ok folks, I am wide awake, bored to tears and it is 3 am, no matter what time my posting clock thingamagiggy says, and I feel like boring you to death with some pictures of Emily and me at Disney.
But first a little story. Maybe not so little, sorry.
When I was a kid my mom and aunt used to drive us all (I am one of five kids remember)down to Disney every year during presidents week. Why mom and aunt? Because my aunt is a saint (mom is too) and my dad never wanted to go. Really she is a saint. Five kids, none of which were hers and she split the bill halvsies with my mom the whole way. And she put up with us and she didnt kill any of us, which I am sure we would have deserved at several points during those trips. We did this trip for about ten or twelve years in a row, and it never got old.
My father never went with us. He hated playgrounds, never went there either, he would see all the possible ways for kids to get hurt. He also hated the Disney parks, for good reason I guess. He and my mom brought my two older sisters there in the early 70's, maybe 72 or 73? Anyway, I wasnt born yet, so it was before 74. They were walking around the park and my oldest sister was following my dad as they were walking down main street. You know the way that kids do...mom has on blue shorts and sandals...dad has tan shorts and sneakers....
So as they are all walking along, my sister holds my fathers hand and turns out, that isnt dad. She had been following the wrong shorts for a while. Luckily the park wasnt so crowded and the family she was following were really nice. They put her on a garbage can and left her there. No, they didnt leave her, but they did stand her on top of the garbage can. Which was really helpful because my dad is pretty darn tall. He was about to have a heart attack because his little girl was missing, but luckily they found each other. Anyway, it was thirty years before he went to Disney again if you get the idea of how much he hated it.
Anyway, we used to drive from NY and make the trip in a day and half. Most of the way mom would yell that she would turn the car around RIGHT NOW if we didnt behave....but we never believed her because we knew that she wanted to be there as much as we did.
We loved these trips. Absolutely loved them. When I read about everyones special memories of their parents on a certain ride or in a certain area of disney, I think about my mom and my aunt. And for me it isnt one ride or area, it is the whole world! And different stretches of I 95. I can picture us all at different spots throughout the years. Pointing out signs for South of the Border for about 100 miles before we get there. The first official sighting of a palm tree, stomping our feet and pounding our hands on the car roof when we finally cross the florida border. Depression that sinks in when you realize florida is a long state to drive through also. And the joy of actually stopping and settling in at the hotel, (no Disney hotels for us, way to rich for our blood then). Cannon ball jumping in the outdoor, non-heated pool as soon as we were out of the car no matter what the weather. But nothing topped the euphoria of the first morning entrance into the Magic Kingdom. Absolute bliss. And my youngest brother squeaking Winnie World! Winnie World! with increasing volume, frequency and pitch (squeakiness?). He was about three at the time we started these trips and never let him live it down. He also wasnt in a car seat and was rarely seat belted in, I guess we were living dangerously. Oh wait, it was very early 80's, we werent required to be belted in yet, were we?
To me it was home. My home. And my inheritance, because for the longest time I thought my grandfather was Walt Disney. No kidding, I thought Grandpa was THE Walt Disney. I have the pictures to prove how much they looked alike. So I really thought that Disney World was my home. And future.
We never had plans for the parks (as far as I can remember) we just went with the flow. Start in Tomorrowland every time and circle our way around the park. I have memories of us from so many different trips in each area of the park. The best of course was when we would end our night on main street and watch the parade and fire works. I have read somewhere here from some great authors how they cry when the entered the parks. Not me. Always when I left, even if it was just the first day. I would cry because I was so happy and to me a day in Disney was a day in heaven. It didnt matter if we kids fought with each other, or got in trouble with mom or with our aunt. It was all forgotten by evening. Because then we only remembered the good times that we spent with each other.
Anyway, once my daughter was born, I knew that I wanted to, no needed to bring her to Disney to experience the magic, and visit Great Grandpa of course. And without a doubt, Grandma had to be there for Emilys first taste of Disney. On our five day trip we may have made it onto ten rides, but that didnt matter. We experienced a part of Disney that we hadnt really felt before. The slower pace of Disney with a baby. We had the opportunity to take in the quiet areas and really savor each moment. Emily was 16 months old on that first trip. She was a very good baby and loved to people watch. We all enjoyed that trip very much.
I have a few pictures to post from that trip.
This is really my favorite photo, the magic of meeting your hero. Pooh was Emily's favorite movie and toy and bedtime book at that time in her life.
Proof that we were maelstroming way back in 97 and enjoying the wait for the Norway movie
and another favorite picture of Emily as a baby:
Not a flattering picture, but me Emily, Grandma and Emily's hero, Pooh
Two cute chicks
Does anyone else remember when the castle was a cake for the
25 anniversary? It looks like Emily is saying "Granma, i want that cake!"
I LOVE that movie...
And Horseyponypoodliechickiebaby (damn, this gets longer every time I type it), why oh why did you keep setting up Lou that way? You just knew what was going to happen, and you did it anyway. Don't feed him straight lines -- he eats those up the way Ronald McDonald eats children (apparently).
to LKK! I love having newcomers!
Horsey, it's a good thing you're close by. Syddaneeee is going to need your services. 
