I feel like Izzy and Landon are like yin and yang. One likes Minnie, the other likes Mickey, one enjoys one version of a food, the other prefers the second version. 
Haha, yeah, if only things were that simple now. Of course, when your legs are that short and you're constantly in strollers and carseats with nothing else within reach, shoes are pretty awesome novelties. The next day, Lauren has to take Izzy's shoes away from her, as she's having too much fun with them to fall asleep for her stroller nap (while I'm riding ToT).
Hmmm, maybe that explains Izzy's disdain for broken food - a broken cookie is clearly a different food than a whole cookie, right.
I just loved that she learned that song. It will re-appear in the next update, actually. She still loves it, but we sub in different family members for "me" - i.e. - "A pirate's life for doggy".
Yes, glad I tried that. I wish it had been a bit sooner, as I could have maybe met Mickey immediately and then made it back in time to swim, but this was good too. It was nice to get in some bonus things I hadn't planned for this trip.
Yeah, funny story on that - in June, Lauren and I saw the sign for talking Mickey and it appeared to say "0". We got all excited until we saw it from a different angle and it said "100".
We skipped it that time. 
Aw, thanks! You can definitely see how she is a bit nervous at first and then warms up to him. She loved the choo-choo bit, so I'm really glad he did that. She still loves it when anyone pretends to be a choo-choo. Glad we did that meet.
I was really impressed with how much we did. I knew I was going in with ambitious plans and I fully expected that we'd miss some things, but we did a lot better than I could have dreamed.
Thanks! We really had such a fun time!
Thanks! So glad that I managed to snag those FP+ and that the meets went well. I think it was a good use of our time, though I was a bit disappointed in missing the planned pool time.
Yeah, I don't think I've ever noticed them before either. I'm going to keep them in mind as a possible parade viewing area now, though!
I figured, with a talking character, video was really the best way to capture the interaction. Really glad the CM was all aboard on that.
I love looking back on those videos (there will be more to come).It's really interesting to look back at videos like this and see how her language is developing. She is quite a little talker now - almost always speaks in full sentences, which I find amusing. Like, I can ask a quick thing such as "wanna cookie?" and she'll answer something like, "Yes, I want a cookie, Mommy." It's just crazy to me that my little baby can interact so much with the world now.
Mmmm, Chick Fil A! We actually just got some sort-of around here not all that long ago and really haven't taken advantage of that yet. Need to remember to go there when we are out and about - we love it! And I actually prefer waffle fries.Mmmm, those BLT fries look good. I had to laugh about Izzy not eating them because they were waffle fries, though. Because Landon is the exact opposite. He lives, breathes, and sleeps Chick Fil A, and that's the only place we let him have a couple fries, and they are the waffle kind. So, he doesn't know how to handle regular French fries.
Yes, I think talking Mickey has a lot more ability to put kids at ease (or scare them, I suppose, if he's not on his game). She seemed uneasy until he told her about the train and started making noises and she loved that. I'm not sure the mime version would have had the same effect. I hope you and Alex and Landon get to do that next time!
Since I got the sneak preview when I checked, I called her over and played it on speakerphone for her while taking video (the other shots were her listening again afterwards):
Luckily, Id asked at the salad and sandwich station where they had slices of cheese. I asked about buying just some cheese from them. However, they were super sweet and gave us four slices (2 provolone, 2 American) for FREE! What great pixie dust! Izzy wasted no time:
Nice of Mickey and Minnie to share.
I can't wait til he is! Everyone says that once he's full on talking I'll wish he would stop but I don't believe that. Not after waiting this long. I'm going to be so happy to hear the thoughts in his head!
Yes, and more of that to come!
Hope he doesn't - that Pooh thing caught me totally off-guard. Luckily, she perked up upon entry into the ride.
No problem. I think I've touched on it before, but it's due to a loophole that I believe still exists - you can use FP+ kiosks (only the kiosks, not the app) with Magic Bands that were NOT used for park admission that day. There is a whole giant thread about it on the theme park boards where people do some crazy things to get "extra" MBs, but I never ventured into that stuff. However, Izzy's bands are not linked to a ticket, as she's too young, but they work at the FP+ kiosks, due to the loophole. In fact, back in June, Lauren and I brought our DH's MBs (they weren't with us) and they worked too (hers had an AP, Dug's just had the used Dec. 2013 ticket linked to it). However, if you have multiple MBs yourself, they won't work for extra, as they are (presumably) all linked to the same My Disney Experience profile and are all clones of each other. Hopefully that makes sense - that's the big picture summary.It's almost midnight and i'm exhausted, but can you explain to me, how you're able to get different FP's for you and Izzy? Does that question make sense?
)Hmmm, I am not aware of that. I did think it was odd that all the back rows were closed, but not sure what was up with that. It does seem like there was a lot more splashing with the cannon fire this summer than I'd remembered before, so maybe that's it?
Aw, thanks! I'm glad I did a few of those throughout the trip - so neat to capture her reactions like that.
Only at Disney.A late night cheese run
She sleeps in her crib at home and really likes it. When we're out during nap or after bedtime at someone's house, she usually sleeps in her little tent, but sometimes a Pack 'n' Play. I am not sure, but she might sleep in one at daycare - I guess I should check what she naps in these days.
That could be why she's so comfortable with it!I love it when other guests create magic!
I love that they did that - such a nice bit of Disney magic that we didn't expect. She really enjoyed it. Nothing like having a message from your favorite friends waiting on your phone!
Could not agree more!Ahh the only thing better than cheese is free cheese.
So sweet of the big cheeses to share!Haha, glad I'm not the only one. We've messed with her sleep a lot more since this trip, but I remember feeling sort-of guilty about taking her out so late. But it was also super fun - just a I-can't-believe-we're-doing-this moment.
The trip was about 3 weeks before her 2nd birthday. And I remember a phone CM (I think when I called for room requests) asking incessantly about things we could be celebrating and they prompted me about birthdays, which is why they had the info.
I'm sure Caden will be there soon. Though I agree with you - I think it's adorable when she gets in a talking mood and I'm not ready for it to stop yet. I kind-of wonder if she has a genetic advantage for language, as she has two grandparents (Dug's parents) that had careers as French teachers.And I'm so impressed that she's talking in full sentences now. Caden isn't there yet.
Of course, sometimes you don't like knowing what's in their heads - like when I got her up this morning and she greeted me with, "I'm sad!" She can't always answer the "why", so it gets tricky (I think she was sad about getting up?)
I think all of that is up for debate. When Lauren and I first tried this in June, we had one CM that was trying to do everything for us, despite us stating that we could handle it ourselves, and she acted suspicious of us. But we were still able to get what we wanted. Otherwise, nobody has batted an eye. However, that concern is why I mentioned the unmanned kiosks - no nosy CMs to worry about. I didn't get any strange looks doing it on this trip. The only thing I'd steer clear of are "kiosks" that are really CMs holding iPads. I did one of those in AK and it tied into the app and nearly messed up some of my FP before I cancelled out. Otherwise, no issues, but I wouldn't go around advertising what you're doing either.Thanks for breaking down the explanation for me, totally helps! Do the CM's know that this is a loophole and are we technically 'allowed' do this? I'd be so embarrassed if I tried doing this and a CM scolds me
When you left, we were buying pins at the exit on the monorail side. I'm a bad DISer, I guess. 
Too sweet.
No, I don't blame her. I was born in Wisconsin, so I'm sure I passed the Dairy Gene on to her.Haha, can't blame the girl -- when you want some cheese, you want some cheese!
Haha, it won't be very exciting, actually.
Ha, I'll try to get to it soon. Be prepared for a letdown...
I don't ever hashtag either, but that seems appropriate!
Yay, I'm not alone in figuring out how to do this parenting thing!
I think I (and likely you) differ from a lot of parents I see in that they seem to get upset at their kids for doing the wrong things vs. I know that she's young and isn't trying to do the wrong thing by standing on her bus seat, she just doesn't know what is expected yet and I need to teach her, with the assumption that she will want to do the right thing once she understands. I know that you do a lot of expectation-setting with Caden too. Of course, maybe when she's older, she'll be rebelling and standing on purpose and that will be a whole different animal. But right now, I know that she wants to be a "good kid" and gets really upset when she messes up. Some people who have witnessed her bursting into tears when being told no think it's a game, but I think she is genuinely upset that she has done something wrong - I'm the same way - I hope I'm not projecting onto her, though. Anyway, that's the long story of the bus-lesson. This is true! And there's some protein too, so not bad. She really loves all dairy, though: plain Greek yogurt (will eat large bowls full), cottage cheese (same), cheese sticks and slices, milk, ice cream (rare treat), butter (toast is only a butter delivery system to her), cream cheese, and we recently discovered that she will happily eat a bowl full of sour cream, as if it was yogurt.
Yes, she often wakes up and says which type of shirt she wants to wear (usually "Minnie", "Doggie", or "Meow Meow"). If you don't abide by that or if you are out of the chosen variety, it takes some slick talking to convince her that something else is okay.
Yeah, if I wasn't stuck in the middle of the crowd, I would have gotten over there. But I just saw a picture in another August TR with a DHS pre-park-opening line and it was WAY longer than the one I was in, so I felt good about that, at least.
I loved that he waved and high-fived on the the walk-by! After that, eh, we should have ignored his persuasive pleas.
NO WAY!!!Wow. I need to keep up on TRs! I forgot you were going to be at WDW that weekend. While you were sitting on rocking chairs with Izzy, John & I (no kids) are actually checking out the glowing Mickey heads across the street. I don't take many now, but I checked picture times to be sure. I could have taken your castle pic for ya!
I want to go back in time now and hang out with you guys during that time! That would have been way better than running around empty spots and rocking and drinking water, etc. Man, I think we've had some other near-misses, but that tops them all! SO close!Thanks. She still has not worn that skirt (other than trying it on when I first go it). Unless it fits her for quite awhile (and it might), I don't think it's going to get much/any use. I love the cheese run. So silly, but why not?
You better! Especially if you will be there anytime between May 14-18 or May 22-26, as that's the next planned visit for us (Disney cruise in between).Keeping up now!
You know, she did kind-of lose some interest in Frozen for a time and it has really ramped up again lately. She would have even more fun with this event now, I think. She randomly breaks into Let It Go and, frankly, knows more of the words than I do.
It always brings down the mood to know you have to leave. It really does when you just got there.
What can I say? She's a generous kid.I LOL'ed at the pacifier hand off.
I based that comparison on our experience walking by restaurants in Little Italy when we visited NYC.That's so cute that Woody called you in. Curious about his past job now.
) i'm using this idea.
