The Daily Dime – Our First Disney Day

This week I have the honor of participating in The Daily Dime Link Up, a group of bloggers who come together each month to share “a day in the life” posts. Participation is easy – take ten photographs over the course of a day, blog all about what you were up to, grab a button from this post, and link back to one of the hosts! The regular hosts, a group of amazingly talented women, can be found in the widget below and here!They all bring something special and unique to this link party, so be sure to check them out for a look at their day in the life pieces! If you’re interested in being a guest, the next Daily Dime Link Party is Wednesday, December 13th. (And just a reminder, by linking up, your readers are agreeing to opt into a reminder newsletter that goes out one week before the link up each month.)

My husband is the absolute best at spoiling and surprising me and my babies. So when he brought home three Disney World annual passes last week, I wasn’t completely surprised, but I was absolutely over the moon. We had been discussing the purchase of annual passes for quite some time, and I thought we had decided to go for it as Christmas gifts. But my husband always seems to catch on when my mood needs a little brightening, so he did what he always does, and he brought home a really wonderful surprise.

By Sunday, we were already hittin’ the road to put these passes to use. Although, we were so unprepared! We had spent the previous night at a family Quince celebration, followed by a twenty-first birthday celebration at the pool bar down the street. We got home late, the kids were beyond tired, and per my usual Sunday, I hadn’t caught up on groceries or laundry yet. So we packed up the diaper bag, the stroller, my beautiful babes, and a few water bottles. No lunch, no snacks, just the bare necessities. But it didn’t seem to matter, because once we hit the road we told my four-year-old where we were headed, and he said, “I’m so happy!” Straight to the heart that one went, and I ogled over my husband just a bit more.

A Dunkin’ stop was first on the agenda. I mean, minimal sleep and a few Disney hours ahead of us, coffee was a must! Traffic was light and the drive was easy-peasy pleasant. And when we got there all I heard from the back seat was, “Mommy look!… mickey ears!… there’s a sign!… I see it, I see it!… and that was sweet on my heart.

It’s quite funny, all the preparation it takes to get out of the car – the double stroller, the Ergobaby Baby Carrier, the diaper bag, the last few chugs of coffee, a few untied shoelaces, and all while trying to catch the trolley that is impatiently waiting. But luckily we made our way on!

Disney World is just magical. As a kid it builds you up, encourages you, and brings a bright-eyed grin to your little face, but even as a parent it does the same thing. You just feel good being there, you adore the characters and the rides simply because they bring your little ones such happiness. And the long walks and the even longer lines, the expensive food and the whining here and there, it’s just all so worth it.

So we caught the Dance Party out front of Cinderella’s Castle. My husband lifted Leo onto his shoulders and I danced around with Ava in our Ergo. Then we headed for Fantasyland and rode a few classics, “it’s a small world,” Mad Tea Party, and almost The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – we were next in line when the ride broke down!

Instead, we grabbed lunch at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, scarfed down some chicken tenders, and kept moving. The boys used a fast pass to hit Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and Leo came off so incredibly in love with a “real Buzz” and “shooting the bad guys!” We considered a show at Epcot or a few more rides in Fantasyland, but we could tell the rain was coming soon. We headed over to Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Leo was a bit weary of how high Dumbo flew, so instead we spent some time playing in their indoor jungle-gym!

The rain began to drizzle, but on our way towards the exit we noticed everyone lining up for the parade. So we found a spot with a great view, grabbed a Mickey Mouse ice-cream sandwich and waited for our favorite characters. Leo was in his glory as his face become covered in melted, chocolate shell pieces. Ava was so very tired, so we did our best to bounce her around in the carrier. And once the parade ended, which luckily was short but still so sweet, we headed for the car.

Having the annual pass made our day at Disney World so much less stressful! When the rain came down and Winnie the Pooh broke, we were at such ease in knowing we could come back another day for another turn. We didn’t have to stress about getting every ride in, and when Ava resisted a nap, we knew we could let her sleep in the car and save the rest of the park for another weekend. I’m so pleased with our purchase, and I’m so excited for all the fun and joy we’re about to bring to our babies. Disney with two babies was so new to us, we’re just starting to learn the ropes of it all, but I have a feeling with a little patience and a lot of effort, we can add this to our list or parenting wins!

But it was Sunday evening, and as ready as I was for pajamas and a movie on the couch, I”m a working momma and my Sunday job was far from over. We had left my car in Casselberry from the night before, as the Quince celebration and pool bar didn’t quite lead to driving home. My morning brain had completely forgotten to grab my car keys, so we headed all the way back to Lake Mary to grab them, and an entire hour later we were back home with my car. My husband took the kids home and I went straight to Publix to load up on the week’s necessities. I was feeling pretty accomplished when I arrived home, until it dawned on me that I had forgotten Enfamil and sandwich bread, the two greatest components to keep my babies fed throughout the week! So my husband ran to CVS for formula and picked up chicken wings for dinner (score on the absence of cooking!)

Ava’s sheets needed changing, as she had smeared poop all over the place that morning, so it was a quick sheet change, a load of dishes, and eventually bath time. I prepped for our week, I put the pieces of my heart to bed, and our long but incredibly joyous Sunday came to end. Sundays will forever be my favorite days.