Addison went to the doctor today for her little physical before moving on to daycare. She weighs 28 pounds and measured her at 35 inches. Now, when they measured her out they did it laying down. How odd. I mean everyone knows when you lay down everything squishes out...that's how you get those too tight jeans on when you can't button them standing up. So, it makes sense it might make her taller, right? Actually, I don't think this is an accurate measurement simply for the fact that she's 2 1/2 and moves a bit from the time you get from her head to her toes. She can't help it. I can't either for that matter. How dumb. Anyway, if you ask me, she's 33 inches and just shy of being able to ride some of those rides at Walt Disney World. I know this because I measured her standing up, since she does. Stand up that is.
I'm constantly amazed every day when I see her how big she has gotten in such a short time. I compare her to the time when she was a baby. Just a mere infant. She's nearly three times as long now as she was. She still seems like a baby to me. I guess this is a parent thing. She'll always seem like my little baby? Her legs are getting longer. They look like little kid legs now! She uses them to kick balls and jump. Just a year ago she was barely walking and now she runs. Still not faster than me (yet), but she's practicing. She laughs without prompting; seeing something silly on tv or just pretend playing. Oh yeah, she pretend plays! Her little dolls have little lives. They scold each other or take flying leaps off the couch, but they're ok. Addison says so. I have a happy child. That makes me happy. Oh, and no shots this time! That makes us both very happy.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Day 9 WDW
It's funny how fuzzy details get the further you get away from your vacation. It's Monday now and hopefully I can remember what we did 2 days ago on day 9.
We started the morning out with a character breakfast at the Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom. This was our second choice since our first choice was booked. We really wanted the meal with Mickey and Goofy, but I guess we should have thought of that a few months ago! Anyway, we got reservations to have breakfast with Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore which was good too.
Addison was adorable as ever in her new Minnie sailor outfit and red bows. We had to wait a long time (well it was long to me) to be seated WITH our reservations. Every time they came out to call a name, I was on the edge of my seat hoping it would be us. They called so many more names before they got to us...but finally they did. It was a buffet breakfast with lots of good stuff. Tigger was the first to visit our table and Addison was quick to offer some of her breakfast to him. I guess she thought he looked hungry. He politely declined, leaned over for a few pictures and was off to the next table, but not before he gave her a "pop" on the head. By that I mean, I kiss, not a punch. :) He pops when he kisses. It was cute. Eventually, Piglet, Pooh and Eeyore all made their way over to our table. She tried to give them all things when they did. I couldn't see what she gave Piglet, but he took it. She was trying to give Tigger a piece of Mickey confetti by sticking it on him, only she was trying to stick it on him...and sort of around his nether region and I think it was making him a bit nervous because he kept backing up. I finally took it away from him. She was always interested in their feet too...trying to touch them. I couldn't figure this out either and I think that made them a bit nervous too. She was showing off her squeeky shoes to one of them and I think they thought she was trying to step on their feet.
Anyway, overall I was a little disappointed with this breakfast because the characters didn't really get down on her level much until most people cleared out, so I didn't really get great pictures. The food was good (especially the puffy cinnamon things from the kids buffet), but the characters weren't great.
After breakfast we went back to ride Dumbo again and then she wanted to play in the water at Ariel's Grotto again. I think she rode on the carousel too since it wasn't terribly busy. I can't figure why the line for Dumbo is so long! It's always at least a 20 minute wait which seems like forever with a squirmy 2 year old. She uesually does okay at first, but that's a long time to wait for a short ride! About that time it was time to nap, so we headed back to the room.
In the evening, we headed over to Epcot so Patty could see the topiaries and flowers for the Flower and Garden Festival. First we went on the ride at The Land which shows the hydroponics again since Patty hadn't seen it yet. I thought Addison would be bored, but she did okay. After that we shopped a bit, walked back to the beginning of where the World Showcase starts because they had a few more displays there. After that we headed back to the car and decided to drive over to the Magic Kingdom again for a last hurrah before we had to go home. I thought Addison would like the Tiki Room since she likes birds. We barely made the last showing at 9pm, but we got in. I think she was a little scared at first, but she seemed to like it. I didn't remember it the way it was showing. I think there has been some rehabbing of it since the last time I saw it but it just wasn't the same. I think I didn't enjoy it as much because it features Iago (?) from Aladdin who was played by Gilbert Godfrey and I can't stand his voice. It's too modernized for me. I think this is a classic attraction that should have stayed a classic, but they didn't ask me. After the show ended, it was getting late, so we just rode the Magic Carpet ride which Addison loved, then we started to head out. Greg wanted to try the carousel again so we swam upstream in a sea of people and strollers to get there only to find out that it wasn't running. The fireworks were just about to start, so there were people everywhere and we were just trying to get out at that point. Eventually we made it out, but I was pretty much toast by then. I think Addison was too. We got back to the room finally and had a very very late dinner (midnight!). We packed up a bit since we were coming back home the next day.
Day 10 was just a packing up and coming home day. We stopped at Downtown Disney one last time for some last minute purchases before heading home. Before we did that though, we were able to check our bags at the resort. I have to say, that was a HUGE help! All we had to take with us into the airport were our carry-ons. They even printed our boarding passes for us so we didn't have to stand in line or anything! Yay Disney! You can't imagine how nice it was to not have to lug around 6 suitcases, plus carry-on luggage, a stroller and a kid. On the flight back, Addison slept the entire time until we were decending and her ears were hurting for the first time. That woke her up. She did wonderfully. Hopefully, in a few years when we do it all again it will be even better.
I can't help but notice other people's kids and how horrible some of them are. Sometimes I need that reminder to see how good mine is. She gets grumpy and a little unruly at times, but that's all part of being a kid. These kids I see at the parks could be unbearable. She is pretty calm and well-behaved most of the time, and usually wouldn't start misbehaving until she saw another kid doing it. For being run around ragged for 10 days and being hot and tired, she did amazing. I'm sure she'll forget most of the trip, but the experience for her in the moment was worth it and she'll at least remember parts for awhile.
We started the morning out with a character breakfast at the Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom. This was our second choice since our first choice was booked. We really wanted the meal with Mickey and Goofy, but I guess we should have thought of that a few months ago! Anyway, we got reservations to have breakfast with Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore which was good too.
Addison was adorable as ever in her new Minnie sailor outfit and red bows. We had to wait a long time (well it was long to me) to be seated WITH our reservations. Every time they came out to call a name, I was on the edge of my seat hoping it would be us. They called so many more names before they got to us...but finally they did. It was a buffet breakfast with lots of good stuff. Tigger was the first to visit our table and Addison was quick to offer some of her breakfast to him. I guess she thought he looked hungry. He politely declined, leaned over for a few pictures and was off to the next table, but not before he gave her a "pop" on the head. By that I mean, I kiss, not a punch. :) He pops when he kisses. It was cute. Eventually, Piglet, Pooh and Eeyore all made their way over to our table. She tried to give them all things when they did. I couldn't see what she gave Piglet, but he took it. She was trying to give Tigger a piece of Mickey confetti by sticking it on him, only she was trying to stick it on him...and sort of around his nether region and I think it was making him a bit nervous because he kept backing up. I finally took it away from him. She was always interested in their feet too...trying to touch them. I couldn't figure this out either and I think that made them a bit nervous too. She was showing off her squeeky shoes to one of them and I think they thought she was trying to step on their feet.
Anyway, overall I was a little disappointed with this breakfast because the characters didn't really get down on her level much until most people cleared out, so I didn't really get great pictures. The food was good (especially the puffy cinnamon things from the kids buffet), but the characters weren't great.
After breakfast we went back to ride Dumbo again and then she wanted to play in the water at Ariel's Grotto again. I think she rode on the carousel too since it wasn't terribly busy. I can't figure why the line for Dumbo is so long! It's always at least a 20 minute wait which seems like forever with a squirmy 2 year old. She uesually does okay at first, but that's a long time to wait for a short ride! About that time it was time to nap, so we headed back to the room.
In the evening, we headed over to Epcot so Patty could see the topiaries and flowers for the Flower and Garden Festival. First we went on the ride at The Land which shows the hydroponics again since Patty hadn't seen it yet. I thought Addison would be bored, but she did okay. After that we shopped a bit, walked back to the beginning of where the World Showcase starts because they had a few more displays there. After that we headed back to the car and decided to drive over to the Magic Kingdom again for a last hurrah before we had to go home. I thought Addison would like the Tiki Room since she likes birds. We barely made the last showing at 9pm, but we got in. I think she was a little scared at first, but she seemed to like it. I didn't remember it the way it was showing. I think there has been some rehabbing of it since the last time I saw it but it just wasn't the same. I think I didn't enjoy it as much because it features Iago (?) from Aladdin who was played by Gilbert Godfrey and I can't stand his voice. It's too modernized for me. I think this is a classic attraction that should have stayed a classic, but they didn't ask me. After the show ended, it was getting late, so we just rode the Magic Carpet ride which Addison loved, then we started to head out. Greg wanted to try the carousel again so we swam upstream in a sea of people and strollers to get there only to find out that it wasn't running. The fireworks were just about to start, so there were people everywhere and we were just trying to get out at that point. Eventually we made it out, but I was pretty much toast by then. I think Addison was too. We got back to the room finally and had a very very late dinner (midnight!). We packed up a bit since we were coming back home the next day.
Day 10 was just a packing up and coming home day. We stopped at Downtown Disney one last time for some last minute purchases before heading home. Before we did that though, we were able to check our bags at the resort. I have to say, that was a HUGE help! All we had to take with us into the airport were our carry-ons. They even printed our boarding passes for us so we didn't have to stand in line or anything! Yay Disney! You can't imagine how nice it was to not have to lug around 6 suitcases, plus carry-on luggage, a stroller and a kid. On the flight back, Addison slept the entire time until we were decending and her ears were hurting for the first time. That woke her up. She did wonderfully. Hopefully, in a few years when we do it all again it will be even better.
I can't help but notice other people's kids and how horrible some of them are. Sometimes I need that reminder to see how good mine is. She gets grumpy and a little unruly at times, but that's all part of being a kid. These kids I see at the parks could be unbearable. She is pretty calm and well-behaved most of the time, and usually wouldn't start misbehaving until she saw another kid doing it. For being run around ragged for 10 days and being hot and tired, she did amazing. I'm sure she'll forget most of the trip, but the experience for her in the moment was worth it and she'll at least remember parts for awhile.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Day 8 WDW
It's our 10 year anniversary and we had something special planned this morning. Greg and I had reservations for a Wilderness Backtrail Adventure. When I called for the reservation, the lady told us to meet at 8:15am for our 8:30 tour behind Mickey's backyard BBQ. I even wrote it on my paper with the confirmation # and everything. Greg and I set off early to catch the bus there. We got there a bit early and there were people setting up for the ironman competition this weekend, but we didn't see anyone with segways, nor did we see anyone else that looked like us. They were all working. At 8:15, we were getting a little nervous because we still couldn't see where we needed to go. I called the reservation line to ask and the operator said to meet at the bike barn which was several bus stops away. By this time I was very worried that we wouldn't make it and we wouldn't get our money back. We went to the bus stop and waited, and waited, and waited for our bus to come. Finally it came, we got to the bike barn a few minutes after 8:30, and it looked like the group was waiting on us. We signed our lives away releasing Disney from any liability should we manage to kill or dismember ourselves, then we were on our way.
Once you got past the initial fear of falling off the segway - which I think is darn near impossible, this was the best ride of all. We had a lot of fun on this trip. It was about an hour and 45 minutes of trails from Fort Wilderness to the Wilderness Lodge and back. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone looking for something extra to do outside the parks.
Later we caught up with Joan and Addison and decided to check out their big pool here. It's supposed to have a kid's water feature with fountains and all that jazz, but unfortunately it was under construction, so we were just limited to the pool even though I'm sure Addison would have gotten a kick out of it.
Aunt Patty came while we were at the pool, so we came back to the cabin. While they all napped, Greg and I took the opportunity to go shopping some more. After we got back we were going to head to Epcot, but it looked like rain in the distance so we went to Downtown Disney again. We ate at a restaurant called T-Rex which was very loud but the food was decent. They have tons of dinosaurs moving around and every 20 minutes the lights dim and there is a meteor shower. It's very loud and busy, but like Patty said, it's a good restaurant to bring your kids to because you cant tell one kid's yelling or acting out over anothers. Addison played at the Lego store for awhile and then I took her over to ride the carousel three times.
-- Post From My iPhone
Once you got past the initial fear of falling off the segway - which I think is darn near impossible, this was the best ride of all. We had a lot of fun on this trip. It was about an hour and 45 minutes of trails from Fort Wilderness to the Wilderness Lodge and back. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone looking for something extra to do outside the parks.
Later we caught up with Joan and Addison and decided to check out their big pool here. It's supposed to have a kid's water feature with fountains and all that jazz, but unfortunately it was under construction, so we were just limited to the pool even though I'm sure Addison would have gotten a kick out of it.
Aunt Patty came while we were at the pool, so we came back to the cabin. While they all napped, Greg and I took the opportunity to go shopping some more. After we got back we were going to head to Epcot, but it looked like rain in the distance so we went to Downtown Disney again. We ate at a restaurant called T-Rex which was very loud but the food was decent. They have tons of dinosaurs moving around and every 20 minutes the lights dim and there is a meteor shower. It's very loud and busy, but like Patty said, it's a good restaurant to bring your kids to because you cant tell one kid's yelling or acting out over anothers. Addison played at the Lego store for awhile and then I took her over to ride the carousel three times.
-- Post From My iPhone
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Day 7 WDW
We started the day by taking a boat over to Magic Kingdom so we could catch the monorail to Epcot. Another "first" as it was addison's first monorail ride. We made it a little extra special by asking to sit with the rail operator so we could get the best view.
We arrived at Epcot where we found a character spot where you could have pictures taken with several characters in one location. The line was long, but Addison was a trooper. First was Mickey, then Pluto, and Minnie. Poor Donald was next. I feel I have to apologize to poor Donald. You see, he was standing next to the area where Goofy was, and...well...his shoes were all big and showing, and Addison stood still for just a few pictures before she told Donald "I go see Goofy now" and she walked off. Donald was left looking on from his kneeling pose at a girl who just snubbed him for another character. I guess Addison prefers Goofy. What can I say?
We went on to ride the Finding Nemo ride and Turtle Talk with Crush. She seemed interested in both. Turtle Talk is a great attraction. This is truly an interactive show and the people that control Crush always do a great job. It's fun and funny even if you don't have kids.
After that was Journey Into Imagination with Figment. Addison didn't like parts of that ride - I think the blasts of air scared her and it's a little loud, plus she was getting tired by this point. We ventured off to one more store where we ended up with a missing shoe incident, but that all worked out. On our way out, we had to stop by the Tinkerbell garden which was part of the Flower & Garden Festival going on at Epcot. I loved that they made this garden so kid friendly. They even had a small playground in the middle of it! It was beautiful and featured characters from the Tinkerbell movie.
On to the afternoon nap and we headed over to the Magic Kingdom that evening for the Spectromagic Parade and Wishes Fireworks. Addison loved the parade and I thought she was going to jump out if her seat when she saw Goofy and Mickey! She was so excited!!
Her favorite part of the fireworks was when Tinkerbell flies down from the castle over to Tomorrowland. I think she could have cared less about everything else! It was a great show and a must-see for everyone. We had awesome seats right in front of the parade route too. Another successful day!
-- Post From My iPhone
We arrived at Epcot where we found a character spot where you could have pictures taken with several characters in one location. The line was long, but Addison was a trooper. First was Mickey, then Pluto, and Minnie. Poor Donald was next. I feel I have to apologize to poor Donald. You see, he was standing next to the area where Goofy was, and...well...his shoes were all big and showing, and Addison stood still for just a few pictures before she told Donald "I go see Goofy now" and she walked off. Donald was left looking on from his kneeling pose at a girl who just snubbed him for another character. I guess Addison prefers Goofy. What can I say?
We went on to ride the Finding Nemo ride and Turtle Talk with Crush. She seemed interested in both. Turtle Talk is a great attraction. This is truly an interactive show and the people that control Crush always do a great job. It's fun and funny even if you don't have kids.
After that was Journey Into Imagination with Figment. Addison didn't like parts of that ride - I think the blasts of air scared her and it's a little loud, plus she was getting tired by this point. We ventured off to one more store where we ended up with a missing shoe incident, but that all worked out. On our way out, we had to stop by the Tinkerbell garden which was part of the Flower & Garden Festival going on at Epcot. I loved that they made this garden so kid friendly. They even had a small playground in the middle of it! It was beautiful and featured characters from the Tinkerbell movie.
On to the afternoon nap and we headed over to the Magic Kingdom that evening for the Spectromagic Parade and Wishes Fireworks. Addison loved the parade and I thought she was going to jump out if her seat when she saw Goofy and Mickey! She was so excited!!
Her favorite part of the fireworks was when Tinkerbell flies down from the castle over to Tomorrowland. I think she could have cared less about everything else! It was a great show and a must-see for everyone. We had awesome seats right in front of the parade route too. Another successful day!
-- Post From My iPhone
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Day 6 WDW
Day 6 started at Animal Kingdom where Greg & I rode Expedition Everest 2 times in a row! While we waited for our Fastpasses to be valid and our stomachs to settle, we went over to ride Dinosaur which neither of us had ridden before.
We had no idea what to expect. This was actually a fun ride. Not a rollercoaster that goes up and down and around, but it was like a bumpy dinosaur excursion with crazy cool animatronics that pop out at you through the whole ride. We needed a bit of a breather before we rode Everest again, so we shopped a little. If nothing else Animal Kingdom has some pretty cool shops ( aside from the typical Disney merchandise). It was time to ride Everest again for the last time and about the time we were done Addison and Joan were on their way back so we headed back to the resort to meet them. After an afternoon nap, we all headed to Downtown Disney for more shopping...we really haven't spent enough money yet. Yeah right. Addison had fun playing in a small sprayground and made new friends. She latched on to an older girl with a pretty bracelet for awhile.
It was another great day!
-- Post From My iPhone
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
AI: top 3 BOOT OFF
I still don't like Jordin Sparks. It seems like most of her songs primarily consist of one lyric that she repeats over and over with no substance. Boring.
Oh yeah, and I'm absolutely appalled that Kris made it to the finals and Danny is leaving. If Adam doesn't win next week I'll be upset.
-- Post From My iPhone
Oh yeah, and I'm absolutely appalled that Kris made it to the finals and Danny is leaving. If Adam doesn't win next week I'll be upset.
-- Post From My iPhone
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Day 5 WDW
Today Greg and I headed over to Epcot this morning.
Saw some pretty cool topiaries since it's the Flower and Garden Festival this month at Epcot. Nothing very notable otherwise. It was hotter than blue blazes today and the concrete that surrounds this park and lack of shaded areas made this not my favorite park today. We rode Soarin' twice, went through the Land and rode Living With the Land where we saw some pretty cool hydroponic methods that Disney is using to grow plants and something called aeroponics where they literally spray the nutrients on the roots of the plants as they move around on a conveyor. No dirt! How weird. We rode The Seas with Nemo and Friends which we'll definitely take Addison back on since that's her favorite movie. She also must see Turtle Talk with Crush. We didn't stay long at Epcot because our feet were killing us and we didn't feel much like walking anymore. We didn't even get to see any of the World Showcase, but we still have a few days left to do that.
We decided to try to get to Downtown Disney because Greg was jonesing for some Mountain Dew and Disney is strickly a Coke resort, so we would have to go "off property" to a gas station across the street to get it. We thought we could ride the monorail to the transportation center and catch a bus, but much to our dismay the transportation center doesn't really live up to it's name. The only way to get to Downtown Disney is to take a bus to a resort, then catch another bus to downtown. Most convoluted thing I've heard. So, by the time we got downtown it started to sprinkle...THEN it started to pour. THEN it started hailing!
We were stuck in a bus depot for like a half an hour. Finally I decided we needed to make the pop run another time and we also needed to get to our own bus stop which required hopping from little depot to little depot. We were soaked by the time the bus came and air conditioning was the last thing we needed! Luckily our bus driver turned the heat on for us since there was just us and another guy on the bus and we were all soaked.
It was nice to have a quiet evening at the cabin. Our feet needed to recover and we HAD to make time for American Idol! Maybe we'll get to bed a little earlier and be able to make it over to Animal Kingdom first thing in the morning to ride Expedition Everest. Addison and Joan will be coming back in the afternoon.
Saw some pretty cool topiaries since it's the Flower and Garden Festival this month at Epcot. Nothing very notable otherwise. It was hotter than blue blazes today and the concrete that surrounds this park and lack of shaded areas made this not my favorite park today. We rode Soarin' twice, went through the Land and rode Living With the Land where we saw some pretty cool hydroponic methods that Disney is using to grow plants and something called aeroponics where they literally spray the nutrients on the roots of the plants as they move around on a conveyor. No dirt! How weird. We rode The Seas with Nemo and Friends which we'll definitely take Addison back on since that's her favorite movie. She also must see Turtle Talk with Crush. We didn't stay long at Epcot because our feet were killing us and we didn't feel much like walking anymore. We didn't even get to see any of the World Showcase, but we still have a few days left to do that.
We decided to try to get to Downtown Disney because Greg was jonesing for some Mountain Dew and Disney is strickly a Coke resort, so we would have to go "off property" to a gas station across the street to get it. We thought we could ride the monorail to the transportation center and catch a bus, but much to our dismay the transportation center doesn't really live up to it's name. The only way to get to Downtown Disney is to take a bus to a resort, then catch another bus to downtown. Most convoluted thing I've heard. So, by the time we got downtown it started to sprinkle...THEN it started to pour. THEN it started hailing!
We were stuck in a bus depot for like a half an hour. Finally I decided we needed to make the pop run another time and we also needed to get to our own bus stop which required hopping from little depot to little depot. We were soaked by the time the bus came and air conditioning was the last thing we needed! Luckily our bus driver turned the heat on for us since there was just us and another guy on the bus and we were all soaked.
It was nice to have a quiet evening at the cabin. Our feet needed to recover and we HAD to make time for American Idol! Maybe we'll get to bed a little earlier and be able to make it over to Animal Kingdom first thing in the morning to ride Expedition Everest. Addison and Joan will be coming back in the afternoon.
Top 3
1. Danny
Song one: "Dance Little Sister" - I don't like this song, but Paula picked it out, so I won't blame Danny. He did it very well. I enjoyed his performance despite not liking the song. This is a song from the 80's that most people haven't heard much of since then. I'm anxious to see what his second song will be.
Song two: "You Are so Beautiful" - much, much better song choice. I'm not sure I loved the arrangement, but it was still good. I think he should have just sped it up a bit. But it did pick up at the end, so I think he redeemed it.
On a side note, not sure if you see the same commercials I see, but I can't tell if the new show Glee is supposed to be funny or not.
2. Kris
Song one: "Apologize" - I'm not sure it's fair that he gets to sing a newer, better song than Danny. This song is heard more and is more familiar, I think, to the general public than the song Danny did. What is a "competent performance"? I disagreed with Simon saying that Randy and Kara needed to be more specific about how he sang the song. I think she was right though, that he didn't make the song much different than the original.
Song 2: "Heartless" - I dunno about Kris doing a Kanye West song, but it was alright. Weird choice, but he probably showed his best vocals and overall performance here. Better than the original? I wouldn't go that far. Ugh. I just don't think he fits here any longer. Top 2? I hope not.
3. Adam
Song one: "One" - Wow! Simon pulling strings for Adam? Hmm. Can we tell who Simon's favorite is? This is the kind of performance I like from Adam. Not overly dramatic, humble and unique. It was very good. Again, though...these 2 had the advantage over Danny. Not fair.
Song two: "Crying" - This was good, but jeez, turn down the background singers! I liked the first song better. I definitely think he's going through to the top 2.
Who will it be? I am still hoping Kris gets kicked off tomorrow. I can't pick between Adam and Danny.
Seriously though...is that a huge stain on Simon's shirt??!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Day 4
Today was our first day to play and shop without Addison. We decided to go to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Of all the parks, this is my favorite "themed" park. Epcot is still my favorite park though.
First we went straight back to Rockin' Rollercoaster and grabbed our Fastpasses, then went to Tower if Terror.
There was virtually no wait so after we rode we got right back in line again and rode it again! By then it was time to get on Rockin Rollercoaster.
It wasn't a long ride either so we rode that one twice too. That's about all I can take of that ride. It's one of the best but it sure beats you up. I almost need a neck brace when I'm done.
We got to shop in nearly every store which was nice. We rode Star Tours, got a bite to eat and watched Muppets 3D. I think Addison might like this one better than Mickey's Philharmagic at the Magic Kingdom - did I mention that before? I wasn't sure she liked the things coming at her, but this was seems a bit milder.
-- Post From My iPhone
First we went straight back to Rockin' Rollercoaster and grabbed our Fastpasses, then went to Tower if Terror.
There was virtually no wait so after we rode we got right back in line again and rode it again! By then it was time to get on Rockin Rollercoaster.
It wasn't a long ride either so we rode that one twice too. That's about all I can take of that ride. It's one of the best but it sure beats you up. I almost need a neck brace when I'm done.
We got to shop in nearly every store which was nice. We rode Star Tours, got a bite to eat and watched Muppets 3D. I think Addison might like this one better than Mickey's Philharmagic at the Magic Kingdom - did I mention that before? I wasn't sure she liked the things coming at her, but this was seems a bit milder.
-- Post From My iPhone
Day 3 WDW
Day 3 was spent at Animal Kingdom. That is a hot, hot place, long walks to get just about anywhere and only a few attractions that we like, so we weren't there long.
Our focus was getting to the Kilimanjari Safari where you take a safari through the African plains and see the animals up close. It's a very cool themed attraction and while they have cleverly hidden barriers between you and the animals, your open vehicle makes it feel like you could reach out and touch them. Here is a picture of Addison and daddy looking at the elephants:
After that we trekked over to Dinoland USA where the theme is cheesy 50's carnival. It's kind of cute and kitshy, but I can see why Disneyphiles don't like it. It certainly doesn't follow the theme to the rest of the park. We rode a dino ride very similar to Dumbo which Addison seemed to like. We were all very hot and needed a cool spot, so we headed over to the Boneyard with every intention of finding a sandlot which is always Addison's favorite attraction. Much to our delight there was a lovely shaded water feature with tunnels and such. We had to practically pry her away so that Granmy and she could get on their way to Clearwater Beach for a few days. Here's a pic of Addison with a water buddy:
-- Post From My iPhone
Let's go back to Day 1
Day 1 was the day of firsts. First time on a plane was how we started the day. She did pretty well for a kid. Not just a kid but a 2 year old.
No screaming or crying and just the occasional outburst of demand that a toddler becomes the master of. The stewardess kept her pretty occupied at times.
After we landed, it was a quick "first tram" ride to get the luggage then head out to get the car "first rental car?". That was kind of a mess in itself because they basically let you loose in a garage with maybe 3 other car rental places and tell you to find the car you like. Not only do you have to try to figure out what car fits the criteria of your rental agreement, but you have to stay within your rental company. It feels a bit like getting ready to steal a car. Once you pick the car , you drive it to the front and hope you picked right. Car seats were a bit odd as well. They were basically all in a pile and you just picked randomly. Took nearly 20 minutes just to figure out how the darn thing went in. We grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed off to check-in to our cabin. Everyone was tired so we closed all the curtains and laid down to sleep, but Addison was so geared up at this point that she just ran from one end of the cabin to the other sounding a bit like a heard of buffalo for what seemed like over an hour. I dozed here and there only to awaken by her loudly announcing that everyone was sleeping. Greg and I decided we needed to do some grocery shopping and left Grammy to contend with her while we were gone. We were actually hoping she'd crash since there wouldn't be so many distractions. That seemed to work. I think we actually had to wake her up because we were all anxious to start our magical journey!
Next "first" was a bus ride to catch a "first boat ride" to the "first trip to the Magic Kingdom" where we met our "first big head character"! Right off the bat as we entered, Pluto was doing meet & greets. It wasn't very busy so we went over. It went much better than I could ever have imagined. Addison was a little slow to warm up, but eventually we had her giving him kisses and the akward side hug. Chip and Dale were around the corner so she met them too but I don't think she's as familiar with their characters as Pluto...or "pludog" as Addison calls him. After that we headed back to Fantasyland where all the rides for younger kids are. She rode Dumbo, the carousel and It's a Small World. Somewhere in there we stopped near Ariel's Grotto where the have a small water area where the water squirts up from the ground, trickles down sides of rocks and leaps from boulder to boulder. She got drenched, but I think that was her favorite of all!
-- Post From My iPhone
No screaming or crying and just the occasional outburst of demand that a toddler becomes the master of. The stewardess kept her pretty occupied at times.
After we landed, it was a quick "first tram" ride to get the luggage then head out to get the car "first rental car?". That was kind of a mess in itself because they basically let you loose in a garage with maybe 3 other car rental places and tell you to find the car you like. Not only do you have to try to figure out what car fits the criteria of your rental agreement, but you have to stay within your rental company. It feels a bit like getting ready to steal a car. Once you pick the car , you drive it to the front and hope you picked right. Car seats were a bit odd as well. They were basically all in a pile and you just picked randomly. Took nearly 20 minutes just to figure out how the darn thing went in. We grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed off to check-in to our cabin. Everyone was tired so we closed all the curtains and laid down to sleep, but Addison was so geared up at this point that she just ran from one end of the cabin to the other sounding a bit like a heard of buffalo for what seemed like over an hour. I dozed here and there only to awaken by her loudly announcing that everyone was sleeping. Greg and I decided we needed to do some grocery shopping and left Grammy to contend with her while we were gone. We were actually hoping she'd crash since there wouldn't be so many distractions. That seemed to work. I think we actually had to wake her up because we were all anxious to start our magical journey!
Next "first" was a bus ride to catch a "first boat ride" to the "first trip to the Magic Kingdom" where we met our "first big head character"! Right off the bat as we entered, Pluto was doing meet & greets. It wasn't very busy so we went over. It went much better than I could ever have imagined. Addison was a little slow to warm up, but eventually we had her giving him kisses and the akward side hug. Chip and Dale were around the corner so she met them too but I don't think she's as familiar with their characters as Pluto...or "pludog" as Addison calls him. After that we headed back to Fantasyland where all the rides for younger kids are. She rode Dumbo, the carousel and It's a Small World. Somewhere in there we stopped near Ariel's Grotto where the have a small water area where the water squirts up from the ground, trickles down sides of rocks and leaps from boulder to boulder. She got drenched, but I think that was her favorite of all!
-- Post From My iPhone
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Disney Day 2
Today we started the day after a well rested night. It's amazing how much sleep you lose the night before a vacation. You'd think you'd sleep okay since you're going on vacation, but no. Worst sleep ever! Maybe because you're worried about making it to your destination.
Anyway, started off getting my $75 gift card for my birthday that Walt Disney gave me. THANK YOU DISNEY! I'll use it wisely! Then we got on the train to ride back to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Back there we went through Mickey's Country House and went on to meet Mickey and Minnie. Kind of a long wait, but Addison was a trooper and we finally made it. Got some great pictures which I'll have to post later, but no fear. Some of the pics look like they are holding her arms down - which they were. Addison was a tad nervous and her sucker thumb kept finding it's way to her mouth, so they had to hold her arms down to keep the thumb down. It has a mind of it's own.
Our next destination was teacups and made a pitstop to buy her first hat.
Next was the teacup ride and she LOVED it! The faster the better.
We got Fastpasses for Winnie the Pooh, and while i was getting those, a "surprise Fastpass" printed out for Mickey's Philharmagic. We headed over there right away since the passes were good for that time. For those of you who don't know, it's a 3D attraction where you watch a short movie with special glasses on and a barrage of things get tossed at you, spin in front of you and they also use scented air and water to enhance the effects. It's a fun attraction and one you shouldn't miss. Well, surprising to me, this was the first attraction Addison did NOT like! She jerked everytime something came at her and finally got so fed up she took her glasses off and didn't put them back on for the remainder of the movie. Ah well. Maybe next time.
After that was the Pooh ride which she DID enjoy. Not as much as the teacups, but clearly not worse than the previous ride. After that it was time for a nap, so we all boarded our boat and came back to the cabin. Now everyone is sleeping and I'm waiting to finish my birthday celebration. Everyone has been very nice in wishing me a Happy Birthday!
More later and I'll also write about our first day full of firsts soon. I'm typing on my phone and that just takes some time. My battery is running low too. :)
That's it for now!!
Post From My iPhone
Anyway, started off getting my $75 gift card for my birthday that Walt Disney gave me. THANK YOU DISNEY! I'll use it wisely! Then we got on the train to ride back to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Back there we went through Mickey's Country House and went on to meet Mickey and Minnie. Kind of a long wait, but Addison was a trooper and we finally made it. Got some great pictures which I'll have to post later, but no fear. Some of the pics look like they are holding her arms down - which they were. Addison was a tad nervous and her sucker thumb kept finding it's way to her mouth, so they had to hold her arms down to keep the thumb down. It has a mind of it's own.
Our next destination was teacups and made a pitstop to buy her first hat.
Next was the teacup ride and she LOVED it! The faster the better.
We got Fastpasses for Winnie the Pooh, and while i was getting those, a "surprise Fastpass" printed out for Mickey's Philharmagic. We headed over there right away since the passes were good for that time. For those of you who don't know, it's a 3D attraction where you watch a short movie with special glasses on and a barrage of things get tossed at you, spin in front of you and they also use scented air and water to enhance the effects. It's a fun attraction and one you shouldn't miss. Well, surprising to me, this was the first attraction Addison did NOT like! She jerked everytime something came at her and finally got so fed up she took her glasses off and didn't put them back on for the remainder of the movie. Ah well. Maybe next time.
After that was the Pooh ride which she DID enjoy. Not as much as the teacups, but clearly not worse than the previous ride. After that it was time for a nap, so we all boarded our boat and came back to the cabin. Now everyone is sleeping and I'm waiting to finish my birthday celebration. Everyone has been very nice in wishing me a Happy Birthday!
More later and I'll also write about our first day full of firsts soon. I'm typing on my phone and that just takes some time. My battery is running low too. :)
That's it for now!!
Post From My iPhone
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Top 4 Boot off
I think there comes a point in a cougar's life when she can no longer perform on stage like she did when she was just a baby cougar. While I was impressed with Paula's dancing ability and limberness(?) - loved the flippy thing - - I was sorely disappointed that she didn't actually sing. How lame.
Thank you Gwen Stefani for being a true performer and singing live, jumping around and out of breath, I appreciated the performance because she was wholly putting herself into it. Bravo Gwen. You are a REAL artist. I guess I should give some credit to Slash at this point too since he was obviously live too, but he doesn't have to deal with the out of breath issue.
Now to the boot off. Seriously?! Kris is safe? Oh my. I'm only surprised that Allison is going before Kris. She should have been in the top 3 even if she drove me nuts, but it's time. This is a respectable time for her to go.
Thank you Gwen Stefani for being a true performer and singing live, jumping around and out of breath, I appreciated the performance because she was wholly putting herself into it. Bravo Gwen. You are a REAL artist. I guess I should give some credit to Slash at this point too since he was obviously live too, but he doesn't have to deal with the out of breath issue.
Now to the boot off. Seriously?! Kris is safe? Oh my. I'm only surprised that Allison is going before Kris. She should have been in the top 3 even if she drove me nuts, but it's time. This is a respectable time for her to go.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
TOP 4!
1. Adam - "Whole Lotta Love" - a true rocker, I can imagine he is totally in his element this week. Not my favorite performance of his. I like it better when he's his calmer self. Not the rock Adam. Not my kind of music, but he did well for what it was.
2. Allison - "Crybaby" - Again, not surprised that she'd do well during rock week. She's a rocker at heart, I think. Overall, not the best. It was okay. The fact that she's taking everything so personally just proves that she's not mature enough for this competition. She needs to go now before she gets too deep.
Not crazy about the duet. I don't think Kris did very well at ALL, and they certainly don't compliment each other singing. Not sure what the purpose of the duet was for. Killing extra time maybe? Why aren't they singing 2 songs anymore? Didn't we do that last year around this time?
3. Kris - "Come Together" - I do think it's time for Kris to go. He doesn't even compare to any of the others. Didn't my Carly Smithson sing this last year? Ah, I miss Carly. I'm bored with this one. He's going home. I will say, it was better than the duet performance.
4. Danny - "Dream On" - Ah Danny. I'd have to agree with Randy...it was 'alright', but it wasn't great. He deserves props for trying. Adam could have hit those notes, but a little too ambitious for Danny. I had a total flashback to Elliot Yamin for some reason while he was singing this song.
I LOVE playing "Slow Ride" on Guitar Hero!!! Imagine me air Guitar Heroing right now. This was a much better duet than the first one.
By the way, I went back to the archives of seasons past and I hardly remembered many of them. How quickly we forget. I only remembered some of them for troubles they have had recently like Jessica Sierra being on Celebrity Rehab. Sad, really.
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