Juan says "BAAAA!" - 12/24 - Our last few Disney hours. COMPLETE

[ClaireW]

I'm all caught up thanks to the links on your first page and a hefty amount of speed reading

And I loved the CP breakfast pics. It's our favourite way top start a MK day too! Love the building, food, characters! We've been there at least once on our very first morning and it's a perfect way to get into the perfect Disney mood - something about the sunny interior and breakfast food just sets me up right

 

[zoegirl]

Brooke, I don't think anyone could look at those pics without smiling, they are precious! Around this time next week we will be in CP eating breakfast, and I can't wait. I showed my little guy (lucas) this pics of Henry with Pooh and friends, and he loved them. He said "I wanna see big Pooh". Hopefully he won't be scared, he wasn't when he was one. I can't wait to read how Henry reacts to all the MK attractions.

~bree~

 

[jenseib]

OK, here is the you tube slide show I made with music. the picture quality isn't so grand though. Not sure if my picturemovie maker thing did that or what?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ5odCGB8Mo

And here are a few of the pics I took. My friend is going to hem up the dress so that her boots show more and so she doesn't trip! LOL! She is Mary Poppins!

 

[thumperbelle3]

That Mary Poppins costume is beautiful!
I was singing "It's A Jolly Holiday With Mary" in my head the whole time I scrolled through!

Can't wait for the next installment Brook!

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Hi Jen! Just wanted to pop in to say Claire is truly beautiful and the pictures are fabulous!!! Great job!

Heather

 

[jenseib]

Thanks!

 

[Stefy]

Aww Jeneib your DD looks so adorable

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Just read the last 2 updates! I was cracking up on the EoS vs. WPE debate. Tracy does that to me all the time. Must be a wife thing. The food you ended up with did look might tasty though. The hat pics were all fun to see. Henry's photos with the Mickey squeezy shovely thingamajoober were too cute.

I'm glad your early morning dining plans worked out okay. Tell Joe he did good representing us men folk on the breakfast buffet there. The pics of Henry and Pigglet reminded me of how much my girls loved meeting him the last day of our trip.

Can't wait to read more!

 

[TyRy]

I'm finally here Brook and all caught up. Loving the trip report and Henry just keeps getting more adorable. And great job on the scrapbook! I still have one to put together from our wedding seven years ago ...perhaps I should send it to you

And congratulations on becoming a stay at home mom...it's great that you guys are able to do that.

Looking forward to the rest of the trip.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Your Crystal Palace food looks delicious!!! I think it's adorable that Henry enjoys the characters so much. My son was 3 on his first trip and he hid under the table from all of them. He tells me he won't do that this time. LOL! Great cupcake pictures. The ones of him laughing his little head off make me smile so big!

 

[MeMom]

Well, I have thoroughly enjoyed your first week at home for Disney obvious reasons.

I won't enjoy your second week at home nearly as much.

We scoped out the Poly beach Saturday for our NYE spot. We're eating dinner at Kona at 8:15, so after we're through there, we'll probably walk around a little bit and then go ahead and put out a big blanket or something before the crowd starts building.

I thought of Henry this week when I was taking pictures of Cars things. I got several for him to enjoy when the report starts...whenever we get to it. Still gotta finish the summer TR first!

 

[DawnAK]

I am so enjoying reading your trip report. Henry looks like such an easy going two-year old. I hope my little guy (will be two in November) enjoys the characters as much as Henry does. I am really excited about our January trip!! Keep up the great job on the writing...I am really loving it!

Dawn

 

[Dylan_&_Blake's_mom]

Wow, I missed a lot. I love all the updates and pictures especially the ones of Henry with the cupcake, so cute!

 

[disneydusted]

Hi Brook! I am caught up again.... I absolutely love the pictures of Henry with his cupcake! You did a great job capturing his pure delight! What a great series!!! You will always treasure those photos. The character photos are so sweet... once again I am really enjoying seeing Disney through his eyes (and yours!).

 

[princess&her4princes]

Just checking in, hope all is well there, Brook!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Hi everyone!
Sorry for the recent absence. I just didn't really get on the DIS at all the last half of the week and we were running all weekend long. I have an update about ready and hope to post it TODAY.

Started my new PTR and am feeling a little lonely over there, if ya get a chance come check it out!

I have your PTR open in my tabs, I will get over there! Definitely want to check it out!

I'm waaaaay behind on this report but noticed you had your first day at home and stopped by to say I'm glad you enjoyed it
Now sometime soon I have to go back and get caught up

And I'll try hard to find time to PM you those stay at home mom blogs

No problem on the blogs, I keep meaning to PM you about it too. Perhaps you already did PM me, I have 9 waiting for me to read them!

Just think -- every day will be like today from now on! You will get into a groove soon -- it seems like in the summer it takes me about a week to feel like I know what I am doing.

I do feel a TON more productive. Even on days when I get close to nothing done! I am really enjoying it all-and I feel so much less stressed!

Congrats Brooke! Day one post work sounded absolutely fantastic!! Okay, you cored and froze 5 pounds of strawberries??? You really were super industrious today!!

Yep! I eat strawberries with my yogurt every single day, they were on a very good sale last week, so I grabbed 5 pounds. I'm glad I did, this week they are over $1 more per pound!

Day One of being a "free" woman sounds great. And just think how many more like that you will have. You are very luck, Brook. Enjoy!

Thank you! I do feel blessed to be able to do this. Money IS tighter, we can feel it already, but I'm actually enjoying all the bargain hunting I've been doing! It's fun to see what I can get for just pennies on the dollar.

Hi Brook!
Sounds like your 1st day at home again went well....best wishes!!! You'll love it....I wouldn't trade it for the world (most days....lol!), getting into routine is huge and you'll be just fine! I'm sure Henry was THRILLED to have you to himself!!!! Hope his 2 year check up went well!! Did he have to get any shots?

Take care!!
Kristen

Nope, no shots...we haven't done them at all yet. We wanted to wait until he was at least 2. Joe and I are still discussing/researching on when we will start them - probably soon. I know he'll have to have them before school.

The two year check-up went great! Perfectly healthy, 27 pounds, 36 inches and his head is back into the 70-percentile! We are no longer off the charts!

I am looking forward to finding that routine. Even though the past week, and today, have been very productive, I still feel a bit like "I have a million things I need to get done during Henry's nap!!!" This week my #1 on the agenda is the DIS though. I want to catch up, and do December planning!

congrats on your last day of work!!! I'm so excited for you!!

Thank you!! It's been a real joy to stay home!

Congrats on your last day of being away from Henry, and your 1st day of being with Henry! Enjoy what you have! You are very lucky!!

Thank you! I'm really loving it!

That update was super. I just loved looking at Henry's reaction to the characters and the cupcake. Very precious!!!!!

I'm glad the job is going well!

I love his huge grin and laughing in those pics! He was so, so excited!

From what I hear it is something everyone should try if they breakfast at CP

Look at you supermommy Sounds like you are enjoying it though Thats alot of strawberries

We gotta go back to breakfast at CP! December it won't happen, but the trip after that, I'm making it a must for our MK day!!!

It is a lot of strawberries, so they should last me quite a while. I eat about 5 a day in my yogurt.

 

[brookelizabeth]

I'm all caught up thanks to the links on your first page and a hefty amount of speed reading

And I loved the CP breakfast pics. It's our favourite way top start a MK day too! Love the building, food, characters! We've been there at least once on our very first morning and it's a perfect way to get into the perfect Disney mood - something about the sunny interior and breakfast food just sets me up right

Oooh, the very first morning would be PERFECT. I don't think any of our trips have started with an MK day. I think it's almost always been AK - maybe Epcot once...

Hopefully our park hours line up more properly at some point! It does sound like the ideal way to start a trip! Ahhhh!

Brooke, I don't think anyone could look at those pics without smiling, they are precious! Around this time next week we will be in CP eating breakfast, and I can't wait. I showed my little guy (lucas) this pics of Henry with Pooh and friends, and he loved them. He said "I wanna see big Pooh". Hopefully he won't be scared, he wasn't when he was one. I can't wait to read how Henry reacts to all the MK attractions.

~bree~

Are you there now?! I am late on posting on my own TR I hope, if you are, you are enjoying every moment your little man is LOVING Pooh! It's so much fun to watch their reactions!

OK, here is the you tube slide show I made with music. the picture quality isn't so grand though. Not sure if my picturemovie maker thing did that or what?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ5odCGB8Mo

And here are a few of the pics I took. My friend is going to hem up the dress so that her boots show more and so she doesn't trip! LOL! She is Mary Poppins!

First, can I just say I'm jealous that your flowers are still alive?! And that it's warm enough to be outside without a winter coat?!



Second, HOLY SMOKES! Love those pics, love that costume! Beautiful! I love how Claire poses for it all - she just eats it all up, doesn't she!

I love the one you have in the video too where she has the umbrella up like Mary Poppins does when she's about to float up and away.

 

[brookelizabeth]

That Mary Poppins costume is beautiful!
I was singing "It's A Jolly Holiday With Mary" in my head the whole time I scrolled through!

Can't wait for the next installment Brook!

She has "Supercalifragulistic" on the video - it's gonna be in my head all day - and I love it!!!

I'm hoping to get the next update done TODAY, finally!!!

Hi Jen! Just wanted to pop in to say Claire is truly beautiful and the pictures are fabulous!!! Great job!

Heather

Aww Jeneib your DD looks so adorable

I agree!!!!

Just read the last 2 updates! I was cracking up on the EoS vs. WPE debate. Tracy does that to me all the time. Must be a wife thing. The food you ended up with did look might tasty though. The hat pics were all fun to see. Henry's photos with the Mickey squeezy shovely thingamajoober were too cute.

I'm glad your early morning dining plans worked out okay. Tell Joe he did good representing us men folk on the breakfast buffet there. The pics of Henry and Pigglet reminded me of how much my girls loved meeting him the last day of our trip.

Can't wait to read more!

I will be sure to tell Joe he represented well.

It must be a wife thing! I felt so bad doing that, but thankfully he was cool with it.

Thingamajoober. I'm gonna keep that word.
You've taught me 2 words "bubba" and "thingamajoober"!

I'm finally here Brook and all caught up. Loving the trip report and Henry just keeps getting more adorable. And great job on the scrapbook! I still have one to put together from our wedding seven years ago ...perhaps I should send it to you

And congratulations on becoming a stay at home mom...it's great that you guys are able to do that.

Looking forward to the rest of the trip.

Oh, no, it would take me even longer I'm sure to do a wedding scrapbook! I'd need another getaway weekend!! I still have our wedding album (not a scrapbook-just slide the pictures in!) NOT done. Nice, eh?!

Your Crystal Palace food looks delicious!!! I think it's adorable that Henry enjoys the characters so much. My son was 3 on his first trip and he hid under the table from all of them. He tells me he won't do that this time. LOL! Great cupcake pictures. The ones of him laughing his little head off make me smile so big!

I hope your son likes the characters this time! I'm kinda expecting Henry to at some point be a bit frightened of them, but so far we've been good. He was curious his first trip, and the past 2 he has really loved them. I try to take him up to anything similar that we happen to see at local carnivals/malls, etc. to keep him used to it.

The CP food was sooooo yummy!!! Great service, great food, great characters, great atmosphere! I now know why it can be tough to get a ressie there!

Well, I have thoroughly enjoyed your first week at home for Disney obvious reasons.

I won't enjoy your second week at home nearly as much.

We scoped out the Poly beach Saturday for our NYE spot. We're eating dinner at Kona at 8:15, so after we're through there, we'll probably walk around a little bit and then go ahead and put out a big blanket or something before the crowd starts building.

I thought of Henry this week when I was taking pictures of Cars things. I got several for him to enjoy when the report starts...whenever we get to it. Still gotta finish the summer TR first!

You are too funny. I'm so glad to read your trip was great - how could it not be with all your girls?!

I hope you are able to steal Jill away like you want to for a short trip too. I think it's a GREAT thing for the Daddies to take over full-time for a few days...

Sounds great about the NYE spot! We just have a breakfast ADR on NYE, we just plan to hang around the resort, relax, do the monorail resort circuit, that sorta thing. As the time gets closer I'll PM you my phone number and we can play text-message/phone tag to find each other.

Henry is gonna love all the Cars pictures you took! I'm looking forward to them. You are going to keep busy with the TRs, you've got the summer one, then this October trip all to do before December!!! Aw, shucks, lots of DIS time.

I am so enjoying reading your trip report. Henry looks like such an easy going two-year old. I hope my little guy (will be two in November) enjoys the characters as much as Henry does. I am really excited about our January trip!! Keep up the great job on the writing...I am really loving it!

Dawn

Henry truly is an easy going child, he always has been, we are VERY blessed!!

I hope your little guy likes the characters too! If you see any in malls/restaurants, etc. before your trip you can do a "test run" with them - hopefully he'll warm right up to them!

I am hoping to get an update on today! Thank you for reading!!

Wow, I missed a lot. I love all the updates and pictures especially the ones of Henry with the cupcake, so cute!

Thank you! I'm glad to see you back around! I gotta get over to your PTR/TR too.

Hi Brook! I am caught up again.... I absolutely love the pictures of Henry with his cupcake! You did a great job capturing his pure delight! What a great series!!! You will always treasure those photos. The character photos are so sweet... once again I am really enjoying seeing Disney through his eyes (and yours!).

It was such a magical time at CP! I was happy to have my SLR camera that I could take a ton of pictures in such a short amount of time to really capture all those reactions he had.

Just checking in, hope all is well there, Brook!!

Things are going really well...just busy, busy! Thanks for checking in.

 

[brookelizabeth]

We left off finishing up our wonderful breakfast at CP and were focused on Fantasyland. Henry still had yet to ride Dumbo.

But first, he spotted a "dut!"

Not really a duck, but any sort of bird at that point was a duck!

On our way to Fantasyland

I feared the crowds would already be a bit insane over in Fantasyland...but I was WRONG!

Fantasyland wasn't busy at all - very quiet still!

Dumbo had a 5 minute wait posted-it was more like 10, but certainly doable.

Waiting in line. No clue what he was doing with his hat!

And Henry finally got his first ride on Dumbo...

"Henry, look at Mommy" I'm guessing another child in line had a Cars shirt on or something....

I.do.not.like.this.picture.of.me!

If I remember correctly, he wanted his hat pulled down that far over his eyes...

Continued in next post

 

[brookelizabeth]

Continued from previous post

His reaction? A bit hesitant at first, "No Mommy, no", but after we were up in the air, I heard "Wheeeeeeee!" and "Oooooh!" And after we were done "More!"

We could have done Dumbo again...but I had a special ride planned for him...

He could hear the cars zooming away as we approached and when he finally caught glimpse of what it was, he got pretty excited! I hung out in the absurdly hot stands. Do they pump heat into those stands? Seriously...

Finally time to board! I have a hard time believing Dumbo is even slower loading than this...

Let's ride!

While waiting, I could hear the TTA spiel about the Speedway. Ahhh, it was running!!!

I stood in a spot on the bridge, waiting to capture pictures of the boys zipping around, but I must have missed them because suddenly they were behind me and done with the ride!! All well!

Henry was smiling - he loved it, as we knew he would.

Back toward Fantasyland Henry caught a glimpse of the Carousel.

"Mommy! Ju ju!"

For those of you who have not read my past reports, Henry calls horses ju jus. (But I am sad to report, he has recently lost this term. Joe and I miss it! He won't say horse quite yet, but has realized the ju ju is not correct-so he doesn't say anything except sometimes nays (or moos!))

So, that was our next ride!

We let Henry pick his own horse.

Another oh-so-flattering shot of me! But despite THAT, I like it. It was a sweet moment, with my baby-cakes, riding the ju jus.

Look at that big boy!

Next up, Pooh!

But we saw the Sword in the Stone and had to nab a pic.

He tried with all his might to push the sword in deeper.

Continued in next post