Welcome To The Caribbean, Love ~ Updated 5-27 P52

[KatMark]

Thank you. I try to keep those kinds of quotes in mind for my rainy days, too. Is this your trip for which I've totally fallen behind on the ptr? I hope you have a great time!

This isn't our Disney trip; this is our week in Marco Island while DH works and I play.

 

[that's nice]

TK- Congrats on the house! There will be many, many trip to Home Depot... did I mention many?

Love the birthday story of your mom.

Trying to keep up here and there on the DIS but it just isn't possible!

 

[TarzansKat]

This isn't our Disney trip; this is our week in Marco Island while DH works and I play.

Sounds good to me!

TK- Congrats on the house! There will be many, many trip to Home Depot... did I mention many?

Several even?

Love the birthday story of your mom.

Thanks.

Trying to keep up here and there on the DIS but it just isn't possible!

Tell me about it! I'm lucky I get on my thread, never mind everyone else's! I see you've finished yours and I still haven't caught up!

How's the family? How's Mel feeling?

 

[brookelizabeth]

Congratulations on the house closing!!! Now all the work begins for MJS! It will be a lot of fun doing all that though, and the reward will be extra sweet.

I love how you ran the 5k with Tink and LegoMom! Very cool. I saw Tink at Epcot, but didn't get to say hello. I was wrangling a toddler and had missed my mouth with my water bottle at the same time, so I had water streaming down my face and a 3 year old in my arms. Honestly, I'm kinda glad she didn't see me in THAT moment.

This isn't necessarily my favorite memory of my mother, but when I think of my mother, and when I think of her in heaven, this is what I picture.

The Garden View Lounge, the Grand Floridian. Mom is sitting across from me wearing her signature teal/turquoise, a black blazer, her favorite pin on the lapel, holding a glass of champagne. It's an image in my head from our last trip together, and whenever I think of what heaven is for my mother, that's what I picture.

If heaven is the GF Tea room, I'm SO okay with that!

 

[TarzansKat]

Congratulations on the house closing!!! Now all the work begins for MJS! It will be a lot of fun doing all that though, and the reward will be extra sweet.

It's exciting and expensive. Let's not talk about the money I just dumped on our chimeny today to get it in working order, something that was supposed to be done before me moved in!

I tell MJS all the time, very lovingly, it's our mess!

I love how you ran the 5k with Tink and LegoMom! Very cool. I saw Tink at Epcot, but didn't get to say hello. I was wrangling a toddler and had missed my mouth with my water bottle at the same time, so I had water streaming down my face and a 3 year old in my arms. Honestly, I'm kinda glad she didn't see me in THAT moment.

You know what, even if she'd met you then, she would have totally understood! She's seen some of my not so fine with kid moments, but I totally understand what you mean about wrangling the toddler and everything.

If heaven is the GF Tea room, I'm SO okay with that!

Me, too.

 

[MEK]

I love your update that's not a real update. Because it is! All really really good things. Happy birthday memories, home depot....

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree. That was a lovely update and a wonderful way to picture your mom!

 

[that's nice]

Several even?

Well, I was going with the 'many' theme but yes, there will be several!

Tell me about it! I'm lucky I get on my thread, never mind everyone else's! I see you've finished yours and I still haven't caught up!

LOL No worries!

How's the family? How's Mel feeling?

I have my BIG 5 year old now!

Mel has been feeling very good. She had a doctors appointment yesterday and had a level 2 ultrasound last Friday... everything is good, they are just monitoring all her levels.

 

[TarzansKat]

Well, I was going with the 'many' theme but yes, there will be several!

I have my BIG 5 year old now!

Oh, wow! When did little miss have her birthday?

Mel has been feeling very good. She had a doctors appointment yesterday and had a level 2 ultrasound last Friday... everything is good, they are just monitoring all her levels.

Glad to hear it. I think of you guys a lot.

 

[TarzansKat]

I agree. That was a lovely update and a wonderful way to picture your mom!

Thank you.

 

[that's nice]

Oh, wow! When did little miss have her birthday?

March 11th!

Glad to hear it. I think of you guys a lot.

Aww... thanks!

 

[jenneth79]

I don't.

And that's the short answer. The long answer is this.

Hi. For those of you who don't know me, I'm TarzansKat. Also known as TK, also known as Kat, also known as Tinkerbellarella's long lost DIS twin. Just judging by the sheer amount of names I have, I think it would be safe to say I fill a lot of roles.

Wife. Mother.

But the role that I most want to talk about today, the role that I most need you all to understand is daughter.

I lost my mother suddenly in April. I would have to say it has been one of the most defining events, if not the most defining event of my life. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will change you like losing a parent.

And that's what it is. A terrible, terrible loss. And it's colored my whole perception of everything. Of how I want to live my life. How I want to raise my children. How I want to treat my friends and those I come in to contact with, and in return, how I want to be treated.

If having children will shift your priorities, losing a parent will do it as well, but in a wholly different way.

And that's what my mother's death has done. It has wholly shifted my priorities. I am strong enough to realize that what I had to endure, what my sister, my father, and my grandmother and I had to endure in the last few days, the decisions to be made, the realizations we all had, the emotional places we had to go to, are something that have changed me for the better. But the price, oh my god, the price. To have to lose my mother in order to understand what's really important. God. I still want to know why, and I'll never know.

I'll never know why the world keeps turning without that brilliant, vital spirit in it. And I know that in some way, she's still here. She's with me when I put Nemo on the bus to kindergarten. She's with me when Squirt smiles and laughs for the first time. She's with me as I write this post, and she's whispering in my ear, telling me that it's okay.

It's okay to let go.

So I did.

I booked a trip. And that was really the first step.

Disney is something that my mother gave to me. She instilled this love, this tradition, and I'll get into it more in the coming posts. This will be just as much a pre trip report as it will a tribute to my mother, who gave me values and traditions that I want to give to my children. There was a grace and dignity about her that I can only hope to emulate..

I stumbled across your TR and I have to say, alebeit way late, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I completely understand. My father passed away this January unexpectedly, and EVERYTHING you describe above is exactly what I've been going through.

We booked a trip too. My father brought me to Disney as well, and I want to take his memory back there with us.

I look forward to reading the rest of your report and updates!

 

[TarzansKat]

March 11th!

Aww... thanks!

I stumbled across your TR and I have to say, alebeit way late, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I completely understand. My father passed away this January unexpectedly, and EVERYTHING you describe above is exactly what I've been going through.

We booked a trip too. My father brought me to Disney as well, and I want to take his memory back there with us.

I look forward to reading the rest of your report and updates!

Thank you so much for joining in here, welcome.

I'm sorry to hear about your dad. I think this pre trip report has been really helpful as part of my grieving process, and I'm really touched by how many people have expressed condolences or shared their own painful stories.

 

[TarzansKat]

I'm totally cheating here and quoting myself from a previous report. I have a lot of favorite moments with Nemo at Disney, but this by far sticks out in my mind as one of the best.

And the best part about it is that it was totally unplanned.

"Our last trip, DS was about two and half when we went. Again, mom, nana, dfil, and us. This trip was slightly more relaxed in that dfil had already been there, so no pressure to do specific things.

Again, so many memories, but I have one night that's my favorite. The ladies (myself excluded) wanted to eat dinner in France, and I declined, figuring one night apart would do us all some good. Well dfil decided to come with us, which was fine. We decided to wing it. Well, suffice it to say I walked out of Restaurant Marrakesh, long story, and we decided to eat elsewhere. Well, just as we were coming out, Aladdin and Genie were greeting over by the lagoon. The line wasn't too bad, so I said, let's get our pic taken, why not?

It ended up being the best character interaction I think we've ever had, bar none. DS was nervous with face characters. To him, it was like meeting a stranger. So he was very shy of Aladdin, and threw his hands up in front of his mouth. Well, Aladdin got right down on his level, and started talking to him. Meanwhile the photopass photographer is getting all this on film. Well, as I'm getting Genie's autograph, Aladdin takes DS behind the hand, over to the fence, and starts pointing out across the water toward Spaceship Earth and they're talking away.

To this day, I still have no idea what Aladdin said. DS wasn't old enough at the time to tell us, so it's between them. I can just tell you there was a lot of talking, and laughing. The PP, seeing a prime opportunity, hopped the fence and started taking picture after picture. I have the best picture of DS and Aladdin, their heads tilted together, smiling into the camera. I may be a Tarzan/Jack Sparrow girl, but I love Aladdin now. He made my night.

After that, we took a leisurely stroll around the WS, and ended up in Mexico, where DFIL and I began the margarita tradition. We got counter service there, and sat in a nice spot and could see the water as it was getting dark and it was beautiful."

The funniest thing about this was that afterwards, the PP was saying, please don't tell anyone I did that. It was so sweet.

Even better?

One year later, our next trip. It's a Pirate's Life for Three, so it's just me, DH, and DS. We're going through the indoor character queue in Epcot, and DS is not having any of it. What a change from last year to this, now all of sudden he's wary of Mickey, Minnie, and those characters!

DH and I are not the type of parents to force the issue, so after trying a bit, we decided DH would take DS outside and I would finish going through the line.

When I got to Goofy and was getting ready to take my photo with him, I had quite the surprise!

It was the SAME photopass photographer. I recognized him immediately, and so one year later, I said, "do you remember me? You..." and we said at the same time, "jumped the fence." Can you believe that? He remembered us, and I told him it was one of the best photos I've ever had of my son on a Disney trip. How often do you get to offer that compliment, you know? It was such a great moment.

And then Goofy was a huge flirt, so he got some great photos of us there.

I think what amazes me about this particular memory is how much Nemo has changed throughout the years. I can really measure his growth in Disney trips. It's like when you take a picture in the same place every time and then put them side by side, you know? I feel that way about our vacations, and I really can't wait to start new traditions with Squirt and see Nemo give the World to his brother.

 

[MegansMom]

LOVE those memories!!! Can you imagine how many are in store for Squirt.....and then also Squirt AND Nemo memories together!!!!! You are in store for a lifetime of wonderful moments with those boys.....I just know it!

 

[Nermel9]

I love all of your Disney memories so far, especially the Nemo and Aladdin memory! I hope to have a child someday to share the World with also!

I know I owe you an email, I'll try to get to that tonight! Oh, and come stop by my new PTR if you get a chance!

 

[eandesmom]

I love how you ran the 5k with Tink and LegoMom! Very cool. I saw Tink at Epcot, but didn't get to say hello. I was wrangling a toddler and had missed my mouth with my water bottle at the same time, so I had water streaming down my face and a 3 year old in my arms. Honestly, I'm kinda glad she didn't see me in THAT moment.

Oh I am at that Brook!

To this day, I still have no idea what Aladdin said. DS wasn't old enough at the time to tell us, so it's between them. I can just tell you there was a lot of talking, and laughing. The PP, seeing a prime opportunity, hopped the fence and started taking picture after picture. I have the best picture of DS and Aladdin, their heads tilted together, smiling into the camera. I may be a Tarzan/Jack Sparrow girl, but I love Aladdin now. He made my night.

The funniest thing about this was that afterwards, the PP was saying, please don't tell anyone I did that. It was so sweet.

Even better?


When I got to Goofy and was getting ready to take my photo with him, I had quite the surprise!

It was the SAME photopass photographer. I recognized him immediately, and so one year later, I said, "do you remember me? You..." and we said at the same time, "jumped the fence." Can you believe that? He remembered us, and I told him it was one of the best photos I've ever had of my son on a Disney trip. How often do you get to offer that compliment, you know? It was such a great moment.

And then Goofy was a huge flirt, so he got some great photos of us there.

I think what amazes me about this particular memory is how much Nemo has changed throughout the years. I can really measure his growth in Disney trips. It's like when you take a picture in the same place every time and then put them side by side, you know? I feel that way about our vacations, and I really can't wait to start new traditions with Squirt and see Nemo give the World to his brother.

It is so true, you can measure their life in Disney pictures. I have my mama and the E's castle and Sorceres hat pictures and it's just wild to see the changes in just 18 months, even at the ages they are at. At Nemo's age, it's so much more dramatic!

What a wonderful photograper!!!!!!!! Sounds like someone who really loved their job. Wonderful memory Kat!

 

[TarzansKat]

LOVE those memories!!! Can you imagine how many are in store for Squirt.....and then also Squirt AND Nemo memories together!!!!! You are in store for a lifetime of wonderful moments with those boys.....I just know it!

Oh my gosh, we are in store for some great memories, you're right! I just can't wait.

I love all of your Disney memories so far, especially the Nemo and Aladdin memory! I hope to have a child someday to share the World with also!

People always told me that seeing Disney through your child's eyes brings it to a whole new level and I never realized just how awesome that can be until we took Nemo for the first time.

Now taking Squirt for the first time, I know I'll get to experience that all over again.

I know I owe you an email, I'll try to get to that tonight! Oh, and come stop by my new PTR if you get a chance!

I will definitely stop by, but not until after I move. Don't worry, only one week left.

It is so true, you can measure their life in Disney pictures. I have my mama and the E's castle and Sorceres hat pictures and it's just wild to see the changes in just 18 months, even at the ages they are at. At Nemo's age, it's so much more dramatic!

What a wonderful photograper!!!!!!!! Sounds like someone who really loved their job. Wonderful memory Kat!

He was awesome. I wonder if he's still in Epcot, I'd love to find him again.

 

[TarzansKat]

I bet you're wondering, huh? How can I possibly have a favorite Disney memory with Squirt when he's never been?

Well, that's not entirely true.

For those of you who don't know, my last Disney trip with my mother, which I will always cherish in my heart, was in January of 2010. I was just nearing the end of my first trimester and mom was insistent that we take a girls trip together before the baby came.

It had been a really long time since I had a girls trip with my mother, and I'm really glad that I let her convince me to do it.

We stayed at the Grand Floridian, we had tea, we ate at the Brown Derby, we spent wonderful, wonderful, quality time together. As I've told you before, when I picture my mother in heaven, it's in the Grand Floridian, sitting across from me at tea.

I've really been missing her this week as I'm getting more and more involved in the moving process, and I have to warn you, this next memory is kind of a tear jerker, so you may want the kleenex handy.

When I was pregnant with Squirt, and before I knew what I was having, I called him the bean. He was either the bean, or my jelly bean.

My mother loved that nickname, so she always called him our little jelly bean.

And every morning when we would get up, I would show her my belly, which was definitely showing by then...ah, the joys of second pregnancies ...and every morning, she would gently pat my belly, and say, "Good morning, jelly bean."

It was part of our whole wake up routine, and it brings tears to my eyes right now to think of it. I know in my heart and I firmly believe that my mother is the best angel any of us could ever have, and at the same time, I wish that she was able to hold my son in her arms, and tell him good morning, jelly bean here and now.

My sister said something really beautiful to me when our mother was in the hospital. She believes that all the souls are mingling around in heaven, those who have passed, and those who are waiting to be born. So she believes that even though our mother never held Squirt here on earth, that she was the first in our family to meet him, and that she and our grandfather taught him all sorts of neat tricks before he entered our world.

Judging by the level of mischief the baby gets into, how he never stops moving (a trait both my mother and grandfather definitely had), and how he seems to have inherited my grandfather's laugh in some sense...it's a trademark laugh, believe me...I'm inclined to think that my sister is right.

I'm so looking forward to making new memories with Squirt. He's a sweet baby who brought me the best kind of joy when all I wanted to do was be sad, and I am blessed by him.

I can't wait to give Disney to him, just the way my mother gave it to me.

 

[TarzansKat]

And for now, my dear friends, that's it.

This pre trip report is going to take a little hiatus while the TK clan gets ready to move into our first house. I'm so excited to finally be living in our home. It's been a long haul to get to where we are today.

When I think of the huge contrast between this year and last...it's staggering. To think that a year ago, in these coming weeks, I was spending every waking second at the hospital...it's amazing.

Everything unfolds as it's meant to, sadly, even death. And I can't pretend that on April 28th, I won't think of how sad I am to have lost her, but also, how grateful I am to have had her. My mother and my best friend.

I miss her so much this week. I'm in a better place emotionally, but this week has been hard.

So for now,

it's time

to say goodbye

to all our company

M-I-C...see you real soon...

K-E-Y...why? because we like you!...

M-O-U-S-E




Coming up in future posts - the trip shopping I've never discussed: new clothes may be involved - what everyone in the family is most looking forward to - and more!

 

[MEK]

Beautiful memories!

How comforting to know that your angel is with you everyday.

Good luck with the move!