I'm wondering if a pair of workboots will make Max 40 inches by February!
On our 09 trip, dd was just a hair short...unless she wore a certain pair of shoes (crocs) Guess what she wore to the parks just so she could be tall enough???
We got dinner and then let Max peruse the store. He has recently developed a love for the movie "Cars" and was all over the stuffed Mater they had. 
The last thing this boy needs is more stuffed animals! He hosted his own character breakfast here at home the other day, with all of his Disney (and a few non-Disney) pals seated around the table! 
Today we decided we needed to get out the house and enjoy ourselves a bit. The crazy, awful next door neighbors have been in and out of their house (and driveway) quite a bit, so its been hard for me to ignore them. They don't speak to us or even acknowledge us (its to a point where I will call the police if they speak to me), but I hate even seeing them.
So we took Max to Old Sturbridge Village, a "living" history museum. We have a membership and its one of the few places that we can go that I think is worth the money... or maybe I'm just that much of a history nerd!
Since I recently destroyed yet another cheap, point and shoot camera, I have no pictures, but we had a very nice day. Max was very good and really enjoyed himself. He even held his first frog that we found out on a nature path.
Afterwards, we went over to the mall with the Disneystore.
I just cannot wait to see his face the first time he sees a character, LIVE AND IN PERSON!
Today we decided we needed to get out the house and enjoy ourselves a bit. The crazy, awful next door neighbors have been in and out of their house (and driveway) quite a bit, so its been hard for me to ignore them. They don't speak to us or even acknowledge us (its to a point where I will call the police if they speak to me), but I hate even seeing them.
So we took Max to Old Sturbridge Village, a "living" history museum. We have a membership and its one of the few places that we can go that I think is worth the money... or maybe I'm just that much of a history nerd!
Since I recently destroyed yet another cheap, point and shoot camera, I have no pictures, but we had a very nice day. Max was very good and really enjoyed himself. He even held his first frog that we found out on a nature path.
Afterwards, we went over to the mall with the Disneystore.
I just cannot wait to see his face the first time he sees a character, LIVE AND IN PERSON!
he does still love MIckey mouse, donald and goofy, but as far as cartoons, he doesn't really watch them anymore...
He hosted his own character breakfast here at home the other day, with all of his Disney (and a few non-Disney) pals seated around the table!
I just cannot wait to see his face the first time he sees a character, LIVE AND IN PERSON!
He is going to have a blast with the characters (and you better let your hubby use the camera 
).
No one believed I had actually made it but it I was so proud that I was able to do something special for my little guy. Your cake was beautiful and I am glad he loved it!!!
We took out older kids to Old Sturbridge Village when they were little, in June 1999. We had a great time! I love places like that. One year, we went to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown 4 times!!! lol At least I live in VA, so that was only a 3 1/2 hour drive.
I just want to softly warn you that Max may be afraid of the characters when he sees them so "big"! That happened to my daughters, both of them, when they were between 2 and 3. They don't realize how big they are, they think they're stuffed animal size... then there they are... and it scares them. Make sure he knows they're really big!
Thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind when we're there. hey there...I'm reading your Pre trip...your son can read????????? I try so hard to read books to my son and he just takes them from me..I almost thought about buying your baby can read dvds..I read at 3 too, and my son will be three next year ;(
its funny how you said your son is into Mickey Mouse clubhouse now..huh, I think my son outgrew it...
and I read about your neighbors? really????? wow I don't know what I would've don in that situation. I would've really been PO'd.
and yes pre-trip reports are like therapy..and it helps pass the time till the big day.
I live in Florida so I got to do disney like 20 times last year...and I really don't care about whether my son remembers or not..its just soimething fun to do and I get enjoyment out of it too...
I love the character meals. Crystal Palace is my favorite!!! well I'm going to try and finish reading..the red font was hurting my eyes lol
Did I imply my son can read somewhere in here? He has memorized certain books and loves to sit with them and be read to, but he isn't actually reading yet. He's only just turned three. That would be amazing, though. I keep hoping, as I taught myself how to read before kindergarten.Love it...how very cute.
and thanks! I really love Toy Story. We were at the Disney store yesterday and they had so much cool Toy Story stuff. We saw the huge, stuffed Lotso, too.Another new reader here!!!
So i think I may have to have my husband read your PTR, then maybe he won't think I am so crazy!! I swear, I could have written half the stuff you have! Great minds think alike
We are in the process of buying into DVC with BWV as our home resort, despite living about an hour from some of the best boardwalks in the world, we just love that Epcot hotels. We stayed at the Swan last year and it was fabulous! We had our 18month old son with us and were afraid it wasn't "Disney enough" but it was just wonderful.
And if it makes you feel any better, I am sort of kind of planning our next trip already but it won't be till Dec...2011!!!! We have another little guy on the way so no trips for us till then.
ANd finally, I made my son a Lightening McQueen cake for his birthday this year, looked fabulous if I do say so myself
Ok, keep the updates coming!!!
to you, as well! Its amazing the things we'll do for our kids. Had Max's birthday been a few weeks later, it could have been a Lightening McQueen cake, as Max is really into Cars right now.
Love new readers and comments from everyone. So much fun. 
Max actually picked out a stuffed Daisy at the Disney store. I think he has a little crush. 
We also enjoyed our desserts, but I find way too often with Disney meals that by the time dessert rolls around, I'm way to full to enjoy it. 
I just feel better when we're not here. Its crazy, I know... but we have gotten rather resourceful at finding things to do.
My husband and I have been kind of desperate to get out of our house this summer. We are so close to our crazy neighbors next door that I hate even hearing them on their back patio, so we haven't spent much time outside.
First, though, a couple of pictures of Max's self-created "character breakfast."
It sort of looks more like a meeting..
Have to make sure that Goofy has plenty to eat!
Yesterday we took Max to his first-ever amusement park, which was fitting because it was mine, too. Lake Compounce is about twenty minutes away and is a small, independently-run, park on a lake. It is also recognized as the oldest theme park in the country. It is acutally kind of nice, albeit small. While there is no comparison to Disney, it is clean, sort of pretty, surrounded by trees and a lake, and not very busy...which makes me wonder how they stay open, but... They just don't have the huge thrill rides to compete with the local Six Flags that's only about forty-five minutes north.
I told Max that we were going to a park with rides and he seemed to really be into that idea.
Here's the entrance:
We went directly to the kiddie area so that Max could ride some rides quickly. There no lines and no waiting!
He's the only kid on this ride!
On the train..
His favorite ride was the baby bumper cars. He laughed hysterically everytime he got hit, or he hit someone, or something, else.
He was less impressed by the swings.
They had a really cute car ride on a track. Max rode twice, once with Daddy and once with Mommy...I swear he's in the car!
View from the top of the ferris wheel.
Max, on the boat across the lake.
Approaching the shore.
We really had a great day. I wish that Max was about an inch taller, though, as his height kept us off a lot of the "family" rides, such as the log flume, the rapids ride, and even the mini roller-coaster. I think I might have to accept that Max will probably not be forty inches tall by February!
Max was very well behaved and didn't mind waiting in the (small) lines we had to a few times. They have one ride where you are taken through a scary, haunted house and shoot at ghosts from your car (sort of like TSM in HS, but not anywhere near as cool). It was dark and I could see how a lot of kids might be scared, but Max wasn't phased in the least. So... Haunted Mansion...HERE WE COME!
The park really was nice and depending on where we're at next summer, I might even get season passes, which are relatively inexpensive. I was impressed by how clean everything was, how nice the people who worked there were, and by how (relatively) inexpensive food was.
But...again...just can't wait to get to Disneyworld!
I think Max is going to be absolutely fine at Disney World. In fact, I think he'll do great. And, don't give up...he may grow that inch by February.
P.S. LOVE the impromptu character meal.
If it were only an inch, we'd be all set! He's short for his age, not unlike his mom...or his dad, for that matter. Just dont tell his dad that...Mark thinks he's "average."
Thanks, Kathy. I think he'll be fine, too. And...unfortunately, Max needs to grow five inches before February!
I was talking to my mother tonight and told her that I would put an intinerary together based on her and my father joining us. Here, I will begin...
This assumes that we all go together and stay in a one bedroom at Bay Lake Tower!
Flight from Bradley at 8:00 a.m.
Delta seems to have a flight out of Hartford around this time every day; we took it last February and it worked out very well for us. We don't have to leave too early (we're less than an hour away from the airport), but we still hit the world before noon!
Arrive at MCO at 11:00 a.m.
Pick up luggage from baggage claim.
Walk to Magical Express.
Take Magical Express bus to the Contemporary...Max is going to love the videos with Mickey and the gang. It is true that the magic really does start right away.
Check in at approximately 1:00 p.m. It is at this point that I will just about die if we do really stay at the Contemporary!
We will then unpack and get settled in our suite. Hopefully, we will be able to get Max to take a nap so he can make it through th evening I have planned.
At around four, we will walk to CR to catch the monorail to EPCOT, mine and Mark's favorite park. I want to make sure we take Max to a character meal the first night and while Chef Mickey's would seem the obvious choice, I want to get to EPCOT that first night...althouh as I write this, I realize that perhaps that will be a little too ambitious?
If there is time once we get to EPCOT, we will ride Spaceship Earth and/or Finding nemo, if there's time before our ADR at Garden Grill.
After that, we might do Living with the Land and check out Soarin'...though I fully realize the likelihood of getting near Soarin' is slim to none.
We can then do some touring aorund World Showcase and then catch Illuminations!
Why am I thinking that I need to change this around completely??? Oh, yes, because I'm bringing my three year-old son and my Dad, that's why!
We are sure he will not remember it all but we go every 2 years and he will hear the stories and see the pictures. If your Dad goes rent him an ECV that is what I do. Better for everyone!
I promise not to tell Mark. I have my "own" Mark who thinks he's "average" too.
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