Disney Days

We got Walt Disney World annual passes last month. So far we've been there just about every weekend! We went to Magic Kingdom first (of course!) and had a fun but COLD day checking out the new Fantasyland. It was very busy so we didn't get to do a lot of rides, but we enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere. Aunt Theresa and Uncle Matthew were able to meet us there and that was really special for us. The girls especially love spending time with them.

 

Here we are on the carousel!

The next weekend we went to Hollywood Studios. We were able to get there pretty close to park opening and we got to ride Toy Story Mania with minimal waiting. We were also able to see the Voyage of the Little Mermaid and the Disney Junior shows (the kids REALLY liked those). We met Mater and Lightning McQueen (Liam's favorite!) and saw the Muppets in 3D. Then we headed over to Epcot to see some things there. Emily and Daddy rode Mission: Space! and she loved it. We all did the Seas with Nemo and Friends and that was a hit, too.

Two weekends ago we went back to Epcot to see some more but it was packed--it was the first weekend of the flower and garden show and apparently that is a big draw! We did get to do Imagination and the boat ride in the Land. The girls were able to check "getting a Mickey ice cream bar" off their list of must-dos!

 

 

 

Yesterday we visited Animal Kingdom and we had a great time. We took the kids on a safari ride that was really good--we saw lots of animals up close, including a giraffe right next to our tour jeep! Liam was a riot. I kept pointing out all of the different animals and he was not very interested, but when another tour jeep came around the corner he jumped up and yelled, "Truck!" LOL. We also did the nature walk and we got to see a hippo swimming. We met Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger! Mommy, Bailey, and Liam did the Triceratops Spin while Daddy and Emily rode Primeval Whirl. We also went over to Magic Kingdom and I guess because it was getting late and it was raining, the crowds were starting to thin out. We were able to ride Winnie-the-Pooh (which said it was a 20 minute wait but was really about 5 minutes), Peter Pan (said 55 minutes but was only about 15!!!), and the new Little Mermaid ride (said 20 minutes but that was only because it takes 20 minutes to walk through that queue, LOL!!). We also got to meet Ariel and when we left there, the fireworks show was in progress so we had a pretty good, uncrowded view. It poured on our way out and we were all soaked by the time we got to our car,  but it was still a pretty great day!

 

Adventures with Liam

Liam has been really fun and funny lately. I guess it is all part of being two and being adorable! He's starting to talk a lot more (and actually be understandable) and that makes for some fun conversations with him. And I definitely have to watch whatever I do because he imitates EVERYTHING!!

Last week when we took Bailey to pre-k, Liam wanted to use the potty there. For some reason he loves the bathroom at preschool and also the one at Walmart (ICK). Anyway, he goes into the girls' bathroom, stops, walks back to the door, looks at the picture, walks out, and goes into the boys' bathroom! So I follow him in there. I have to take his pants completely off or he can't sit on the toilet, so I do that but I leave his sneakers on. He pees and then goes to the side of the toilet to flush. I laughed so hard when I saw him trying to flush the toilet with his FOOT! He was naked from the waist down except for sneakers and the handle was at about his shoulder height, so it was  hilarious to watch him try to do that! Now I know he learned that from me because when we are in a particularly icky bathroom, I will flush with my foot. But for him to try it was just SO funny.

Another adventure this past week was a trip to Publix. Most kids look forward to going to Publix because they get a cookie. Liam can't have the cookies because of his food allergies, so he gets a balloon. He starts getting excited as we near the registers because he knows his balloon is coming. He knows he has to ask nicely to get one and he is pretty good about saying, "Purple balloon, please" (he always asks for purple but he doesn't care what color he gets). This past week we got our balloon as usual and then went to the car. I loaded the bags, put Liam in and buckled him in, pressed the button to close the automatic door, and walked around to my seat. About halfway there, I hear a "POP!" I open the door and there's the baby holding the string with a dead balloon, crying, "balloon pop!" He had the biggest, cutest, most pathetic pout I've ever seen. So I go back around the car, get the baby out, and go back into Publix. He's still carrying the dead balloon and crying, "Balloon pop! Balloon pop!" As soon as we walked in, the manager came over and said, "Oh, no! What happened to your balloon?" And Liam replies, "Balloon pop!" So the manager went over to get him another balloon. Meanwhile Liam is telling everyone who walks by "balloon pop" in a tearful voice. It was so sad and so cute at the same time.

Finally, vacuuming with Liam is like an extreme sport. I have to vacuum every two or three days because the kids bring home so much MULCH from the playground that it just gets everywhere. Liam likes to "help" so he follows me around with the corn popper. He likes to race ahead of me into a room, then anticipate my move and "vacuum" that spot first before I can get to it! He'll crash his vacuum into mine, too. It's hilarious. It's also really helpful because I know exactly what he's doing while I'm cleaning.

He is definitely in the terrible/terrific twos!

Bailey's reading trophy!

Bailey finished the 100 Lessons book and earned her trophy and her Kindle Fire! We are so proud of her and her great reading skills!

Poop Picasso (and the crappy day)

Yesterday was sort of an adventure for me. I had an appointment to get my oil changed at 9:15. I told the service advisor I needed to pick my kids up at noon and she said it was no problem because the service would take no longer than an hour and a half. I walked over to Target with Liam and we shopped and had a snack. Around 10:15 we headed back to Toyota and waited in their kids' playroom, which has toys and Disney Junior on tv. I noticed that Mickey Mouse was on. Then Jake and the Neverland Pirates came on, and then another Mickey--and I realized, hey, I've been here for a while! SO I went to check on the status of my car and it was already 11:25! They promised me it was almost done, but I didn't get out of there until 11:47! I got to Bailey and Derrick's school at 11:58! Talk about cutting it close!!

Anyway, by the time we got home, Liam and I were both tired and hungry, so I made lunch and put him in for a nap. Only he didn't go to sleep--he pooped. Not only did he poop, but he took his diaper off and then smeared the poop EVERYWHERE. I mean, on the walls, on the door, on himself, all over the carpet--it was a royal mess! So I had to put him in the tub, start a load of wash, wipe up all of the poop and then shampoo the carpet! It was definitely NOT the quiet, restful afternoon I'd had in mind! Of course he didn't get to nap before we had to go to the bus stop, either, so he was a real joy! I told Will that he needed to take me out to dinner or at least order a pizza, because I'd had a truly CRAPPY day (with literal crap!!). LOL. I am sure I will laugh about this someday.