A week of skinned knees and bruised legs did not phase my little Beebster. She had the best time ever while on vacation.
There were quite a few people at Disney that kept telling Dan and I that Maddie will remember her trip, but that Faith wouldn't have any recollection she'd ever even visited. They don't know our girls. They have the most phenomenal memories- definitely better than mine when I was little, and Dan always comments about the same thing. Then again, we make it a point that they have awesome memories to make it nearly impossible to forget. Faith has constantly been talking about everything she did (in her own Beebster language) in Florida since we've been back and in all smiles. Not to mention, she wants to watch the video that I made them over and over again. I'm quite happy to oblige considering all I want to do is go back myself as well!
It was so SO very nice to have Dan off for 5 consecutive days, and for them to have him all to themselves. They both just love that time with Dan, and he was in absolute heaven the entire time. That was another of the highlights, to just be able to be together the four of us and enjoy our time. She had such a blast just hanging out at the hotel, and was in love with that hotel. She absolutely loved riding the elevator and seeing the pool with its water fountain through the door. She and Maddie had the path from the elevator to our room memorized by the 2nd day we were there, and would run off racing and giggling ahead of us. She had so much fun in the pools and just playing with her Crannie and Momma and Daddy.
Beebster totally appreciated and loved SeaWorld. My little 2-year old was inches away from touching dolphins, and although her arms weren't long enough to pet them, she was closer than I have ever been to dolphins and she thought it was awesome. She loved the walruses and especially LOVED Happy Harbor with its rides. This girl LOVES carousel rides just like Maddie and could ride them forever. She had some of the most fun going down the big slides and the little slides in the sand pit where we would hang out for an hour at a time. And, she just loved the guys that would come around on stilts with their drums. She would start dancing in circles and clapping.
The night that we drove into Disney for the first time and passed those wonderful gates to get to Chef Mickeys, all I heard from the backseat from both Beebster and Cran was "wow!!" It was priceless. Her face the entire time we were there eating dinner with Mickey and crew was just classic as well. She's obsessed with characters, but has never left my side to be hugged and kissed by them. That totally changed with the Chef Mickey's experience. She was begging for them to come back to her! It was awesome though because they spent a considerable amount of time with each child, and they even got to see most of them twice or even three times that night. The experience was priceless. The whole night then Faith kept gesturing to her cheeks and saying, "Momma.. Ruff.. dis" as in Pluto had kissed her on the cheeks.
Her first ever day at Magic Kingdom was something to never forget. She and Maddie are so funny together because they get excited for each other and if they saw a character that they knew the other loved they would jump up and down and tell each other to look. Faith loves, loves, loves rides and wanted to ride the Dumbo ride again and again. She also loved "It's a Small World" and the Mickey's Philharmagic show. We went over to Ariel's Grotto first thing in the morning after riding Dumbo, and Faith was beside herself with excitement at getting to meet Ariel. She always refers to herself as Ariel, and to Maddie as Melody (Ariel's daughter in "Little Mermaid 2"). She did her bashful smile where she hugs the characters with her eyes closed, just like big sis used to do at this fun age. She sang "Once Upon a Dream" to Aurora when they met her, kept patting Cinderella's dress, and wouldn't leave Belle's side after they got to meet her. She just loved the parade and especially seeing Dopey and Burt from 'Mary Poppins.' She was frantically looking for the rest of the Dwarfs (since she is obsessed with them!) and the chimney sweepers, and when the princesses came out on their floats, she asked "Momma, where Arara?"
My little 2-year old Flopper was so happy during our entire visit, and that is something I will never forget. And, I know she won't either.
