The Happiest Place on Earth

Addison's birthday is coming up on Saturday.

I usually LOVE throwing a party. I'm one of those people.

But seeing as how we're just finally starting to settle in a build friendships, I didn't want to beg our new friends to come to my 3 year old's birthday party.

That, and I wanted to go to Disneyland.

So we planned a weekend at Disneyland.

Addison has been so excited, talking for weeks about having breakfast with the princesses for her birthday. Our plan was to drive up Sunday morning, spend the night in a hotel, play all day Monday and come back that night.

Well, Saturday morning she woke up with 104 fever.

We took her to the doctor to see if we could get an antibiotic or something and we heard the dreaded words, "just let it run it's course."

So, what is a responsible parent to do?

I don't know.

You'll have to ask them.

We took her to Disneyland.

Oh, and we took him too.

Front car in the monorail....

"We're going to Disneyland for my birthday!"

Well, unbeknownst to me when we planned this little trip,

California's spring breaks fall in April.

Surprise!

The Happiest place on Earth is not so happy when you have to wait 45 minutes or longer to ride a ride......with toddlers.

Like toddler rides, not even cool rides.

So we headed to "It's a Small World" after the tea cups.

The line looked a little scary, but wasn't so bad.

One of many diaper checks.

Feeling happy!

Graham was mesmerized.

Forgive the poor phone camera shot.

Then it was off to princess storytelling.

So we had been in the park 3 hours and had ridden teacups, small world, and a story.

They don't make fast passes for the kiddie rides.

Andy was antsy for a "real ride".

He wanted to take Addison on her first roller coaster.

Space mountain, it wasn't.

This is Addison & dad waiting in the 45 minute line.

Graham and I escaped to toon town, and a diet coke and chocolate chip cookie later, we were doing ok.

Yes, he got them too, don't judge.

After an hour, we went back to find that Addison and Andy had just made it on the ride.

that lasted 19 seconds, I'm not even kidding you.

She said she had fun though she looks a little unsure here.

So 3 1/2 rides down, it was about naptime.

I had such high hopes for our trip, that I had mapped out a whole itinerary for the rides we could take the kids on and the "can't miss opportunities".

Silly me.

I think I assumed that we would have the whole park to ourselves or something.

After each ride, Addison would say, "Ok, now I want to go to Disneyland!"

Um, this is Disneyland.

Oh.

Graham was so far gone past nap at this point.

More lines for Toy Story......

Trying to distract, control, and pass the time in the 45 minute line.

But then.......

Addison was VERY excited to see Tinkerbell.

Dad & Graham took off across the park to get our tickets for World of Color.

So we had a little girl time.

We waited about 30 minutes, which wasn't too bad.

She was in awe. I mean this is the girl who watches all 3 Tinkerbell movies relentlessly.

And then it was time!

And she was frozen.

But eventually, she gave Silvermist a timid hug.

No words.

Starstruck.

And off to the carousel after riding Peter Pan, which Addison loved!

Graham was such a big boy, riding all by himself!

Finally, at 4:30 we thought we should head back to the hotel for a quick nap.

Addison was in HEAVEN. We could have just taken her to the hotel and that would have been enough. She talked on the phone non-stop.

I have the video in another post, but she would pick it up and say,

"Yes, this is Mewissa....I'm checking in. Yes, just a minute."

We put Graham down for a nap in the pack n' play (in the bathroom) and I caught an episode of Sister Wives.

What is it with that show? It fascinates me.

The beds were so cool in our room.

The headboards has the castle carved into it and the fireworks would light up while it played music for you to fall asleep to.

But Addison wasn't up for sleeping.

Ready for Round 2.

We headed back to California Adventure that night for the MOST UNBELIEVABLE SHOW I have even seen. If you make it to Disneyland, you must see World of Color. Click on the link to see a little bit of it....it's amazing!!!~!

Ok, so let's take a moment to talk about after the show.

Andy decides that he would LOVE to go ride some roller coasters.

Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, here he comes!

I meanwhile, took our two EXHAUSTED kids back to the hotel.

It was 10:30....no nap and sick kid, remember?

Addison actually begged to get into bed and go to sleep, which was great because I wasn't sure how it was going to go sleeping in the same room as her.

While I was putting Graham down in the bathroom, I hear her talking on the phone.

She is carrying on a full on conversation.

Checking into the hotel again, then telling whoever is on the other end that she has to go to bed now.

I'm thinking, "Oh, that's so funny & cute...."

Until I hear another voice on the other end of the phone.

I just grabbed the phone from her, hung up and said, "NO more phone!"

Bedtime.

We are crawling into bed, and the phone rings.

I answer and they say,

"This is hotel security. It has been reported that 911 was called from this room. Is everything ok?"

O.M.G.

After apologizing for my lack of parenting, I quickly hung up and called Andy who laughed and told me about all the roller coasters he was riding.

The next morning we headed to Ariel's Grotto for breakfast with the princesses.

This was the big event we had been talking up.

Our birthday girl was pathetically sick.

But I mean, we had to go, right?

Meeting Ariel. By the way, this is the photo that they tried to sell us for $36.95.

I am not even kidding. Taken by a "professional" photog.

I just laughed at the waitress, before returning it, but not before taking a picture of the picture.

The food, Part 1.

Somebody was happy! I mean, there was food, so of course he was happy.

And then the princesses made their entrance!

They each came to every table and I think Addison was a little starstruck.

It was so cute.

Birthday brownie.

Sleeping beauty was her favorite.

But I thought Cinderella and Belle were both precious. They took so much time with her.

"I'm gonna be free years old."

She wouldn't smile, but she just took Cinderella's gloves and wrapped them around her.

This one made me laugh because you know they are trained to just keep a plastered smile for pics....even when little brother wants to run in on the action.

Graham had had his fill of princesses.

Ready to rock & roll!

California Adventure is great! I actually like it a little more than Disneyland.

We rode this ferris wheel in the "spinning" car, and I was freaking out.

I just kept grabbing Addison and screaming.

This is what riding teacups & kiddie rides does to me.

I'm a wuss now.

Graham was over the "happiest place on Earth".

Done.

So Addison & Andy went to enjoy a Bug's Life ride.

The girl was giddy.

So much fun for her

Then Andy had the nerve to take her out of the car.

You know, cause the ride was over.

And the other kids that had waited in line for 50 minutes wanted to ride.

Well.....

this happened.

A category 5 tantrum ensued for about 1 hour and half.

Blame strong will, no naps, little sleep, fever, bad parenting, we did not know what to do.

I tried Love & Logic.

"Oh no, so sad, Addison has to watch Mommy & Graham eat ice cream".

This did not go over well.

With Addison or Andy.

After dealing with her craziness for 90 minutes, we were left with no choice but to leave the park. I was NOT HAPPY.

But neither were any of us by that point.

So bye, ride that we never got to go on!

See you later, Happiest Place on Earth!

Well, she then fell asleep in the stroller.

So Andy and I decided to push through it because this trip was about us too, right?

I really wanted to ride Pirates of the Caribbean.

I don't know why, but I remember this being one of my favorite rides as a kid.

Addison woke up to wait in line and I prayed that we could make it to our turn without her losing it again.

She did and the ride was fantastic!

As we were rounding one of the bends on the ride, Addison yelled out,

"Look, it's Jesus!!!"

I guess all of the pirates kind of looked like Jesus to her.

We may need to read some more bible stories.

And then, when the ride was over the category 5 came back because we took her off that ride, and the day was DONE.

Happy Birthday Addison!