"Happiest Place On Earth"

This past week we were in Orlando, Florida! Taylor had a business trip for a conference, and it really just turned out that my dad also had a business trip in Orlando for a different conference--but same time. So, really, how could I pass that up?! So both my mom and I went too!

Taylor and I flew out from Denver on Monday morning. We had to leave the house at 5 a.m. for our 8 a.m. flight. We were nervous how Isaac would do on the plane for a 3.5 hour flight, so we gave him some of his cough medicine and we thought that coupled with a lack of sleep would knock him out....nope, sure didn't. Back-up: portable DVD player. Nope, he wouldn't keep those headphones on for the life of him. But we just did odds and ends and he really did well for the whole flight.

My mom picked Isaac and I up from the airport while Taylor and his co-worker headed to the hotel to set-up for the conference. My mom and I stopped at Target to get some food for the room--at this point it had been about 8+ hours since Isaac woke up with no nap, so I thought for sure he would crash.....but he didn't go down until we got to our room! I was so impressed with him!

Taylor and I (and Isaac) stayed at Disney's Contemporary Resort, and we really liked it. Once back at the room, we met up with Taylor, we all took a quick nap, and then headed to my parents hotel for dinner. Sorry, no pictures from day one.

Day Two: It was supposed to rain, so my mom and I decided to hit the shops for the day. It ended up not raining, but a day at the outlets is always good! I got this picture of Isaac...when we were in Ann Taylor he kept running into the window display and did not want to leave! It was so funny.



Tuesday night we went to dinner with everyone at Moon Fish. We went back to our room after dinner and I was nervous about how the nights would be with all three of us in the same room when we didn't go to bed when we put Isaac down, but it was no big deal. Isaac would stand up a few times to see what we were doing, but after putting him back down he went to bed. Also, no one tells you what to do with a dirty diaper in a hotel room!

Day THREE: We went to Magic Kingdom. We knew prior to this trip that we would only spend one day at Disney. We go every other year as a family to Disney World, so I knew Isaac would have another chance to really appreciate the parks....but we also knew he was at an age to finally get into it a little bit.

The monorail ran through our hotel and took us to Magic Kingdom...I just thought it was so funny how Isaac would hold on to the bar! He also started a new thing of "helping" me push the stroller when he was walking, it was all so funny!

"Happiest freakin' place on earth" right?!?! :) This is how we started the park..... hahaha...I really couldn't resist getting this picture just so I could say that! My mom and I were both laughing at the thought. However, I believe he just wanted to play with my mom's phone, but unfortunately she was on it.

Once we got in and past the tantrum (aka--needed lunch!) we went to Pirates of the Caribbean! It was so fun to watch him stand in line and walk with us. He absolutely adored this Mickey stuff animal.
Waiting in line....

On the ride...obviously caught Isaac in a blink. He was so mesmerized by it! And never got scared when it got dark. He sat on the bench between my mom and I and would put his hand on my leg...it was so cute.

After Pirates, we went to "It's a Small World"...again, he loved all the lights, movement and sound. Here is a picture of us waiting in line. Maren, a good friend from Colorado, was in DisneyWorld as part of the College Internship program. She had the day off so she came and hung out with us! It was so fun.

Here's Isaac sitting like a little gentleman in the ride.
Following It's a Small World, we went to Phillur (sp??) Magic....a 3D show with Mickey Mouse. I didn't know how he would do through it, but after he stopped fighting to pull the 3D glasses off, he sat mesmerized on my lap. He would jump a few times throughout the show....it was pretty funny. He loved holding onto the railing...

Then we headed off to the "Celebration" Parade. He didn't quite know what to do at first, but he quickly grasped the concept of waving at the floats--so much so, that when we were waiting for Taylor to pick us up at the airport on the way home, Isaac kept waving at the cars driving by!

Best part of the parade: When the fairy Godmother blew Isaac a kiss and Isaac blew one back! SOOO Cute!!

That night we went to Downtown Disney to eat at Portobello's. The children's menu turned into a chef hat...I thought that was clever...
That night, Isaac and I slept at my parents hotel. That was not planned. On Tuesday, Taylor and his co-worker realized that they could leave Wed. night (instead of Thursday afternoon) and figured with as much as they have going on at the office, that it would be wise to leave early. So that meant he had to check out of the hotel on Wed., leaving Isaac and I "hotel-less"....well, not really, we just slept at my parents place. So it worked out.

Isaac was in such a funny mood this night...he would sit on my mom's lap, cover his eyes, my dad would throw a mini-football at his stomach and he would laugh so hard and get up and give it back to my dad and start all over again...

Day FOUR: Last day. We spent the morning at the pool. Isaac is so fearless that it scares me so bad! He just loved jumping in, over and over again. After we got cleaned up, my mom and I headed to the airport for our FOUR hour flight home. Isaac did so well, I am so proud of him! Here is my mom and Isaac walking up and down the aisle during the flight at one point.

Ok, two funny stories...well, maybe not both funny.

First: On Tuesday, in order for us to get from our hotel to my parents, we had to ride the monorail to Magic Kingdom and then get on one of Disney's buses to get to my parents hotel. Well on Tuesday, Isaac and I had to go over by ourselves since Taylor was in his conference. After this experience I worry about what I would do with TWO kids!!!! It started when we got on the elevator from our room to go to the monorail....we got off on the wrong floor, so when we got back in the elevator, the elevator wouldn't move (enter biggest fear of getting stuck in an elevator) we got off that, made it to the right floor and got on the escalator to get to the monorail. Well the escalator is a MINI escalator--just wide enough for our stroller. Well the front wheel turns, so when it hits the top it turns the back two wheels, causing us to get stuck all the while the escalator is still moving us up. Embarrassing. But wait, that's not the worst. Then we get on the monorail and I guess through all of this, I hit the lever on the front wheel. Because as I am trying to move the stroller out of the way, the front wheel falls off. Uh....some guy on the monorail helps me. At this point I am sure I have a red blinking sticker on my head that says "this girl needs help!" That was essentially all that really happened, but I was sure missing Taylor at this point!!!

Second: I officially hate the Orlando airport. My mom and I went to eat before going through security, and in order to leave the restaurant and get down to security we were going to take the escalator--which was obviously the fastest and most convenient method. Right as I was getting on the escalator I hear "Ma'am! Ma'am!" So I turn to look and some power hungry man says "You can't take that stroller down the escalator!"

Me- "Why not?"

Power Hungry Man- "You have to use the elevator with your stroller."

Me- "Why" sounding irritated.

Power Hungry Man- "It's against fire code"

Me- "Just here??"

Power Hungry Man- "In all airports!"

Me- "R-e-a-l-l-y...." as I turn to the elevator.

Tell me, would it really be fire code to put you in an elevator if there was a fire??? I don't think so. And really, I have to go up and down escalators in the Denver airport, so why, of all places would this one escalator be against fire code??? Grr....this seriously had me urked the rest of the day...and apparently still does. I so wish I would have just turned and gone down the escalator.

THEN...we get to security and a man comes up and asks up to move to the very end to go through their "family line." while it ended up not being a huge deal, it still bothered me that they felt like I would be a "nuisance" enough because of my one child, that they moved me to another line to go behind everyone else who had kids. Why, why do you have to separate like that??

THEN...oh yes, not done yet. We get on the plane. We try the DVD player again, and he would not leave the headphones on. So I unplugged the headphones and we just listened to it normally. Isaac was great. He was like any toddler---well about 20 minutes before FINDING NEMO ended, the flight attendant came up and since Isaac had a book in his hands, she says "Since he isn't watching the movie, I need you to turn it down. I've had passengers complain it's too loud." First thought through my head: "Would you rather hear the movie of him screaming??" 2 minutes later, enter next flight attendant: "Will he not listen to the headphones?" My thought: no lady, are you dumb? He is a toddler! She continues, "Well technically, it needs to be off or listened to on headphones. It is disturbing other passengers." Enter next thought: Oh, I'll give them something to be disturbed by! I told my mom I wanted to pinch Isaac so he would cry and annoy them. Granted, I wouldn't, but it was still a thought. I WAS SO ANNOYED. REALLY???? Because this non-vulgar, G-rated movie is offensive??? You know the people who complained were those who have no kids. Then the guy sitting next to me said, "If I am sitting next to you and I don't even hear it, it's not a big deal" ... tells me later he is the dad of twin boys....case in point.

So that was our fun adventure home. We definitely wore Isaac out each day. He is so fun and did extremely well with the heat, lack of schedule, and stimulation. I am so proud of him!

As for Taylor, his conference was a great success and I am so glad he let Isaac and I tag along!!!