The Happiest Place On Earth (debatable) Pt 2: We just go for it.

(Spencer and I have a line we like to repeat.  A mantra, if you will.  There is an Andrew WK album called "I Get Wet" and we have surmised that the title is an answer to the question, "Hey, Andrew WK, but what will you do if it rains!?"   It's a philosophy that trying to prepare for life's storms is overkill.  It rains, we get wet, we laugh, we dry.  Hold on to that thought.)

And we're off!  It's a week after the broken leg, it's about 12 weeks into the pregnancy, and the van is packed and off we go!

The drive there was pretty smooth sailing and Spencer got to tell the girls all kinds of stories of his past as we drove through Georgia and Florida.

This is a picture of our campground a few days into the stay.  Look closely and you'll notice everything is wet...

Waiting at the bus stop to go from the campgrounds to the Magic Kingdom!!  I made the girls these blingy tiaras so that I could easily spot them in a crowd.  It was a winning plan if I do say so myself!

First character spotting! 

Obligatory castle pic

This little troupe of singers and dancers whisked our little invalid right into the show with the rest of the little people.  I was really impressed and touched that without giving it a second thought they treated her the same as any other kid.

A kid just cannot help but feel the magic, as you can see from Cadence's face

Rapunzel's tower

adorable baby!

Aunt Caitlin caught up with us as we were in line to meet Mickey Mouse.  She came bearing gifts and "made it rain" barf bags that she got from a generous stewardess for her sick sister-in-law (me!)  Why did it take 5  pregnancies to realize that barf bags are a purse-necessity!?

Ezra was cool and collected while meeting giant-headed non-human creatures that moved menacingly toward him for "kisses" and pictures. 

The girls got to participate in Belle's retelling of her romance.  What a step up from just standing in line to meet her!

Having a broken leg meant extra attention everywhere she turned.  Is there a better way for an aspiring princess to do Disney?

Campbell's official favorite ride: It's a Small World.  Spencer said to me while we waited, "Why don't we explain to them what this ride is about?"  "Okay," I said, "Girls, when somebody says, 'it's a small world', what do you think it means?"  I then broke into tears and couldn't finish.  Hashtag pregnant problems.

After getting a little drenched we stood in line for EVERRRRRR inside the very well air-conditioned princess meeting spot for Rapunzel and Cinderella it was cold and slooow and the baby was grumpy.  good good times.

Rapunzel was, true to form, adorably space-cadetted and even managed to knock invalid Layla right over during photos.  Funny, but not.

Would you just look at those faces as they look up at Cinderella?!  I hate to ever say this but that right there may have been worth the $40 billion dollars/day it costs to get in there.  And that was the end of day one: Magic Kingdom.  Back to the campground to hide from the rain in our tent.  We were so exhausted!

The next day was Animal Kingdom:

 This is Layla's face as she told me how she felt about not getting to go on the most exciting roller coaster of the day because she wasn't tall enough.  This cruel world is just not fair!

And here is Ezra, who cheers up immediately when a pink bow is placed on his head...

 Cadence was our proud photographer on our safari tour.

Later in the day the older girls wanted to return to Kali Rapids, a ride that had totally soaked Layla, who isn't supposed to get her cast wet, earlier.  So Spencer and I had the little ones and chanced upon a couple of friends.

Our Animal Kingdom day ended early with buckets of rain.  BUCKETS.  Unfortunately, that particular park had little to offer indoors, so we ran through the rain and waited for a bus to take us back to our campsite.  As we waited we thought, well, we can either go sit in the tent the rest of the day or we can try a different park.  So we hopped off the bus at Hollywood Studios, where we were greeted by a puddle who thought it was a pool.  After running away from the bus, through the pool-puddle, we were told at the gate that the park was closing early that night for a "private event".  We had 45 minutes to make this worth it.  We RAN.  RAN like the wind, through torrential rainfall.  We made it to the Star Tours ride where we found that Ezra wasn't allowed on the ride, which I was kind of ok with because 1) I was feeling pretty sick and din't think a ride would help, and 2) it was air-conditioned in there and we were soaked.  After the ride we RANRANRAN back to the bus, where we rode back in a well-cooled bus in our absolutely drenched clothes and found our tent and bedding to have not escaped our fate of moisture.  I broke down.  Exhausted beyond my limited, nauseous, weak, and cold, and needing a safe and warm and dry place to put my baby and little people, who were sooo tired.  I cried and yelled and insisted we find a hotel.  Spencer let me expend the rest of my energies and then he made everything work.  We got through the night and headed to Epcot the next day.

 The kids handled the craziness with grace and glee.  And Ezra, who was soaked and cold, was happy as a clam.  He entertained the whole bus-load of wet and tired and cold people.  Caitlin is the Master of Morale and kept the kids in good spirits come hell or high water or long lines in the heat of the sun.

 The Nemo exhibits at Epcot were fantastical!  I got smart and brought a small collapsible camp stool along and used it every chance I could.  People thought I was weird.  But I wasn't barfing on them or passing out and thereby freaking them out, so it was really for their benefit.

 In order to meet Minnie and Goofy we had to meet Mickey, again.  This was a little weird because he didn't seem to remember seeing us just the other day, in the other park.  Also, he couldn't talk like he could on Monday... a mystery...

 Goofy was super concerned about the broken leg.  "Gawrsh!" he signed on the cast :)

 This one of Cadence and Minnie is one of my favorite moments.

 Minnie noticed Caitlin and the baby hanging out in the background and wouldn't have it.  She dragged them into the fun!

 We got in line to meet Alice and were told that we were the last in line and that no others may join the line.   When we finally got to the front of the line, Alice took the girls by the hands and in a crazy, silly-talking Wonderland-way, took them on a walk to see the gardens and talk about the tea-party she was headed to.

 They found some bugs to name and talk to.

 I may be sick and pregnant but I've still got some moves!  We're every bit as in love as those shrubs are.

 

 

 As our walk through Epcot took through the far corners of the world, we noticed a very short line forming before our eyes.  When you are at a Disney Park and you witness the birth of a line, it behooveth you to get in that line before it turns into a monster.  Just trust me.  So we did.  And it was a line for Aladdin and Jasmine.  And they did NOT disappoint.  Now, the line formed about 45 minutes before they were even there to start meeting people, but it was still better to be in the front of that line.

 This was by far my favorite character meeting.  They were so absolutely engrossed in making our kids feel like they were the only ones there.  They sat down with them and learned what their favorite colors were, what they liked to do at home, told them about riding a magic carpet, and made sure that they had a marker in the color of their choice to sign autographs.  They were the best!

 I think this was Norway...where Elsa and Anna had been a couple of days before, but the website hadn't updated and told me that they weren't going to be at Epcot  anymore.  Geez louise!  Oh, well, the line would have been 7 hours long either way, so what does it matter?!

Each day, at least once or twice, I would take a little sit down whilst everybody else continued doing the things you do in a place like this.  It was during one of these sit-downs at Epcot that 1) it began to pour, again, and 2) they found Mulan!

 

 After riding the Viking Ship to get out of the rain and then hiding out in the lobby of the Viking ship/movie viewing area until the rain let up a little (it didn't), we ran like crazy to a cold bus where we sat soaking for our ride home to our wet tent (sound familiar?)  But this time we got to meet up with Mammaw and go out to Pizza Hut, where the AC was also blasting :)!

 The next day: HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS! 

 The tower of terror is meant to be as terrifying as it sounds-- and Cadence and Layla loved it and wanted to go again and again!  Notably, Campbell, who does NOT love roller coasters, agreed with little outside persuasion to try it at least once and then reserve the right to not go again if she didn't want to.  And that is exactly what happened :)

 Hey, Spencer? What will you do if it rains?

 SINGIN' IN THE RAIN....  How appropriate...

 This was another one of those times when I took a few minutes to be on my own and sit still for a while, so I don't really know what was the cause of all these cute happy faces but they sure are adorbs!

 A Bug's Life Playground:

 At the campgrounds there were nightly campfires and smores, hosted by Chip and Dale.  As soon as I realized it wasn't Chippendale, I was out...oh, no... that's not funny...  I was just too sick and tired so the baby and I went to bed while everybody else went to have some fun.

 The next morning was Ezra and I flew home while Mammaw, Caitlin, Spencer, and the girls stayed for one more day at the Magic Kingdom.

 

 MERIDA!  A favorite in this home of spirited girls!

 Stitch!  Not my favorite choice for a role-model but...it takes all kinds, eh?

 That morning the goal was to see Anna and Elsa.  The first day the line had been 5 hours long, so this time, the plan was to be first into the park and to RUN RUN RUN straight to where the Princess Meeting Place was, and then hope to be in a 2 hour line. They were at the gates 30 minutes before the park opened. Then they ran.  RAN!  And guess how long that line was?  Seven.  Seven hours?!  Who pays 85 bucks a person to get into the park to literally stand in line ALL day!?!  So the girls walked away and had a fantastic day anyway. 

 As a parent, you know you've done your job well when you see a moment like this:

You've worn them down completely with memories of happiness and magic dancing through their cute little brains.  Yes!

And so ended the Magical Week of Disney, the Happiest, Craziest, Wettest, Most Expensive, Magicalest Place on Earth!


EPILOGUE:  It's nearing a year out and Spencer and I look back at this trip and high five-- hardest family vacation ever? Yes.  Chock full of magic and memories?  Heck Yes.  Worth it? Aaaah, yeah!

Here are a few things that I want to mention that pictures didn't show-- 

--I wish we had pictures of our Disney Lunches, where we found a few tables or benches and whipped out our peanut butter, Jelly, and bread. 

--I also wish we had photo documentation of the loads and loads of laundry that needed to be washed and dried because of the rain getting into the tent and making everything not only wet and cold, but stank-nasty, which is poison to a pregnant nose. 

--No pictures of the kids exploring the campground with the neighboring campers' kids.  Or the little boy who wanted to show me every single one of his pokemon cards while I tried to make dinner and take care of the baby.

--I remember being amazed at a few things I noticed-- who are these parents that will spend hundreds of dollars for their little girls to go to a "Princess Salon"?  And buy their kids the $70 princess dresses?  ETc?  There are a million ways to throw money out the window at Disney and EVERYBODY seemed willing to do it...why? How?

--Another thing I noticed was how friendly people were. We were all there to be happy, and so happy we would be. 

--Here's what I think we'd do if we do it again-- camper-trailer.  That way we still get the experience of camping without being soaked.  sheesh.

--Please forgive my hair.  I was too sick and too busy to get it fixed.  I did consider wearing a blond wig but was afraid my girls wouldn't be able to spot me in a crowd.