02.12.17 - Disneyland 2017

My Dearest Conor

My Little Disney Baby. What we week we have had. Let me first start by saying that I am so incredibly proud of you. Your behavior this past week was incredible. Change of routine, new environment... none of that seemed to effect you! Sure, you had a couple little tantrums, but they lasted mere seconds and you picked yourself right back up and regrouped. I think back on this week and all I can say is WOW.

We left early Tuesday morning and hit the open road. We were lucky to have cousin Content join us again for this trip. I give her shit all the time about traveling everywhere and she is like our family gypsie, but when her husband is a pilot and can get flight privileges anytime she wants, why not take advantage of that? So this was the 2nd time she was able to join us at Disneyland and I am very grateful. Not only was she able to help me with you in certain situations, but we were able to make more great memories.

We arrived in California Tuesday afternoon and when checking into the hotel, I was surprised to hear that the hotel had upgraded our room. We were upgraded from a standard room to a 2 bedroom suite. Not sure how we got to be so lucky, but again I was grateful.

 

  

So after we got into our room, we unpacked, rested for a bit and HAD to hit the pool. You were soooo excited to see the pool and could not wait to jump in. 

  

It was soooo cool to just sit in the chairs poolside and relax and watch you swim. The pools were all heated so you were totally comfortable in the water. You listened to the rules when I told you what pool you had to stay in, that you could not run, and the area you were allowed to swim in. Then, before I knew it, you were swimming up to people, mostly adults, but still. Then you met up with this little boy. You two were so incredibly cute together. He would crawl out of the pool and jump back in and you quickly started to follow him around. In this picture below.... OMG... It was soooo cute. You both had crawled out of the pool and jumped back in about 5 or 6 times and you were both tired. This time he had crawled out and you were like "screw that, I am tired" so you stayed in the pool. This little boy reached down and grabbed your hand to help pull you out and as he started to pull up, he jumped in over your head, as to pretend that you had pulled him in. You didn't pull him in, he was just being funny. It was just too cute. You both started laughing and he and his mom, who by this time was sitting poolside too, started laughing as well. Before we knew it, he got out and did it again. Oh Conor... it was sooooo amazing to see you form this bond with this little boy. The other amazing part was the communication. While you played w/ this little boy in the pool, you both were able to find ways to communicate with each other. Then when you were signing more, he picked up on that and then HE started signing more to you. I can't tell you how many times I got a little lump in my throat because I was so proud of you and happy for you. This picture is from one of the times he pretended to pull you up and then jumped in. 

Well, how do you top that pool experience right? Well, you top it by being soooo fricken amazing at both Disney parks, THAT is how you topped that pool experience. We started out on Wednesday over at California Adventures. I was surprised to see your reaction/infatuation with the park map. Not sure if you were actually READING the names of the rides or looking at pictures or both, but regardless you were able to communicate to me what rides you wanted to go on. YOU HAVE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE! 

 

Somehow you remembered where the Cars ride was and you kept pointing towards Cars Land and then signing car/driving. When you saw it on the map, you pointed to the map. AMAZING!!!!!!!! You were able to communicate that you wanted to go on the Toy Story ride and the carousel. Oh Conor... It was amazing and I was so proud of you. 

 

 

After we hit what we wanted to over at California Adventures, we headed back to the hotel and hit the pool once again. Yet again, you did awesome as we sat poolside and just watched you swim and play and float and being totally in your element. Once your pool time was over, we headed up and got cleaned up for dinner. Was a slight incident at dinner w/ you throwing your trains over a ledge and cousin Content going to get them (she was generous, I would have left them there) but in your defense, you were BEYOND tired. Up early, day at the park, then swimming... yeah, by the time we got back to the hotel and you had your bath I think you were asleep before your head even hit the pillow. Had to get a good night sleep for DISNEYLAND the next day! 

We woke up early again Thursday morning as we had a reservation for a Character Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen. You were not as excited as I had hoped you would have been to see Goofy, Dale, Pluto and Minnie Mouse, but you did have fun. 

 

   

As far as the food...... Where else but Disneyland and Goofy's Kitchen will you find pizza, chicken nuggets, and ice cream for breakfast??? You of course had pizza and nuggets and were in heaven. :) Good thing that doesn't happen every day. ;) 

After our very filling breakfast, we made our way to the Disneyland park. Made our pit stop at City Hall and got you all signed up for the DAS pass which was yet again beyond helpful. Even as amazing as you did this trip, we would not be able to take these vacations without that DAS pass. For example, the Cars ride when we went had about a 45 minute wait. We still had to wait that time, but just not in line. So when our time was up to ride the ride, we pretty much get to walk on. I think in both parks the most we had to wait was maybe 10 minutes, but you did amazing even for those 10 minutes. Some people complain about that DAS pass, but for you, it has always been perfect.

Started out over in Tomorrowland. Again, as we waiting for our time you studied the map. You pointed out that you wanted to ride 3 rides and you were very specific. You pointed to the Buzz Lightyear Ride, Star Tours and the Monorail.

  

Soooooo as we waited for our Buzz Lightyear time, we headed over and got a Fastpass for Star Tours. Worked out perfectly because as soon as Buzz was over, we only had to kill time for about 10 minutes before we could walk onto Star Tours. THIS is when you demonstrated one of your FEW little tantrums. But again, in your defense, you just didn't understand why you couldn't go on Star Tours and why we were walking away from the ride. The 2 rides are literally right across from each other, so when we got off Buzz and started to walk away from Star Tours (to kill that 10 minute time) you got upset and kept pointing at the Star Tours ride. I tried to explain to you that we were going to go on it, but we had to share and wait out turn. I think he started to finally get it, but not 100% sure.

After Tomorrowland we hit several other rides and again, you did amazing. I think Buzz Lightyear, Star Tours, the Monorail and It's A Small World were your ultimate favorite.

  

We took the Monorail back over to the hotel so you could get a nap. I knew if I didn't get you down for a nap you were not going to make it to the end of the night for fireworks and the Electrical Light Parade. So, we headed back and although it took FOREVER to get you down, you finally fell asleep. My sweet baby boy...

Once you woke up, we headed back to the Disneyland park. Our goal was to hit the Haunted Mansion, the parade and FINALLY see fireworks. Not once that we have been there have we made it the entire day to watch the fireworks, I was so excited to finally see the fireworks with you. So after we did the Haunted Mansion ride (pic below) we staked out the perfect spot for the parade and fireworks.



Unfortunately, buy the time we got to that area, and with all the people, all we could see was the top of the floats. :( I was so bummed. But what we could see, you did get excited.



Once the parade was over, everyone started to trickle out and it cleared up a bit and I was getting more excited for fireworks. Tried to find on our maps and our app on our phone when the fireworks started, we couldn't find it. ONLY TO FIND OUT THERE WERE NO FIREWORKS!!! I was sooo disappointed. It was seriously the first time I was going to be able to sit and watch them and I made a point to do so and they were not having them. I THOUGHT they were held nightly (weather permitting) but evidently they only do them on the weekends now and that change started just a few months ago. UGH!!! I am still mad about that. But... now we know for next time. Sooooooooo we head back to the hotel........ Can I just tell you something?



Sooo many people all trying to leave the park at the same time and every single one of them were rude. All pushing and cutting in front of people like they were going to shut the gate or something. Walking from the park through Downtown Disney and back to the hotel was just as bad. UGH. I was so frustrated. But again..... YOU my son, did amazing. You even cut a rug with your cousin and did some dancing with your cousin in Downtown Disney! It was so cute. You definitely got your momma's sense of rhythm though, but you were still cute.

Everything must have an ending and our trip sadly ended on Friday. We packed up our goodies and headed to checkout. As cousin Content lead the charge down the hall, you tagged along behind her and I just had to stop and snap this one last picture. You looked so independent walking down the hallway, carrying your backpack, and your bag of goodies. In that split second it was like you grew up and went from being my little boy, to my little man. This trip I saw a lot, I felt a lot, I learned a lot.



I will forever be grateful for Get-Away-Today for offering their vacation packages at discounted rates and with a payment plan option. Without that, I would not be able to make these memories with you. We left home on Tuesday and the comfort of knowing our vacation was paid for was such a relief. THEN to have some AMAZING people we know (Nicole, Olivia, Nikole, Becky, Lindsay, Erica, Jarod and Lisa) ambush me with a thank you card and gift cards for our trip. We are beyond lucky Conor to be surrounded by so many amazing people.

Yes, not going to lie, I am already planning our next Disney trip in my head. Making these memories with you and watching you evolve and grow with each and every trip is something I will cherish forever.

I love you Monkey.

All my love forever,
Mommy

01.15.17 - I Vow To Be A Better Mommy in 2017

My Dearest Conor

Hi Monkey. I miss you. You have been at your Daddy's house since yesterday morning. I dropped you off early yesterday so I could get some "cleaning" done here around the house. More on that in a little bit. I just want to let you know that this year I an vowing to be different than 2016. Mommy has been holding onto some emotions, that I know have not been good for me and I am pretty sure have transferred to you in some form or another, but no more Monk! I am hoping this weekend was the start of a new me, a new Mommy. Time will tell.

Our weekend started out not as I had thought it would have, but life is all about adjustments, I hope you have learned that by now. I took you to Peter Piper Pizza and thought that we were meeting w/ a friend of mine and her kids. When I showed up, I was surprised to find a plethora of people at her table. Totally fine, she was dealing w/ some things and felt she needed her tribe around her, I get that. I respect and understand that. I was just surprised. So you and I went and played some games while she visited w/ her friends. Her kids had such a blast running around and playing with all the other kids and that was awesome to see the smiles on all their faces. But.... Not only was I feeling a little awkward about being one of a million people at the table, there was something else that was bothering me. Reality has a funny way of finding the most inappropriate time to slap you in the face.

As the adults sat at the table and chatted and socialized, I noticed that all their kids were running around, playing with each other, playing video games, collecting tickets and running back to the table with such excitement on their faces to show their parents that they had collected 20 tickets from a machine! As I was there, just following you around from game to game, making sure you were not pushing your way in front of other kids while they played their game, making sure you were not bolting out the emergency exit at the back of the arcade area. I watched my friend's kids, and her friend's kids run around and play appropriately, while I hovered. Not because I wanted to, but because I needed to. You are not there YET socially where you can go off and play on your own. You can't be given a cup of tokens and be expected to know what to do with them, let alone not push all 20 tokens into one machine when it only needs 1 to play. You kinda of sort of grasp the concept of after you play the game, it spits out a ticket, but you have no understanding of the significance of that ticket or what to do with it other than hand it to me. But you had fun and that is what matters. You love the car racing games like this, that and skee-ball are your two favorite games. I think you like skee-ball more for watching the balls come down the ramp and almost hitting you in the face, but you still like it. It made me happy to see you happy.

So as the adults had their adult time, you and I had Mommy and Conor time and as disappointed as I was in the lack of adult time I didn't get w/ my friend, I was overjoyed with the amount of Mommy and Conor time I did have. You will get there one of these days Monkey. My first priority though is for you to get to a point where you don't seek out the exits and then where you understand it is appropriate to wait your turn at a game before pushing in front of someone. Understanding tokens and tickets will come, in time.

So Saturday was really the start of what I knew was going to be a long rough weekend. After I dropped you off at your father's house, I went and picked up a big U-Haul truck. Drove it home and started loading up junk. I went from room to room and closet to closet. I tossed out everything from broken dressers to memories of broken promises. I got rid of 14 bags of clothes and 2 big boxes of toys that I took to Goodwill. The rest.... it ALL got tossed into the big truck and taken to the dump. Can I just tell you something Monkey??? Mommy's body is hurting today!!!

Tossing all that stuff in the truck and then tossing it back out at the dump is probably the most exercise I have had in a long time (THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE TOO). My knee which I had already hurt a few weeks ago hurts even more today, but it is what it is. It was hard to go through all the memories. Opening drawers and finding things that I had buried both physically and mentally. But it needed to be done. Stuff had been piling up for years, then when your sissy moved out and then your father left, I just didn't want to deal w/ any of it. Then because for the past 4 years, it has just being you and me, I just didn't have time to deal w/ it. So I avoided it all, until this weekend. Even after filling the U-Haul truck, there was still plenty of stuff I could have gotten rid of, but I needed to get to the dump before they closed AND I was already an hour over my reservation time w/ the truck. Then there is the fact that I was just empty. My personal tank was depleted and I had nothing left in me to toss even one more piece of "junk" into that truck. But, I think I did a pretty good job of purging and I am hoping to continue to so a little more here and there over the coming weeks to finally get rid of everything else weighing me down.

That brings me to today. Today is your sissy's birthday. She is 28 years old today. She never used to like to celebrate her birthday. She always said, every year, "It's just another day" and I would get so upset w/ her. I would tell her "It's NOT just another day. It's the day she came into this world and had that not happened, she would not have been brought into my life, our life." Your sister may not be my child my blood, but she is my child in every way that counts. She was such a great big sister to you when she was here. She loved you so much and was always very protective of you and made you laugh. I hope that wherever she is today, she is somewhere being celebrated by people that make her happy. Today is NOT just another day, today is my daughter's birthday.

   

     

 

Well. Monk. That pretty much sums up my weekend. I can't wait for you to come home. I think maybe we will have some dinner and then go see a movie. Celebrate your sister's birthday and what I hope to be a happier future for me and for us.

I love you Monkey.

All my love forever,
Mommy