Disney Day 2: Animal Kingdom

Day 2 started with us having to pack up our hotel room that we had just unpacked around midnight. Due to some confusion on hotel availability and work schedules it just worked out that we had to switch hotels for our two nights. We started packing up and soon realized it was freezing (for Florida) and raining. We all bundled up the best we could, got some food in our bellies, and headed out to Disney World's Animal Kingdom park.

My sweet baby and I

He spent the majority of the weekend in this snuggly. He was so happy in it, and I honestly enjoyed holding him without him squirming around so much like usual!

My attempt a nice photo with my boys.

Ryder woke up with a serious attitude that day, as you can see in the photo, and I decided that he would not get to meet Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger as a punishment to hopefully snap him out of it. He doesn't really even know who they are so I was hoping it was a good time to teach him a lesson without really missing out on anything. It didn't work because he started crying that he didn't want to take pictures with them even though I had already told him he couldn't see them. Three year olds will NEVER let you play mind games with them!!

Landon didn't really care for Pooh

He REALLY didn't care of Eeyore
But Tigger sort of won him over :)

Ryder and Auntie Ally enjoying the sarari ride

Miss Amanda, Sophia, and Pinkie

We were all pretty sure Pinkie picked up every germ in Disney World :)

Going... Going...

Gone

Meanwhile this guy would rather chew on Grammy's sweatshirt string

Somehow Ryder seeing this on the safari ride

Lead to him wanting this. Ryder very rarely asks to take things home. He's one of those kids in the toy store that loves something, but doesn't get the ask to bring it home concept. It's quite nice! He saw this Hippo in a kiosk right after the safari ride and HAD to have it. I tried talking him into the cute monkey stuffed animal or pretty much anything else other then this hideous hippo, but he pulled an "I love Hippo Mommy" and it was clear that it was no longer just a stuffed animal to him, but was now, yet another, one of his friends that will sleep with him at night. We are going to start needing our own suitcase to pack Ryder's animals he sleeps with. We have our three blankets, Teddy the Eagles bear, Sam the snake, Sparky the monkey, and now Hippo... Isn't he hideous?!

It was then time for the traditional face painting....

Soso sitting still for her turn

Just a snap shot of my happy baby during face painting...

He was seriously this happy almost all weekend.. he loved it!

Ryder transforming into a pirate, or as Sophia said "Pirate's of the Caribbean"

Cutest pirate i've ever seen :)

Love these two

Checking each other out in the mirror, or more like Sophia checking herself out :)

She could have starred at herself ALL DAY LONG!

I took her to the potty just after this, and she said to me as we were walking, "Miss Danielle, aren't I beautiful?"... This girl cracks me up! And of course I told her she was absolutely beautiful :) She is ALL girl!

It dawned on me we hadn't really gotten any pictures of the boys in their matching shirts. So we plopped them down right in the middle of a cafeteria floor inside the park. It was dark and quick... this is the best we got. We didn't even bother trying to get Ryder in there with them.

No clue what move Landon was trying to pull on Dyson in this one?!

He crashed soon after for a little nap on his Grammy

Someone is out cold!

He woke up just in time to see the parade though :)

Ryder getting another high five during a parade

This is Ryder saying "Auntie Ally Look!!!!!!!"

"Do you see who's coming?!?!?"

It's Mickey!!!

Landon's only real ride of the weekend... actually I think he did the merry-go-round as well... those picture must have been on the phones :)

Landon catching a ride on yet another person.... Love that face! He seriously loved the snuggly!

:)

Best Friends...

I love that awkward pre-teen brace face look :)

They are still so beautiful!

It was then time for a serious snooze for this big boy

At this point Miss Amanda, Gigi, and the kids had to head home so Gigi could get to work on Monday. We spent our night in Downtown Disney eating a T-Rex and getting some fun Disney toys. We finally got all checked in at the Nickelodeon Suites Hotel late once again, and were treated to another great nights sleep by my boys.

Day 3 Pictures soon!

P.S. - You might notice that Ryder went from face painted to no face painted. Within an hour he started rubbing his eyes because he was getting tired. I kept telling him not to rub his eyes, and he told me to take it off. So before the parade started I was stuck using about twenty baby wipes to take it all off... You gotta love toddlers!

Disney World Day 1: Magic Kingdom

As if Disney World isn't overwhelming enough with littles ones, the added stress of trying to snap a photo at every memorable moment can sometimes be too much. At one point I wanted to just tuck the camera away and be in the moment with the boys, but of course i'm glad I didn't. Now I can remember this trip with my boys forever!!

On Saturday morning my alarm clock went off at 4:30 to get up, ready, and picked up at 6:00 by Grammy and the girls. We arrived to Disney World just before 9:00, and headed up to Miss Amanda and Gigi's room to get our boys out of their pj's and into their Disney gear.

Didn't he look so excited to head into Disney?

One of my only attempts at a picture with both my boys this weekend... great one huh? :)

Anxiously waiting for the bus at the hotel to head to the park
After waiting for the bus, waiting about an hour in the ticket line (which we had bought in advance... total waste of time!), waiting for the ferry across the pond to the park, and waiting in the stroller line... we FINALLY made it in! I think two of the four kids had already napped at this point, but anyhow... we made it in!

First on our list was to see Mickey and Minnie

Waiting in line to see the stars of the day
Think my boys were a little excited about who they saw when we entered into the room... into yet another line.

Trying to get a sneak peak at Mickey

Finally meeting the duo

As you can see, clearly he was loving every second of it!

He loved them!!

We had bought our autograph book at the gift shop at the hotel before we caught the bus so we could document the whole trip and remember who we met.

Our official picture with Mickey and Minnie :)

Landon did well too, but kind of cared less. You'll see in later pictures he wasn't always so mellow about the situation.

Ryder and Ally...the relationship that has developed between these two lately is so special to me. Ryder absolutely adores his Auntie Ally, and I think she feels the same way. He loves everyone else too, but there is something special between the two of them. Sometimes I think he loves her more then me :)

Getting Pinocchio's autograph

Ryder, Pinocchio, and Sophia

And Pluto... for some reason he said we had to find Pluto. I wasn't even sure he knew who he was before we got there. He was so excited when we saw him.

These two napped while they held our spot for the upcoming parade. I think this is the only time they napped at the same time the whole trip. They were both so great, but as expect, a lot of work!

If I had to pick, I'd say the parade was Ryder's favorite part of Disney. He was so excited with every character he saw, and loved when he realized if he put his hand out they might come up and give him a high five.

My Momma and Auntie Ally :)

We always get this shot at Disney. It's right after the Buzz Lightyear ride. Ryder wasn't feeling it, but clearly Landon was judging by the smile on his face. I think he was just excited to not be held or in the stroller for a minute.

Ryder was so thrilled to see Buzz waiting right outside the ride when we got off. So we waited in yet another character line. Right before we got to Buzz Ryder told me he didn't want to see him anymore. I told him after waiting in the line we had to, and it was one of the highlights of his trip. Landon at this point developed some character anxiety.

We have two big food traditions in Disney World... Eating the Mickey Premium Bars and these lollipops... Landon liked the lollipop one :)

The castle just as it was getting dark

I believe it was nearing the 10 o'clock hour when this picture was taken.

These two were clearly exhausted!

And now they are cranky...

By the time we left the park, took the bus back to the hotel, got checked into our room, and moved all our stuff from Miss Amanda's room it was nearly midnight.... and clearly someone was done for the day!!

We ordered some pizza to fill our tummies, and then it was time for bed. I was SO nervous! It was the first time for Landon in a hotel setting, and Ryder's first time sleeping with someone. I thought for sure we'd be hearing from someone around the 5 am hour. Of course because of hotel blackout shades you never know what time it is. The kids slept throught he night, and in the morning I hear "Mommy, it's light outside". I asked my mom to check her phoen for the time and it was 8:20! I handed Ryder his video game while I jumped into the shower and everyone else slept until 8:45 or so. The boys did so amazing, and I couldn't have been more proud.

Day 2 coming soon!

We're Back!

We had such an amazing vacation at Disney World!

Ryder loved everything about it

Landon could not have been a more perfect baby

and best of all we got to share it with family and best friends

NOW...

To sort through 600+ pictures!

We'll be back soon with a lot more photos!!!

Lookin' Good

Yesterday I took the boys to get their hair cut so they'd look nice for the million pictures we'll be taking in Disney World this weekend. I tried to snap a picture of the two of them this morning together.... this is what I got :)

We got the mohawk a little more under control on this one and got his side trimmed up nicely

This dude was not interested in pictures.

I pretty much annoy him any time I get my camera out.
This was the best he opted to give me... So sweet of him huh?

Tomorrow we are packing for our trip, and early Saturday morning we will be on our way!!!

We can't wait for our fun weekend :)