Long Catch up on Disney

We made it home! I am so happy to be able to use the computer as I wish now. Disney charges $10 a day for Internet access so I took a hiatus from the blog.

Our last three days in Disney were as eventful and fun as the first three. On Sunday we spent the morning in Hollywood Studios. We got a chance to see the Ariel and the Playhouse Disney shows. We were planning on seeing the Belle show as well. However the Ariel show was a little intense and the girls decided that they didn't want to see it. We also got a chance to meet June, Quincy and Handy Manny. Meeting Handy Manny was the most exciting as we got to meet him on my Dad's birthday. The bugs love to watch that show with my Dad and spent a lot of time watching it with him while Ava was in the hospital. They were so excited to call him and tell him that they met Handy Manny on his birthday. It was really cute.

We then had a very blustery lunch and decided that we should high tail it back to the hotel. The bugs were exhausted and fading fast. Despite our sprinting efforts we did not make the bus and had to wait. The bugs made up their own games which involved running around the sidewalk. This game abruptly ended when Elaina fell and scraped both of her knees. Of course it was then that the bus came. Exhausted screaming bloody kneed Elaina and tired borderline ill Emily and Alexa boarded the bus with Mommy and Daddy who never wanted to fold up another stroller again. I was super proud that I packed a first aid kit. As we boarded the bus I told the driver that Elaina fell and scraped her knees. (I felt the need to explain the child was screaming as we got on the bus).

We were getting all arranged (no small task) and I looked up. There was the bus driver with plastic rings for each of the girls. She told me she thought that that may help Elaina forget her troubles. It worked.

Back to the hotel for a rest. Nobody slept. It was one of the warmer days and the pool was calling our names. (Well really just Emily and Alexa's. We didn't want to get cold and Elaina said she couldn't go in because "God didn't heal my boo boos yet". I told her with the band aids she'd be fine. ) The pool was heated. That was a good thing. It was blustery. We were freezing. The spa was fabulous. Once we warmed up we had to get out and freeze. Back to the room for a quick change and new band aids. Off to Mexico in EPCOT for dinner.

We took a circuitous, yet fun route. Boat to the Contemporary. Monorail to EPCOT. The girls loved it. We had dinner, and did a little shopping. I was really hoping to find an "Alice" doll or toy or even Alice In Wonderland book in the United Kingdom exhibit. You would think they would have one there since that was where her meet and greet was. Nothing. Alexa loves her. I am currently scouring EBAY. Then Lain and I rode on the Nemo ride in the sea exhibit. Emily and Alexa were too tired and unreasonable. Lain LOVED the "fishy" ride. I had a great time taking her and watching her eyes light up with wonder. (Bonus no wait we just walked on).

Our ride home was supposed to be uneventful. Wee missed the first monorail and then got to the Magic Kingdom and Resort stops as the firework display was ending. Oh look it was Extra Magic hours in the MK that night. Even the elevators were crazy full. All Allan and I wanted to do was get back to the hotel and get the kids in bed. But no, right there in front of the Contemporary was Peter Pan. A quick meet and greet, hop on the boat and away we were.

Our day was short on Monday. It was our last full day and we were all wiped out. Emily did not sleep well the night before and was still exhausted. She was also randomly warm. We drugged her and headed back to the Magic Kingdom and tried to see things that we didn't before. Nobody really wanted to do anything at all. Despite checking the weather report we did not know it was going to be so windy. $100 later in sweatshirts, the whining stopped momentarily. Allan did go on Big Thunder Mountain with Emily. She loved it. I waited with Alexa and Elaina and had a good time. I was going to ride with my parent swap ticket once Allan and Emily were done. (Lain was 3 inches too short, much to her dismay). Alexa decided that she didn't want to go. Emily didn't want to either. We panned for gold and then I decided that I would go before our lunch reservations. Emily and Alexa decided to come with me. Just before we got on the ride, Emily cried so Alexa joined in and nobody wanted to go. I got to walk across the train. I will never get to ride that ride, I've decided.

On the way to lunch we spied the "Princess and the Frog". We had no time to meet her before lunch. We ate at Tony's restaurant. When we walked in Elaina squealed "Doggie!" She loved the Lady stuffed animals. I made a mental note to get her one. Twenty potty breaks and a yummy meal. One lovely diaper and I was really ready to be all done. It was the one month marker of Ava's death and it was not far from my mind. Somehow I noticed that it wasn't far from the girls either. (They had no idea of the date or the concept of that either, but they were all missing her). During lunch Alexa wrote all of our names, in awesome handwriting, on her napkin. The first name she wrote was Ava's. She showed our waitress. Of course the waitress asked if that was Alexa's name. Elaina kept saying that Ava was in Heaven, but the waitress didn't hear. So she asked Elaina and then Emily if they were Ava.

I piped in to explain that Ava is in Heaven. I then told her that we were on vacation to celebrate our family. (Disney's theme right now is "What will you Celebrate". That did bother me on the trip. I wasn't celebrating per se, but Disney was trying to spin it that everybody who was there was celebrating something. I came up with the celebrate family line to make myself feel better the day before.) The Waitress audibly gasped and graciously left the table. Elaina wound up with a free dessert. As we were finishing up our waitress, who had no prior knowledge of Elaina's exclamation, arrived at the table with 4 stuffed Lady dogs. One was for me. I told the girls that our waitress wanted to put smiles on our faces once she heard about Ava. Emily grinned the biggest grin of the day and said "Mommy it worked."

After lunch we were off to meet Pinocchio, stalk the Princess and the Frog, to no avail. Cry about going on the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, which we nixed. Drove on the Speedway and piloted a rocket ship. Then we were done. Back to the hotel for a nap and in for the night. While the girls slept we packed. Whoo hoo!

The down time worked and we had a great time on our last day in the MK. We met Princess Tiara and Naveen, and repeated rides on Aladdin's Magic Carpet, Dumbo, Goofey's Barnstormer, baked a cake in Minnie's House, rode the Mad Hatter's Teacups and Winnie the Pooh's honeypot ride. We explored Swiss Family Robinson's tree house and Winnie The Pooh's playground as well. We left the park and got to the hotel for transport by 3 (pickup at 4).

Elaina fell asleep in my arms on the bus 10 minutes before we got to the Airport. Emily was mostly sleeping. So we now have 6 pieces of luggage, a laptop and 3 backpacks. Two sleeping kids and one stroller to push. The $4 on the smart cart was a good purchase. Em and Lain woke up just as we were going through security, Alexa was so proud at how much she helped us by pulling a suitcase. Commence Elaina screaming. She was scared. She wouldn't get down. Emmy was falling apart. (Her medicine was wearing off and she was sleepy). Due to the excitement I forgot to take my cell phone out of my pocket and the bracelet off my wrist. Em and Lex go through security and have to wait to screaming Elaina and Mommy. BEEP BEEP BEEP. Pockets Emptied all the while I can't put Elaina down and the bigger bugs are flipping out that I am stuck on the other side. Daddy clears security. Elaina screams for him. We clear it.

Ok, that took 5 minutes. We collected our things and snuggled those who needed to be snuggled. I put my shoes on with one hand and away we went. Potty break, grab dinner, lots of crying and off to the gate. NOW everyone is awake and happy. Nobody slept on the plane. We landed 40 minutes early. We had to wait forever for our luggage to start arriving. One of our suitcases got stuck and they had to turn off the belt. The bugs were flying around like mad women. Oh look, the only person who can turn the belt on was on break. So they had to reload on a different belt. Away we were at 10:30pm. The girls transferred to their beads beautifully. Unpacking and laundry started. Bed by 1am. AHHHHHHH.

Now if I could have a vacation to relax....