So, Disneyland… 

I can’t tell you how excited I was about the trip.  Zoe didn’t know a thing.  I packed her bag and hid it in the back of my closet until Thursday night when I packed my car.  (Oh, Thursday happened to be the busiest day of my entire life).  We drove to Denny’s parking lot in phoenix where we met Deb, she was taking Zane for the weekend, and we met the other girls and their mom’s.  It all worked smoothly.  As Cheryl picked the girls up, I think the story started that they were headed to the zoo.  When we were all together, we told them the truth. (look back a few posts to Disneyland and click the links-you will see the girls’ reactions-not quite what we were hoping for but close.)

I was going to document all of our fun dang it!  Remember, it was that self-appointing I did that got me the job!

So, the road trip began.  We used bribery as a tool for good behavior.  We gave out Cooperation Coins every 15 minutes when they were doing well.  We had a basket full of stuff (I mean STUFF) that they could buy using their coins.  Each thing had a price and when we stopped for food or potty, they could spend.

We arrived in LA shortly after the lunch hour and went to check in the hotel but they would not allow us to check in “early.”  We showed up about 45 minutes early and according to the gal at the front desk, there was NOTHING ready.  Weird-they were going to have the entire place ready in 45 minutes.  We figured we would waste time in the hotel lobby until they were ready for us.  You can imagine a gang of 8 in the lobby wasn’t quite what they were hoping for so needless to say, our rooms were ready “early.”  The girls were so impressed with our rooms, we probably could have ended the surprise right there.  : )  The rooms were kids suites which had 2 double beds and then a little separate room with bunk beds.

We got started right away and walked over to Disneyland and started with Pirates of the Caribbean (one of my favorites).  We were planning our next move and evaluating the lines.  We then headed over to Frontier land and  decided to ride that white boat  (I am sure that it isn’t actually called “that white boat” but since it was the first time I have ever been on it, I cannot recall its name).  The day moved quickly.  We took pictures with the characters from Aladdin, went in the Tikki Room, Jungle Cruise and then stopped for dinner. The girls were tuckered out pretty quickly.  It was the moms trying to squeeze in all the rides and strategize the day. The evening ended almost after dinner.  Zoe was claiming she was ready to go but agreed to do one last ride with me. We went over to Indiana Jones with Payton, Manda, Ellie and  Cheryl.  The girls were barely tall enough to ride it.  We had to improvise just in case so we put their hair up high and taught them how to stand as tall as they possible could. (Don’t worry, it backfired on me later when Zoe didn’t want to ride Screamin’ and when I asked her if she was even tall enough she said, “I don’t want to cheat today Mom.”  OUCH!!!!)

Oh, I made the mistake of getting a stroller on that first day.  I couldn’t handle the weight on my shoulder of the camera bag and the dumb idea I had to bring all my camera stuff.  Not only did I lug my camera stuff, but I also had a bottle of water, my wallet, and whatever else could fit in the compartments.  So, the stroller was a bad idea.  Just as I got comfortable without the bag on my shoulder, it was time to park the stroller, unpack my gear, wear it again on the ride then come out of the ride and play the game of “search for your stroller”.  I felt like all we did was park and unpark, pack and unpack the stroller.  It was $12 not well spent!

Anyhow, Indiana Jones was our last ride for the evening… well, the last ride for Manda, Payton, Zoe and me (Cheryl and Ellie weren’t ready to call it a night quite yet).  (Zoe refers to that ride as Junie B. Jones, she can’t quite remember how to say it otherwise.  She asked me later that night, “Mom is it ok if I call it Junie B. Jones because I can’t remember the name?”)  It was a great ride and the girls really liked that one too.  Half way through the ride, Zoe harshly pounded on my shoulder to get my attention and said, “Mom, it is a good thing you wear a seatbelt because you would definitely fall out without it.” 

Day 2 started something like this…. “I don’t want to go to Disneyland today.”  OH NO!!!!!  I wanted so badly to convince her of the value of that darn Disneyland ticket and the happiness I would feel if she was excited to go to the happiest place on earth with me.  Instead, she was not feeling well and wanted to spend the day in the hotel.  The others skipped off to Disneyland and I watched with a jealous eye, hoping that Zoe would quickly change her mind. 

I knew she was serious about not feeling well when she kept leaning over the toilet willing something to come out so she would feel better.  She thought a soak in the shower would work.  During her 30 minute “soak” she hopped out several times to throw up or do the other.  She started to feel better and figured it was Manda’s magic because as they were leaving Manda wished her to feel better.  Zoe said, “Mom, Manda was magic because she wished me to feel better and I do.”

We put ourselves together and headed out the door.  We got no further than the outside of the lobby doors and she wasn’t feeling so well anymore.  She asked if I would carry her-I agreed.  I figured there was no harm in holding her for a little bit while we waited for the shuttle.  She just layed her head on my shoulder and peacefully waited.  We got to Disneyland and rushed to get in line with the others already waiting at Autopia.  I carried Zoe the whole way, dodging people and being thankful that she wasn’t in a stroller.  After getting in line, I went to put her down but she still wanted to be held.  I decided that it was ok for me to hold her-most would say she is too old or that I should get a stroller.  I learned from the first day that a stroller was a pain in the neck.  I also knew that this trip was not too far from Zoe thinking I wasn’t so cool anymore and would not want to be seen with me, let alone let me hold her.  She wasn’t feeling well and just wanted to be held.  The day continued that way, she even took little naps on my shoulders.  Every once-in-a-while she would ask to rush to a toilet so she could throw up.  A few times, we didn’t have time to make it to the toilet and a plant or bush would suffice.  When we were waiting in line at Space Mountain, she leaned over near the trash bin in our line and threw up.  Sorry to those people behind us who had to see it when they walked by. 

Even though Zoe wasn’t feeling the best, we had an awesome afternoon.  We were able to go on lots of rides and see lots of things.  I could weave in and out of people pretty easy without having someone in tow or pushing a stroller.  We did the Autopia ride, the submarine ride, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and watched the Jedi training. (a few more that I am certain I am forgetting.)  We ended up heading back to the hotel around 5:00pm so Zoe could rest.  She had been telling me since 3:00pm that she was ready to go back.  I was being stubborn…

After a fine nap, Zoe was really feeling better.  I could tell she was ready to play.  We visited the Cheesecake Factory for dinner with Sheila and Katy who had also turned back for a nap.  Manda, Payton, Cheryl and Ellie were still playing hard at the park and enjoying all sorts of things in ToonTown.

After a fabulous dinner we headed back to Disneyland.  It was about 9:00pm.  We found the others and they were telling us how much they LOVED Thunder Mountain.  I think they said that they went on it about 7 times in our absence.  Zoe tried it out and was not loving it, to my disappointment.  I am a roller coaster girl and love fast rides-I am not sure that Zoe will be at my side for these kinds of things!  : )

I think we headed over to It’s A Small World after our experience on Thunder Mountain.  We took the train-a great way to get around the park!  Now, we were expecting some great things over in the small world.  Well, it is still a small world and must not be utilizing technology to its fullest.  We had been told that it was newly renovated but we didn’t see too much new or exciting.  …Still the floating around singing It’s a Small World in a bunch of different languages with the old school movement and puppets.  Oh well, it is a classic!

Day 3… no sickness and no complaining (so far).  It was time to hit CA Adventure.  This was perfect for Zoe.  BUT it was raining and very cold.  Our first purchase of the day was a poncho and umbrella.  Who doesn’t own a Mickey Mouse poncho?

We saw Aladdin, Disney Playhouse Live, watched an amazing parade,  had lunch at Ariel’s Grotto and took pictures with some princesses, (and our own princesses of course)

watched a High School Musical performance and did a few rides.  We got Ellie and Zoe to go on Tower of Terrors, which she says she will never go on again, and Soarin over CA which is now my all time favorite ride.  So a quick note about Tower of Terrors…  I was so nervous when the doors shut.  I was anticipating the drop and how Zoe would react. 

I was shaking and so nervous.  I was trying to remain calm and explain to Zoe when she was screaming on the drop that it was just for fun, we would go back up and then drop again.  She asked several times, “Is it almost over?”  The picture is Zoe and Ellie being goofy while waiting in line-pretending to be scared.  : )

So, we spent a million dollars in Disneyland food for lunches and dinners, 2 million on churros and cotton candy and had a great time with the girls.  I loved having the one on one time with Zoe but being on duty without a designated break was a bit exhausting.  I strengthened my biceps (and my quads were sore too) and after all that, I think the girls would have been totally satisfied playing in the hotel and swimming in their heated pool.  There was a few rides or attractions that they loved and were amazed about…  Disneyland has so much to see and I can’t imagine trying to do it with little ones in less than 3 days. 

On Monday, it was a bitter sweet.  We took the girls swimming and they had so much fun.  We soon had to leave and started our 9 hour journey home.  NINE HOURS.  That is what happens when you need several meals and several potty stops.  When we went from light to dark outside, we were all ready to be in the comfort of our own homes.

The girls really did so well.  I enjoyed everybody.  There were several times I was embarrassed as a mother (thanks for that Zoe) and several times I was a proud mother (thanks for that too, Zoe).  We are so blessed that Zoe has such great friends.  Those girls have been friends since they were about 18 months.  Playgroup was every Monday morning 9-12 until they all started school.  They are all growing so fast but they are all such good influences on Zoe. 

I am grateful for Zoe’s friends and their families.  I am grateful that they agreed to vacation with us and put up with us for 4 days.  I am grateful that the girls could be together and have so much fun.  I am grateful that Disneyland was not as crowded as I had expected.  I am grateful that I could go on Screamin’-a super fun roller coaster. I am grateful that Zoe only weighs 35 pounds.  I am so grateful for Dan and Deb-Zane had a great place to stay-he almost didn’t want to come home!  I am grateful for cooperation coins.  I am so grateful for the chance I had to spend time with Zoe while she is in kindergarten!

Zoe was very concerned about bringing something home for Tim and Zane.  She picked out a Mickey Mouse for Zane and I convinced her that dad didn’t need anything. (turns out, I was wrong… he wanted some ears)  I tucked them in bed-my bed- and when I went back to check on them I saw something so cute…

All the Disneyland pictures can be viewed here.