More from the Happiest Place on Earth

Still loving every minute. We had our Princess Dinner, our Mickey breakfast, and our breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table (at the Castle, no less). In between, we've met just about every character there is to meet . . . except Snow White (who keeps disappearing when we attempt to meet her) and Tinker Bell (b/c the line is no less than 45 minutes each time we try).

Meg and Kate are both such troopers. As I type, Kate is trying to nap and Meg is SOUND asleep in her bed. Resting each afternoon has been key . . . as long as they get some sleep, our girls are fantastic.

Enjoy more pictures! Everything is going fantastic, and we are sad that today is the last day.

Dahlbys Do Disney

I've captioned the pictures --- not that you really need the captions. You'll recognize everything (unless you are not from the US or simply live under a rock).

We are having the best time possible . . . this is really a magical place.

Arriving at the Castle, Wednesday afternoon.

Meg won't let me take too many pictures of her . . . and the pictures with the characters often bring out weird looks for her . . . so I'm trying to capture her excitement in candid moments the best way I can.

Meg picked a purple Dumbo and BEELINED it to snatch her color of choice. I think she mowed down a couple of kids and grandparents to nab the purple pachyderm.

"You Can't Order Me to Stop Dreamin' !!" Meg proudly told Cinderella.

Thank you, Aurora! What a special treat that was for Meg (and Kate got a kiss, too!).

Ah --a smile for Minnie!

We capped Day 2 off with dinner at Storybook Princess Dining. Meg came dressed as Snow White, and we met Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, Aurora, and Jasmine. Meg didn't eat much dinner at ALL -- thank goodness they don't charge for kids under 2 :)

Tomorrow: breakfast with Mickey, the back to MK. More as the adventure continues!

When You Wish Upon a Star . . .

I'm done. We could leave here today, and the memories we made yesterday would be enough to carry me through . . . for a really long time.



The flight was no problem at all. 30 minutes late b/c it took them forever to turn the plane around and get us ready to go, but the girls hung in there and were fantastic for me.



We arrived, then napped (oh! such good girls we have!) and Jim grocery shopped. By 4:30 yesterday afternoon, we were at The Magic Kingdom. Both Jim and I were so ridiculously excited, we pretty much ran -- with the double stroller -- into the park. We didn't stop for a map or a 'times guide' of events -- we just could not wait to get into the park and see how the girls reacted.

Within seconds of our arrival, we spotted Pluto.

If you've seen Meg lately, you may have heard her say, "I'm going to hug Minnie first," or "I want to give Cinderella a hug when we get to Disney World." But there was big, lovable Pluto, ready to meet park guests with only a short line to wait.

"Meg! There's Pluto! Do you want to hug Pluto first?" said her way-too-excited mother.

"I do. I want to hug Pluto first," she replied, with breathless excitement (I'm not kidding).

So we waited. I was wondering -- I've BEEN wondering -- would she do it? Would she hug a character?



She DID. 100% willingly, without hesitation. I was stoked. THIS WAS GOING TO BE AWESOME!

We walked through the castle. We rode It's a Small World and Dumbo, and we even managed to ride Pooh's ride and the kiddie roller coaster (to which Meg said, "I cried a little . . ." when it was over). We soaked in all the sights and sounds the Kingdom had to offer. And we never even left Fantasyland.

The big show came later in the evening, when we waited at the 'Toon Town Hall of Fame' to meet the princesses. Cinderella, Belle, and Aurora . . . all in their beautiful pastel gowns for little girls to meet and greet. I knew before we walked in there, I'd probably cry. Shoot . . . I've cried just thinking of Meg's reaction to her idols. But there was that wonder -- would she be OK? Would she be frightened? Was she, in fact, too young for this trip?

Nope. She is JUST the right age. And I was crying before we even had our turn talking to each lovely lady.

Meg told Cinderella, "You can't order me to stop dreaming!"

She could not get enough of Belle's yellow dress . . . she kept stroking it and touching the flowers.

And for Aurora, Meg sang a chorus of "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream . . . " so loudly that the princesses laughed. Then kissed her on the forehead, leaving little red lips for Meg to adore in the mirror when we left the princesses behind. Aurora kissed Kate's pretty forehead, too . . . Kate just stared and smiled at all the princesses, dreaming of the day that she will walk right up to them and say, "Hello! I'm the little sister!!"

Last night was such a night to remember. I'll never forget the way Meg looked when we met Cinderella (a little shocked, totally overwhelmed, simply adorable). Taking our girls to this magical place is a dream come true for me. It's safe to say that I might be having even MORE fun than Meg and Kate.

Must run . . . and I promise to post pictures later. Today we ventured to the Animal Kingdom and met Minnie and Daisy . . . tonight is Storybook Dining with more princesses.

Disney World ROCKS.

Less than 24 Hours

If I could think of one other thing to write about today, I promise you I would write about it.

Christmas
Graduation
Our Wedding
Fining out the sex of the girls

The days leading up to those big events rival the way I am feeling today. This time tomorrow, we should be touching down in Orlando, ready to begin our fun-filled vacation. I'm so anxiously excited, it's ridiculous.

Packing? done

Planning? done

House Prep? done and done . . . the house is in good shape, and the kitties have care-givers

We are ready. Two suitcases, two backpacks, one camera bag (with video and SLR and about 12+ gigs of memory), one double stroller, and two pretty little girls . . . all ready to depart. Almost too ready . . . getting so much done ahead of time has left me with the hurry-up-and-wait scenario . . . I'm all ready to go, just have to sit here and wait for tomorrow.

Again, if I can think of anything else to blog about later this afternoon, I'll make an effort. If not, then next time you hear from us it will be from Disney World!

8 Months

To pass the time between now and Wednesday, I thought I'd dedicate a blog to Kate . . . who, it was recently brought to my attention, is often left out of my daily topics. :)

Ahhhhh, my lovely Kate. She could quite possibly be the smiliest, most easy going baby on earth. What we did to deserve such a happy-go-lucky, go-with-the-flow girlie, I'll never know. She smiles when she sees you. She smiles when you hold her. She smiles in the tub, at the table, and when she's waiting for you to come pick her up in her crib. I love her.

At 8 months, she's right on track with any major milestone you could imagine . . . except maybe her weight, which is still on the lighter side. She sits up, reaches, grabs, talks, waves, blows spit bubbles, giggles, does 'touchdown!', and squirms on a daily basis. And she is allllllmost crawling. She is actually crawling backwards, if that counts. Her little hips get off the ground and her legs jut out from behind, somewhat like an inchworm crawl in reverse. She can spin circles on her tummy in an effort to grab something she covets . . . but the actual arm and knee crawling is still a few days (weeks, I pray!) away.

And beauty . . . I know she is my kid and we ALL think our own kids are beautiful . . . but Kate really is exceptional. I may be considered an unfair or biased parent when I say: I think Kate is a bit lovelier than Meg was at this age. Meg was a doll . . . but something about Kate is just out of this world. I often say, "Meg is my cutie, Kate is my beauty." Kate has such big blue eyes, that smile, rosy skin, and her blonde hair is coming in so nice and even all the way around her tiny head. She's petite . . . maybe that is what is so darling about her. Or maybe it's the fact that she still has that all-gums baby smile (no teeth just yet). I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I know I just can't stop staring at her sometimes.

Yes, I mentioned that she's still a bit on the small side. Just over 16 pounds at our last appointment. And I'm concerned these days because she is showing less and less interest in nursing . . . especially if big sister Meg is around. She'll eat solids like a champ . . . maybe too well, for her age. Her breastfeeding Nazi of a mom is concerned that she's trying to self-wean at this age, which I've heard is a common thing. I would guess that is our biggest hang-up at the moment . . . not sleeping (7pm-7am), not whining, not teething . . . but nursing. I hope we get through this phase because weaning at this age would mean nothing short of heartbreak for me.

I guess Kate doesn't make it into the blog as much as Meg these days because . . . well . . . Meg is my action packed kiddo. She's always got something to say or something going on that I feel I should share. Poor Kate -- 2nd born -- I've been through baby before, so I know that she's doing great and plugging right along toward that big first birthday. Stories of Kate may not be as extravagant as those of the 2-going-on-15 yr old Meg . . I did blog when she started waving, but I didn't blog much about our transition to solids or her constant babbling and drooling.

Maybe I don't appreciate every single tiny thing she does each day the way I did with Meg . . . but I certainly appreciate every single tiny ounce of my youngest baby in the exact same way I do her big sister. She may not be the headliner, but she's here . . . making headlines of her own that I will try and share more of as the days and weeks continue. And -- though she may go unmentioned at times -- don't worry about a shortage of pictures. I take a million of Kate all the time. Meg runs from the camera these days, but my smiley baby always lets me shoot away.

Happy 8 months to you, sweet Katy-did. We can't even remember what our life was like without you.

Sunday Morning = 3 more Days

Today, tomorrow, and Tuesday . . . then off we go.

Lots of packing and last minute prep going on here. Our room is a disaster with stuff that is going in suicases and backpacks. Meg is bent out of shape because she hasn't been able to wear any of her Disney clothing for the last several days as it piles up to be packed for the trip. You'd think we were planning for a trip to the moon instead of just 5 days in sunny Florida.

Here is the itenerary --

Wednesday -- arrive, nap, hit Magic Kingdom in the eveing.
Thursday -- Animal Kingdom in the morning, back to the hotel for rest/naps, Epcot and Storybook Princess Dining in the evening.
Friday -- breakfast at Chef Mickeys, either Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios for the rest of the morning, back to the hotel to rest for the rest of the day (maybe hit the pool or Downtown Disney).
Saturday -- breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table, morning at the Magic Kingdom, back to the hotel for rest, evening at the Magic Kingdom for the Spectromagic Parade.
Sunday -- fly home mid-day

Sounds like we are going to have 2 VERY worn out kids and 2 exhausted parents come the end of next weekend.

Disney -- here we come!!!

Favorite Photo Friday

Kate Allison, February 19 2009, Marietta GA


A picture from yesterday's Rocking Chair Session . . . I always do the rocking chair pics and then do some others of Kate just playing in her room to mark the month. This month was the hardest 'session' yet . . . she's nearly mobile. Strectching, reaching, grabbing, scooting. We are meerly days away from having a crawler in the house.

Jim said, "Maybe she'll wait to start until next week . . . then we can tell her she learned to crawl at Disney World!"

See, everyone around here has the fever.

A couple of other favorites from yesterday . . .

Hanging in There . . .

Dad's hanging in there. After an MRI and a heart ultrasound, they think that a mistake in the meds is what caused the issues with yesterday's procedure.

I went to visit him, and he seemed OK with the whole thing. Of course, he's not exactly OK . . . he really feels like the anesthesiologist nearly killed him. He's terrified of having to go through the entire procedure again in a few weeks.

The good news is that he's going home in a few hours . . . just one more test, then he can leave. Thank goodness. I'm so glad he doesn't have to stay any longer . . . hospitals suck. I've only been in a hospital for joyous reasons (the birth of the girls), and even then I couldn't wait to get out.

We are all hanging in there. Thanks for thinking of us.

(I would blog more -- but creating and changing the new blog header took me for-freakin-ever, so I have to move on to other things . . . like editing and posting Kate's 8 month rocking chair picture!)

Rearing it's Ugly Head

Today, my dad was supposed to have a surgical procedure done to remove another -- yes, another -- tumor in his throat.

My dad had cancer on his tonsil when I was 14 years old. I don't remember it all very clearly . . . but the tumor was significant, the cancer was stage 4 (out of 5), and the radiation treatments that followed his radical neck dissection were monstrous. I think I have been spared those memories . . . Divine intervention allows me to only remember bits and pieces of that whole experience.

For more than 10 years that followed, my dad's throat was fine. Then, in December 2006, another tumor was found, this time on his voice box. That tumor was of a different nature . . . dangerously close to blocking his airway, millimeters away from requiring the removal of his larynx. Again, he was spared. He was able to have lasers remove that tumor, no radiation or chemo, and he's been hanging in there ever since. After two stays in the hospital and about 2 months time, the tumor was gone. Again, we tried to move on.

Then, just last month, another tumor was found. My dad knew that something was bothering his throat . . . he described it as feeling like you constantly need to swallow something stuck in your throat. This tumor is smaller in nature, and just above the scars from one tumor of 2006. We don't yet know if this one is cancer.

Today, the plan was to go in, take out the tumor, and test it for malignancy. It was not supposed to be a huge procedure -- hopefully with a laser again, probably just one night in the hospital then back home to recover. Instead, they put my dad to sleep, his blood pressure tanked, and -- apparently -- he stopped breathing for a period of a minute or two. He's OK now, thank God. He's resting in recovery -- I talked to him a little bit ago -- and he's probably going to stay over night in the hospital. The doctors want to have a cardiologist come in to make sure his heart is OK, and they want to do an MRI . . . all in the name of finding out why his blood pressure dropped so dangerously low. The surgery will be rescheduled for sometime in a week or two.

My poor dad. He does not deserve this, in light of ALL he's been through with these health issues.

I hope he can get some rest . . . although, if you've ever stayed in the hospital, you know it's quite hard to actually rest. They come in so much to check on you . . . in and out, in and out. I hope he goes home tomorrow so that he can actually rest and gear up for another go around with this.

Damn cancer. Rearing it's ugly head again. UGH.

8 Days and Counting

Yes, another Disney post. I figure those of you who are moms out there can appreciate the massive amount of time, planning, and genuine effort that goes into the planning and preparing for 2 kids and 5 days in Orlando.

Okay . . . so about a week out . . . and I'm already packing. Please tell me I'm not the only crazy out there that starts packing this far in advance. And even if I am the only crazy that packs so early . . . well, so be it. I can't help it. I've started collecting items around the house that I know must not be forgotten. I've started counting out things we'll need . . . diapers, wipes, bibs, spoons, Kate food. The suitcases were deposited in our bedroom on Sunday, and they are serving as the collection post for these things. Clothes coming through the wash that are definites for the trip have been folded and placed in the suitcase for now . . . no need to wear them this week and then have to find them again for packing.

But, the by-far most-neurotic and OCD thing I've done . . .

If you can look closely and read the chart . . . it's a list of what the girls are going to wear each day of our trip. Each part of each day of our trip. There are some blanks -- TBDs, really -- but all the most important events are 'clothed' already. I know it's crazy. But . . . I started thinking about what Disney gear we had and what we were doing and what we would wear . . . and my pea brain couldn't keep up. So, a list was made . . . but that wasn't clear enough . . . so I did a chart. Laugh, if you will. But it's helping me get organized and be certain that everything we need will be packed.

And that is -- of course -- not the only 'list' going. There is another chart of FVC -- fruits, veggies, cereal -- for Kate's meals. There is a list of random items to be packed . . . of other clothing items we'll need that are not on the above chart.

It's taking so much brain power to plan for this trip. But -- I swear -- my organization WILL pay off. By next Wednesday, I'll be able to get on that plane and relax, knowing that I've taken care of so much already.

Well, I say relax jokingly . . . I am still flying to Orlando by myself with both girls.

In other exciting news . . . our park tickets arrived via Fed Ex today. While we were eating lunch, there was a knock at the door . . . and it was our friendly Fed Ex guy with a package I was very much looking forward to receiving.

I ran back down the entry hall, did a grand jete across the kitchen (you know the ballet jump where your legs are spilt in the air), then landed by the kitchen table, all the while declaring, "Our Disney tickets are here!"

Meg's response, as she looked up from her turkey sandwich: "You are so silly, Mommy."

It's all coming together. Which cooler we will take to the park each day (yes, you can pack a cooler!) has been left to Jim to decide. He is also in charge of the final travel arrangements . . .figuring out how we'll get to the hotel, where we will get groceries, etc. He, too, has been planning like crazy for our vacation.

So, one week from today, the final preparations will be taking place. Everyone will get GOOD naps next Tuesday, and everyone will go to be on time or even early. Then Wednesday morning we'll head out to Disney World . . . hoping for the time of our lives.

EIGHT days and counting . . .

For the Ones We Love

For me, Valentine's Day has not been a big deal since Jim and I celebrated our first together (back in 2002). I know how much he loves me . . . he knows how much I love him . . . so the romantic February holiday has passed us by for several years with little more than a fun treat or a bouquet of flowers.

(I'm sure the fact that Valentine's Day always follows closely behind Christmas AND both of our birthdays influences our lack luster efforts for this holiday. By February, there is not much left to give one another. Enough celebrating, already.)

But -- like every other holiday -- once you have kids, the celebrations change so very much.

I was very excited to have Valentine's Day with Meg and Kate this year. We didn't do anything super fancy . . . went out to lunch, made heart shaped cookies and cupcakes in the afternoon, and ordered a heart shaped pizza for dinner. The girls got Valentines from their grandparents . . . Jim got me some flowers, I treated him to some new clothes (which surprised him) . . . and we got some Valentine's books and stickers for the girls. It was nothing over the top, but we did take the opportunity to spend the entire day together and tell each other over and over how much we love one another.

And that's what Valentine's Day is about now . . . not candy or romance . . . but our family, and how much we love each other.

We videoed a lot of our day-o-love . . . and for a few of the ones we love out there -- here is a video for you.



(Doh!! I misspelled Tricia on the titles . . . geez . . . )

Favorite Photo Friday

Meg at 21 months, February 14, 2007, Roswell GA

This was taken at a Valentine's Party hosted by our buddy Jack last year . . . it was a great party, which will certainly only be topped by the party Jack is hosting for us this year.

I love the wind in Meg's hair :)

I was pregnant with Kate when this was taken, and I remember thinking, "I really need to get this toy for the next baby . . ." Playskool's Ball Popper was -- believe it or not -- one of the few toys we didn't own when Meg was a baby.

Guess what Kate got for Christmas? And guess what Meg loves to play with, more than any other toy Kate has?

We --heart -- the ball popper.

(And yes, I posted this 'Favorite Photo Friday' on Saturday. I cheated. Sue me.)

Going Out of Business??

I'm considering closing shop for HD Portraits.



(Gasp! Shock! Oh NO! the crowd says.)



Yes, it's true. I'm thinking about it. And it's a tough decision.



I love doing photography, and I really enjoy working with families and babies. I enjoy the get-out-of-the-house aspect of my moonlighting career. I feel like it is constantly making me a better photographer . . . better than I could have ever imagined, honestly. It's wonderful work. I'm lucky to have it.



But I also worry that it's taking too much time away from my family. While I do only work two days a week, those are the two days of the week that Jim is always home. I miss Saturday mornings with my family . . . just hanging out and being together. I've missed countless birthday parties, showers, events . . . all because I already have sessions scheduled when the invitations arrive. And, I don't really work only two days a week . . . I may only shoot on Saturday/Sunday, but I'm working every day to schedule, reschedule, edit, fill orders, create cards, edit, update my website, return emails, return phone calls, more editing . . . it's a LOT of work. I probably work about 20 hours each week, easily. 20 hours that are crammed in to time when I'm not taking care of the girls . . . so 20 hours of my 'free' time. 20 hours on evenings and weekends. With all my free time used up by picture taking and the running of HD Portraits, it often feels like I don't really have any free time to enjoy doing other things. (Gasp! again -- you mean, you actually want to do something besides take and edit pictures?!)




And, let's face it. At $205 a session, I ain't payin' the bills. So, is it worth the time? The money is nice -- 'fun money' we call it -- but it's not critical to our household.




And there's another thing that bothers me . . . I sometimes feel like I'm so busy with other people's pictures, I don't have time to take and enjoy my own. I am taking a lot of pictures of Kate . . . but rarely do I get to edit them the way I want to. Her 6 month session is sitting in my computer, about 1/3 edited. I keep saying I'll get to it, but . . . really . . . will I? I bet I'll stumble across them here in another few months and think, "Man! I never got to edit all of these!"



I guess that's the beauty of digital. The pictures aren't going anywhere.




Why can't I balance work and home? Why is this so hard? Oh, if only time were unlimited. Yes, that dreaded clock is exactly what makes it all so hard. It's what makes everything so hard, dang it. If only time were unlimited.




Closing up shop for HD Portraits would certainly not be the end of my picture taking bliss. I figure that I could continue to work with my friends and family. Current clients who have had me in their homes time and time again would certainly not be turned away . . . I truly enjoy working with those families. I just might take the 'no new business' route . . . oh, but that would mean giving up newborns, which I truly adore. See? It's a hard decision. It might have to be an 'all or nothing' approach to be fair to everyone.






I guess I should figure out what is fair to me and my family first, then worry about everyone else.



Ugh.




Just thinking about it . . . trying to make up my mind . . . second guessing, once again. Maybe I'm just in a creative rut . . . I need to find new things to do with my photos. Who knows if that might help.



I realize I sound a bit spoiled (yet again) to be toying with the idea of giving up my self-made, part time career. Oh well. If you've been reading for a while, you realize that I can be a little spoiled at times. (I'm an only child -- what do you expect?)



I'll let you know when we've made a real decision . . . for now, I'm taking only limited appointments and not booking so far in advance . . . maybe those steps alone will help me find a way to manage what I enjoy with my loves here at home.

Second Guessing

Preschool registration is going on around here over the next couple of weeks. Our preschool registered this week, and I know one of the 'big ones' down the road is registering on Wednesday.

I always feel like I need to do more research . . . like I didn't look enough . . . like maybe there is another school out there that is better for the girls. I don't know why I let those negative thoughts creep into my head, because I do really adore the school we have chosen for Meg and Kate. It's just something about this time of year . . . hearing of the long lines parents stand in to get their kids registered . . . that always makes me second guess.

I think we, as moms, are constantly second guessing. I can proudly say that Meg knows all of her letters and letter sounds at the age of 2 1/2 . . .but not because she necessarily wanted to learn them. Or because she had shown any interest in the alphabet at all. She learned them because her mom is a second guesser. She learned them all in about 2 weeks time because I heard of another friend who's kid knew all his letters before the age of 2. Should Meg know all her letters? I guess I'd better be teaching her all her letters! were the thoughts I had that led to the purchase of The Letter Factory and the digging out of flash cards we already had. She learned the alphabet quickly (the DVD really is fantastic and helped a ton!), and now that is one thing I can check of my "Meg should be doing this . . ." list. The problem is, that stupid list is always growing.



When I hear of another kid in gymnastics, taking some music class, enjoying a particular toy or book, I always find myself thinking, "Should I/We/Meg be doing that, too?" It's silly and a waste of energy. But I can't help it. I always want to know if I should be doing more for the girls . . . second guessing what I've done or could do to make their lives better. I think it's just part of being a mom. Par for the course, really.



We all want what is best for our kids . . . so when someone else is doing something that maybe be best for their kid, we can't help but wonder if our kid would benefit from it, too. I think it's OK to have those thoughts . . . normal, really. But when those "what if?" or "should I?" thoughts really dictate what you are doing for your own children, then it becomes an issue. I can safely say that I may tend to second guess, but I don't let those thoughts make my decisions for me.



Should I put Meg and Kate in another school? There certainly are more 'well known' preschools in the area. But, we thought long and hard about the choice we made . . . and we did made a good choice. Meg's school is small, the teachers are fantastic, the tuition (now for 2 next year) is affordable, and it's conveniently located. No, it's not the fancy schmancy school it could be, but it works perfectly for our family. I've second guessed the decision, but even on a second review I still know we made the right choice. So, back to St Andrew we will go next year.



And, there can be some benefit from second guessing. There have been several times when I've compared what I'm doing to someone else and figured out that, in fact, I could benefit from changing my ways. Meg knows her alphabet, for example (thanks, Erica ;) ). I guess it's not always bad to reconsider. I just can't waste energy reconsidering everything I'm doing for my girls . . . I have to trust that I'm doing what is best, that I'm making good decisions for us, despite what everyone else might be doing for their own families.



If you find you are a second guesser, then welcome to the club. And don't worry about a thing . . . you can come sit by me, because I think I might be eligible for club President at times.

Countdown to Disney

Now that everyone has recovered from their illness . . . including myself, who had a touch of a cold over the last day or so . . . we are finally able to move forward and focus on the next big adventure around here: Disney World.

Countdown to Disney: 15 days. Two weeks from Wednesday. I can't wait.

I've mentioned it before: I'm looking forward to this trip maybe more than any vacation I've ever taken. It's not the rides and events or the warmer weather . . . or even simply the chance to get out of town that excites me (though all of those are great). It's the chance to see my girls experience the wonder that Walt Disney created down there in Orlando.

It seems that Jim, too, is stoked about our trip. Every time we have a chance to talk about anything . . . during dinner, after the girls are in bed, pillow talk . . . we always go back to discussions of our Disney vacation. It is consuming both of our minds, apparently. I'm just glad to know that my husband is as excited as I am.

Things we have decided for sure . . .

Double Stroller. Double jogger, more specifically. Yes, it's big and bulky. But both girls can ride comfortably in it, and it is certainly easy to maneuver with its rotating front wheel. We have gone round and round about the stroller . . . take two umbrellas? the sit and stand stroller? just one stroller, and we'll carry Kate some of the time? It's been the biggest decision we've had to make for this trip. In the end, the big ole' double jogger won.

I'm flying alone with the girls to Orlando, and Jim will meet us there. Now, this one was my choice. Call me crazy, if you must. I just figured I'd rather fly by myself then have to drive. Jim can build it into is work travel, and we don't even have to pay for his ticket (and Meg & my tickets are free with ff points, as usual). Flying is SO much quicker, and it's got to be easier than 6+ hours in the car with two young ones. The flight is short . . . we'll make it . . . the biggest challenge will be getting that double stroller through the airport.

We have dining reservations at Story Book Princess Dining (dinner), Chef Mickeys (breakfast), and Cinderella's Royal Table (breakfast).

We are going to go with 4 day park hopper passes, and spend the first evening we arrive at the Magic Kingdom. The plan is to get to the hotel, have everyone nap, then bust out to MK for an evening of character meet-and-greets and a ride on Dumbo. We've heard these are both done BEST at the end of the day, and this will be the best day of the trip to take advantage of that timing. The end of the day Thurs-Sat will most likely not be the time to try to do these types of events . . . we figure our two little ones won't be doing as well late in the day as the trip wears on.

We are going to grocery shop when we get there. Sounds nuts, but we are doing it. The theme parks allow you to bring in a cooler, as long is it does not have wheels. When we found this little tidbit on the Disney website, Jim and I both thought it was a fantastic idea to pack what we can for our days at the parks. Juice boxes, sandwiches, snacks . . . not so much for the cost, but the conveninece. It will be SO easy to just whip out what we need when we need it, instead of dealing with the lines and the wait to get any kind of (junk food) snack.

There are still many decisions that must be made between now and the 25th. I have to sit down and do some serious math . . . how many meals Kate will need, how many diapers, what the girls will wear each day (clothing is important, considering ALL the pictures I'm sure I'll take). But I figure I'll take care of that over the next week or so.

Jim worries that I have my hopes up too much . . . that Meg may not take to the characters, or things might not go as well as I have them pictured in my mind. I agree, to some degree . . . and I am trying to keep myself grounded. I know they are young. I know this is a big trip. But I also know that Meg is going to eat up every bit of Disney . . . so if she doesn't hug Minnie or tell Cinderella, "You can't order me to stop dreaming!" as she says she's going to, it will still be a fantastic trip.

I could scream . . . I'm so excited (so much for being grounded). I welcome and Disney tips or tricks you might now of . . . but no comments about 'they are so young' or 'don't get your hopes up' because I know all of that already. Just let me be excited -- and share the fun vicariously through the blog :)

And finally, just to show you what I'm talking about when I say that Meg is sooooooo ready for this trip . . . here is Exhibit A.

(For those of you who don't recognize it, that's 'A Whole New World' from Disney's Aladdin. Oh, and a little nose picking in the middle, just to make you laugh.)

Thursday

We are all better today. Meg didn't eat much dinner last night, so I decided not to send her off to preschool this morning . . . but I really could have. The girl woke up bouncing off the walls. I was so relieved to find her in her bed, all smiley and chipper this morning. I sure did miss my Meg.

We stuck around the house again today, just to be sure that everyone is well.

I'm going batty, myself, after being home with sick kids for the past several days. It's totally worn me out -- the worry and the wondering when everyone was going to be OK. There is not more helpless feeling in the world than having a sick child. And it's funny how your world comes to a screeching halt when a kid is sick. Nothing was done this week, and it didn't matter a bit. Our world stopped until both Kate and Meg were back to normal.

Thank goodness we have a babysitter coming tomorrow night so that Jim and I can get out and enjoy an evening together . . . with our two healthy kids staying at home. Having that to look forward to has made me feel better . . . a light at the end of the sickness tunnel, if you will.

I certainly didn't intend on my week going this way. But, oh well. We made it through and hopefully this is the last bout with sickness for a while around here.

Relapse

Perhaps I spoke too soon with my 5:30pm post yesterday . . .

Meg's fever returned around 7:30pm and skyrocketed to 104.7. I was totally freaked. She's never had a fever that high . . . and I've never felt her little body so hot. She was on a downward spiral . . . going from good mood to total grouch in a hurry. Once I realized what was going on, I quickly changed her clothing and tucked her into my bed . . . she needed sleep, but there was no way I could put her anywhere but right next to me.

The 7:30pm dose of Tylenol did not do the trick . . . we had to wait it out until the 11:30pm dose before any relief would come. During those four long hours, Meg and I dozed in and out in my bed . . . I'd sleep 10-15 minutes, here and there . . . and every time I would move or act like I was getting up, Meg would roll over, look at me with her glazed eyes and say, "Where you goin', Mommy?"

And when she slept, I cried. Poor Jim listened to me cry on the phone . . . I was (am) just exhausted from it all. I couldn't act scared or upset when Meg was awake, so it seems that when she was safely sleeping, I would attempt to relax and inevitably end up crying.

At about 2am, Meg's fever finally broke. She sat up in the bed, all sweaty and wet. She was confuzed -- dazed -- and she scared me a little bit, she was so out of it. A few sips of apple juice and some back rubbing from mommy, then she was back to sleep. I, finally, was able to sleep too . . . knowing that the fever was gone and would (hopefully) stay away at least for a few hours.

Meg seems better today, but she's still not herself. Not really eating, just hanging out for another day. Kate -- God love her -- has been a trooper through it all. It seems that she barely caught what her sister has . . . she's been eating and sleeping regularly since yesterday afternoon. Her battle was short lived on Monday night, and she never even had much of a fever.

I'm exhausted. It's been a long couple of nights, and the days have sucked, too. I just hope we are out of the woods and that Meg is over the hump for sure this time.

But, I tell you what, you are never given more than you can handle. It seems that when one of the girls has been at her worst, the other one is asleep. Kate was wretching uncontrollably on Monday night while her sister was tucked in her bed. Yesterday morning, while cleaning up Meg's mess and getting her settled on the couch, Kate slept in past 8:30am (unheard of around here!). And when Meg's fever peaked around 8pm last night, Kate was off in dreamland and was not heard from again until 7:15am.

Hopefully this post does not institute a similar relapse as the one last night did . . .I don't think I'll make it. Thanks for thinking of us . . . and I hope to have something more fun to post about tomorrow.

I'm a Survivor

Whenever I make it through a day like today, I always think, "Well, we survived another one."

Meg and Kate both have battled the stomach flu over the past 24 hours. Kate's worst was last night, from about 10:30 - 1am. Meg was just plain pitiful this morning, only throwing up twice but boasting a 102.7 fever by 9:30am.

It's 5:30pm now, and I think we've made it over the hump. The girls are both in pretty good spirits, both have successfully kept down a little food and drink, and we are about to start our evening routine with the hopes that I can put this sickness to bed with the girls.

I've cloroxed so much today. All of Kate's toys are sparkling clean, as are many of Meg's favorites. Everyone in the house got fresh clean linens . . . the girls out of necessity and my bed because I figured I might as well while I was at it. Kate got a bath in the sink, and Meg will get a bath before bed. Maybe it's only in my head, but I feel like if it's clean around here, the girls will get better faster (and I hopefully won't get sick at all).

And while I was cleaning up, Kate watched me from various spots, generally in a good mood and happy to observe her mom busy at work. Meg watched something totally different -- in this order --

Cindrella
Tinker Bell
Peter Pan: Return to Neverland
Aladdin
Sleeping Beauty
Beauty and the Beast
Mulan

Hooray for our Disney Library.

I hope our Wednesday is much better than our Tuesday.

A Simple Prayer

At 7:20am . . .

Dear Lord . . .

Watch over my sweet little Kate today. As you well know, we were up way into the night last night with continual vomiting, and my heart ached every time she was sick. I cried as I held her little body close to mine, praying then that you would help her stop. She finally went off to sleep past 1am . . . so please give her the rest and strength she needs to feel better today.

And, Lord, please don't let Meg get sick.

Amen



Update -- 7:40 am

Dear Lord,

Now Meg is throwing up, too. Please help her through this . . . she seems so meek and upset.

And now my prayer is that I don't get sick. I need to be able to care for my sick girls. Please.

Amen.

My Favorite Things

I'm no Oprah. But, I do have a few favorite things I'd like to share with you.






ColorWonder Markers, by Crayola

I think these were invented by some of the smartest people on earth. And they were most definitely parents.


These markers are heaven sent . . . I can let Meg go to town with them wherever and whenever. I don't have to sit there and cringe as each market cap comes off and the moist, uncovered tip wavers through the air (dangerously close to clothing or upholstery). My only worry is that Meg might start to think that all markers work this way . . . which could potentially backfire and leave me with quite a mess one day.




RSVP pens, by Pentel




My dad used to have this one pen he always used. I remember asking him as a young teenager, "Why do you always use that pen?" To me, half the fun of using pens was trying new colors and new styles. "I like the way it writes," was always my dad's answer. I had no idea what he meant.



Until I reached college and found my beloved RVSPs. They are smooth and fine point. They hardly ever 'run' -- and they have a nice grip for my thumb and index finger.



I like the way they write.








My Ionic Brush Hairdryer, by Conair

Nothing fancy. $20 at WalMart. But it dries my hair AND curls it under . . . which is now a MUST with the short hair style. No curling iron or straightener needed.






This thing -- plus the shorter hair -- has cut my 'getting ready' time in half. No kidding. 30 minutes from in the shower to out the door.






Diet Coke


Preferably from a fountain. Enough said.









Homemade Trail Mix



This is a recent obsession of ours around here. Meg came home from preschool raving about her snack . . . which had M&Ms . . . and I quickly whipped up a batch for her at home. Hey, if some mom is cool enough to make it and send it in for snack, I have to try and keep pace by making some at home.





Now we throw all kinds of things in our mix . . . dried cranberries, nuts, marshmallows . . . and Meg is always tickled to find what new treat is hiding in her trail mix. I highly recommend this snack treat for the two-and-older crowd . . . it's sure to please. And, you'll find yourself pouring yourself a cup for snack, too.







Viva Paper Towels




Kleenex makes a good product. These paper towels are ALWAYS my towel of choice, though sometimes they can be a bit pricey. They are like regular towels on a roll . . . soft and durable and just fantastic. No quicker picker upper for me. Viva la towels de paper! :)





The Target Dollar Bin

Another creation by a genius. Gets me every time.

Throw it in the cart, it's only a dollar . . . that thought adds probably $5 to each Target trip, especially if the bin is busting with seasonal items.

But honestly, who ever gets out of Target without a million things that you didn't know you needed, anyway? Target in general should go on this 'favorite things' list . . . you know you are bad when you ask your toddler, "What should we do today?" and the excited response is "Go to Target!"


A few more honorable mentions . . .

Etsy
Craig Ferguson -- of The Late Late Show on CBS
Books by Wally Lamb
Wooden spoons from The Pampered Chef
Disney's new Tinker Bell movie
Expensive Jeans (though I only own one pair)
Britax car seats
Canon photography equipment -- I'm 100% Canon
MPix
Aveeno products -- for me and the girls
QT
Micro-wrapped Baked Potatoes


There are probably a million others I can think of . . . but for now, this is my list. Feel free to share some of your favorite things . . . you never know what we might have in common.

A Jewelry Crisis

I used to have several silver necklaces . . . gifts for various occasions over the years, starting with my Tiffany 'bean' that was a 21st birthday present. I think I've been given four total . . . and slowly, over the past two years, the necklaces have disappeared. On Friday, as I dressed myself for a casual pizza dinner with our friends, I couldn't find one single necklace that I was looking for. Add to that one David Yurman ring that has gone missing, and we have found ourselves in a jewelry crisis.

I've known that at least two of the necklaces have been missing for quite some time. Because one of them includes a pearl pendant that Jim gave me when Meg was born, I have not mentioned the vanishing accessories to my husband. But on Friday, when none could be found, I finally fessed up.

"I can't find any of my necklaces . . . I know the last time I had my 'bean' . . . but the others have all disappeared and I can't find any of them," I confessed.

I hated telling him. I felt like such an irresponsible child.

Of course, because I've not mentioned any missing jewelry to Jim as it was disappearing his first instinct was to think our cleaning people have stolen our jewelry.

"Have you seen my watch? I've been missing my watch for a while now . . .and I swear I left it on the table in the living room," Jim said. "I think our cleaning people are stealing our stuff."

I rolled my eyes. I tend to think that nothing like that could ever happen to us. I tend to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and something like a thieving maid seems so unlikely to an optimistic me. But, when we starting putting all the pieces together, even my happy-go-lucky outlook started to get a little tarnished.

"Nooooooo . . . " I said. But even I had started to wonder if something was up, as much as I didn't want to believe it. But it couldn't be . . . and then I remembered something that would certainly prove our cleaning lady innocent.

"There is no way that our current cleaning lady is taking anything. I accidentally left my wedding ring sitting on the desk the last time she was here, and she didn't take that . . ." I said.

Let's just say . . . that particular confession was not received very well by Jim.

And so, since Friday, a frantic jewelry hunt has ensued. We have cleaned and rearranged nearly every nook and cranny of our house in an attempt to relocate some of my silver jewelry. And Jim's watch. Jim's watch was the most important missing accessory in my opinion because it was my wedding gift to him. He might argue that the ring was most important because it was my 1st anniversary present . . . or the pearl pendant because it was my 'push present' for Meg . . . but all I cared about was the watch.

I'm happy to report that this story has a good ending. We've found several pieces of jewelry . . . and, in all the searching, we've even managed to find some good stuff we didn't even know was missing.

Friday night we found two of my four missing necklaces. The other two I'm not sure we will ever find . . . the pearl pendant may still be around here somewhere, but the silver tear-drop that has been missing for over a year is probably history. My ring is still evading us, but I have yet to check a few key spots in which it could be hiding. I'm keeping my (ringless) fingers crossed for that one . . . I do adore that ring and am still holding out hope that it turns up.

And -- most importantly --just this morning Jim found his watch among the blankets and cushions on our couch. I think we all did a little dance together when we found that one. I'm so glad we found it.

Wheew . . . as I wipe my forehead with my hand, I think I can safely say that nobody is stealing from us. Our cleaning lady is very honest and has not helped herself to anything more than maybe a coke or a bottle of water around here . . . though I probably won't leave my diamond ring out to tempt her again.

I think I'll go get dressed now and wear one of my newly found necklaces . . . and maybe I'll go check for that DY ring one more time . . . if you've any tips as to where you've located a dearly beloved missing item, so share . . . I'm willing to look anywhere at this point.