks Erika! I couldn't have summed it up any better myself! Isn't it those moments we don't expect that always seem to make the trip!?!??!

She LOVED all the time with the princesses....but what princess doesn't???

 

[moparop]

You know, you never know where you are going to find magic. Kudos for you for reframing your image and enjoying every minute of the day!!

 

[MegansMom]

You know, you never know where you are going to find magic. Kudos for you for reframing your image and enjoying every minute of the day!!

It was a great day, even with the minor bumps and bruises!!! Magic indeed!!!! Did you get the PM I sent you???? Hope it helps, and I hope your hubby enjoys his weekend SO much!!! And YES, you will need to make time for yourself to do the same soon too!!!!

 

[moparop]

It was a great day, even with the minor bumps and bruises!!! Magic indeed!!!! Did you get the PM I sent you???? Hope it helps, and I hope your hubby enjoys his weekend SO much!!! And YES, you will need to make time for yourself to do the same soon too!!!!

Yep I sure did get the PM! We are already strategizing on what time of day we want to leave and how much we think we can push a 15 month old in the car. Although he doesn't talk about the CHRP thing much, he signed up on the first day. I am thinking he is pretty excited. This is his first time making a retreat so I am excited for him as well. If Aileen won't cooperate in September, then for sure I'll go in March!

 

[lmillercrew]

You are such a BEAUTIFUL writer!!! Oh my gosh! It's amazing how your words brought so many of us right there, during those exact moments and how many of us moms could feel the agony for your little girl.
I'm glad that you were able to pull Megan out of her sadness and anxiety. I can't even fathom having to think about all of those things that you do for Megan. Most of us just pack up and go about our days transporting our children to one store or another, one event here and there without even thinking that it could upset them. I guess that's the learning and growing that you have done with Megan and knowing what things might trigger her anxiety. You're a great mom!
I didn't realize that this was your last park day and time for you to go home??? Sad, very sad.

 

[MegansMom]

You are such a BEAUTIFUL writer!!! Oh my gosh! It's amazing how your words brought so many of us right there, during those exact moments and how many of us moms could feel the agony for your little girl.
I'm glad that you were able to pull Megan out of her sadness and anxiety. I can't even fathom having to think about all of those things that you do for Megan. Most of us just pack up and go about our days transporting our children to one store or another, one event here and there without even thinking that it could upset them. I guess that's the learning and growing that you have done with Megan and knowing what things might trigger her anxiety. You're a great mom!
I didn't realize that this was your last park day and time for you to go home??? Sad, very sad.

You are so sweet!!! Thank you for those kind compliments. I am glad that we were able to remove the stressors so that she could move on and enjoy the rest of the day....especially since it was our last park day. When she was diagnosed with Apraxia and Sensory Processing Dysfunction, I had no idea at the time what it would mean my life was to become....the worries, the jumping through hoops for her, trying to eliminate even the slightest problem that can really cause her grief. It is a constant battle I face everyday. It has completely reshaped how I view my amazing daughter, and how I view the world and all that it holds in it. There is never a day that goes by that I am not thinking about the hundreds of little things that could negatively affect her. I have to think so thoroughly through everything she does. There are things that I never would have realized that I would need to think about too---like being very proactive and advocate for her each year as she transitions from one teacher to the next. Yes, Megan has special needs, but she doesn't know that.....at least not yet. To her, this is normal life. We try to always educate her teachers, coaches, etc., but also always stress that we want her treated as normally as possible so that she doesn't realize anything is different, and hopefully so that she will continue to learn to adapt on her own and find ways to calm and quiet herself on her own so that she can cope without much interference. I don't think that there are many people out there who truly understand what my day is like....I think there are even things Tom never realizes, but it is my job as her Mom to do the very best for her...every day of her life. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to mother my child in this way....it is so eye-opening and makes me so very grateful for every day and happy moment with her...they are priceless!!!!

 

[lmillercrew]

 

[wigdoutdismom]

So glad Megs was able to have a great day in spite of the bad beginning! You and Tom are so great with her! What a lucky little girl she is to have such awesome parents and how lucky you both are to have such a special little princess!

 

[MegansMom]

So glad Megs was able to have a great day in spite of the bad beginning! You and Tom are so great with her! What a lucky little girl she is to have such awesome parents and how lucky you both are to have such a special little princess!

You are so kind Anita!!! I couldn't agree with you more on how lucky we are to have our special little girl!!! I know that is why I want to take her back to WDW as much as possible....that's where princesses belong!

 

[MegansMom]

Oh this is always the saddest update to write.....the last one!!!!

Before I begin, I just want to thank you all for reading along on our adventure in September! I think it is such a wonderful thing to be able to go and enjoy a wonderful trip, and then come home and relive all over again by sharing it all with you.....SO THANK YOU!!!!

The Last Day.....HERE WE GO!!!!!

I packed the majority of our stuff the night before, and what we didn't need in the morning, Tom took out to our car to pack up for the ride home. We were able to sleep in this morning to around 8:30am....it felt wonderful!!!!! When we all awoke, we showered, dressed, and packed up the few remaining items. Some of us were a little bit better dressed than others......

Megan was so excited to be all dressed up in her Alice attire...minus the wig that she didn't want to wear, and I don't blame her! We double checked the room, and then bid adieu to our lovely home away from home for the week. We had one more moment of Disney magic to take in before we headed North, and that was to head to our 9:30 ressie at 1900 Park Fare's breakfast buffet. We loaded up our vehicle, and headed over in the direction of Magic Kingdom.

We then started following the signs for the Grand Floridian----and I was secretly dreaming about a trip in the future where we could be following those signs because we would be checking into that glorious place!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH..... Hey, a girl can dream can't she?!?!?!?! Before long, we were pulling up to that beautiful hotel, and being ushered into that glorious lobby.

We headed directly to the restaurant and checked in, and within seconds were whisked inside to be seated. Most of the characters were no where to be seen, so we all headed up to the buffet to fill our plates. As we started into our delicious breakfast fare, a familiar face soon appeared....

As you can see, Megan was once again THRILLED to see that loveable old bear!!!! They hugged and snuggled, and before we knew it, this pal bounced up to share in on the love.....

More hugs and nose kisses all around!!!!

We then had a little break from the characters---enough of a break for a little birthday surprise to be delivered to our almost birthday girl....

I totally lost count throughout the week how many birthday cupcakes she received, but she was just as happy and excited as the first one she received at Tusker House! There was a hostess who got the attention of the entire restaurant, and we ALL sang Happy Birthday to Megan!! She smiled bashfully and turned the cutest shade of red, but was so excited by the song!!!

We then started back into our breakfasts and were enjoying our meal quite a bit, when all of a sudden from across the restaurant we heard a LOUD...."ALICE!!!!!! AAAAAAAALLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" It was the Mad Hatter in full Mad Hatter voice and gear, and we thought he was shrieking and running towards the REAL Alice until he ran right over and up to our table and grabbed Megan's hand. He then started asking her...."Alice, What are you doing here?!?!?! You are supposed to be in Wonderland!!!! C'mon...let's go!" And then he pulled Megs out of her chair and began running her all over the restaurant through all the tables yelling the whole way, "Excuse me but I have got to get Alice back to Wonderland!!!! Get out of my way!!!! Do you know where Wonderland is?!?!?!?" Okay...I think you get the picture. Megan ran right along with him, giggling the whole way! It was so cute, and you could tell she enjoyed it SO much! They eventually ran back to our table after the Mad Hatter ran into the REAL Alice and she informed him that he had the WRONG Alice. He then asked if he could switch because he "liked the new one better!" She told him to bring her back to her parents immediately, and he did. I have most of this on video that I would love to share with you all, but since it is in HD it won't post.....just know it was VERY funny!!!! The whole restaurant was laughing so hard! He then brought her back to us...

At that point, he knelt down to talk to her, and saw her Birthday button....they then got into a whole discussion about birthdays and unbirthdays, to which he got quite confused when she informed him that today was actually an UNbirthday since her REAL birthday wasn't until the next day!!!! SO, he sang her the UNbirthday song, twirled her around some more, and then finally stopped to pose for a picture....

Now...you didn't REALLY think he would smile pretty for the camera?!?!?! Did you?!?!?!?!? Hee hee hee!!!

After all that silliness was through, Megan realized that the two ladies of the day that she came to see were heading her way.....

First up, the creme de la creme......MARY POPPINS!!!!!!!! She was so happy and excited you would never have been able to wipe her smile from her face....

Mary was so sweet, so lovely, so wonderful, so PRACTICALLY PERFECT IN EVERY WAY....heck, she was just SO Mary!!!! She could tell right away that Megan was in awe, and Megan quickly explained to her how much she loved the movie, and how that dress was her favorite dress ever! Mary let her look at all the details of the dress and hat...she was so exquisite with her. She then started making over Megan and her lovely dress, and asked if she could borrow that one sometime!!! Of course, that made Megs giggle like crazy. She told Megan it was "Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious," and quickly asked her if she knew what that was backwards......and yes, without missing a beat, they both recited the backwards version of it....which I can't type out or my brain freezes up!!! (Sorry!) It was a sweet moment, and Megan was so happy to have the chance to meet her.....a dream come true for her!

Not long after Mary arrived, Alice came over, and the two of them began discussing how crazy the Mad Hatter was!!!! They were standing together, and Alice was in front of her like a mirror image, examining how much they looked alike. She then told Megan she couldn't believe the Hatter was going to take her with him since he didn't even like her!!! They both giggled, and then Alice taught Megs how to pose just like her....

Once Alice left, we were all finished with our breakfasts, but we had one more thing to do.....let Megan have her cake and eat it too!!!!

We sadly paid our bill, and readied ourselves to leave. They gave Megan a lovely placemat to take home with her as a keepsake from the meal....it has pictures and signatures all over it from the characters that are most often at 1900 Park Fare. It still sits at her place at the table, and she uses it every day!

I took Megan into the restrooms to change, and Tom had the car pulled up. We loaded up, and headed out....out of the Grand Floridian, out of the Magic Kingdom area, and very sadly, out of the Walt Disney World Resort. It is always a sad moment as we wave good bye to those cherished faces, and always hope that we WILL be "Seeing Them Real Soon!"



Final Words and Favorite Moments:

This really was THE BEST TRIP to WDW we have ever had.....every moment, even the worst moments on Sunday, were really special and wonderful. I am so grateful and blessed that I was able to take this great vacation with my favorite two people in the whole world. It isn't just all the rides that we were able to experience---MULTIPLE TIMES thanks to my FP Master Tom---or all the delicious MEALS, it is just so much about even the most quiet of times at Disney that make those trips SO magical and memorable. We really did do it all....at least all that we wanted to do and see...but never felt overtired, overrun, or flat out done with the trip. We never did get a chance to go swimming or enjoy any other part of our resort besides our room and the food court, but we had a WONDERFUL time. It was so nice to get back there and just be the three of us.....enjoying the world "our way!" I don't know if there are many others who could or would want to go the way we do, but we really did enjoy ourselves SO much. It was SO refreshing to NOT need the stroller, and we never missed it once! It is trips like these that make us all want to go back over and over again, and as soon as possible!!!! (Maybe some of us more than others, but he is usually easily convinced!!!) We don't have specific plans yet for another trip, but Megs and I are working on getting Daddy to settle on the timing of our next adventure South to Mickey's House!!!! I will start another PTR once our dates are set, so be on the look out.....I hope to SEE YOU REAL SOON too!!!

ABSOLUTE FAVORITE MOMENTS:

---Megan's face on the first day when she saw the Walt Disney Resort Sign for the first time! In that one moment, all the money spent on the trip was SO worth it!!!!
---Riding EE with Megan for the first time.....and the last time!!! It was so fun to experience this ride with her by myself---hearing her squeals and giggles. And it made it even more concrete in my mind when she said as we were leaving the ride, "Mommy, I liked it, but I NEVER WANT TO RIDE IT AGAIN!" I know that is a moment I will never forget!
---Megan dancing along with each country's dolls in IASW!
---Our afternoon of rocking on Tom Sawyer's Island
---Megan sharing her light-up bracelet at Spectromagic!
---Riding and giggling with Megan on TSM for the first time together...thanks Tom for sharing that experience with me!
---The ENTIRE Meet and Greet with the Fairies....it doesn't come any more Disney magical than the time we spent with them....PRICELESS!!!
---Megan's Mad Hatter experience at 1900 Park Fare.
---And our FAVORITE Moment....carrying her back to our room after our first day at MK on our arrival day, and she stopped us both to sincerely THANK us for bringing her to Mickey's House. She was so sweet when she thanked us, and it was one of those parental moments that touches your heart forever. I will never forget the precious, appreciative look on her face, nor the look of surprise on ours. She makes us want to do special things like this all the time. I am such a lucky Mommy!

Thank you all for reading along....I hope you enjoyed celebrating with us!!!!

SEE YOU REAL SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!