Daisy's baptism day

Disneyland!

During fall break Grandma and Grandpa Ellsworth treated all of us to a three day trip to Disneyland. Justin and I didn't plan on taking the kids to Disneyland again until our youngest was old enough to 

1. not need naps 

2. not be in diapers 

3. be tall enough to go on most/all of the rides

4. Not need a stroller

 

Luckily for our kids, they got this bonus trip from their grandparents, woo hoo! Most of us stayed a fairly cheap hotel off site, but we still got to enjoy a full day at Disneyland, a full day at California Adventure, and another half day at Disneyland. What a fun trip! We even had a suite at the hotel so the kids had their own room with bunk beds, which they thought was pretty exciting.

Lately Brighton has been getting really scared of anything remotely scary. For example, this is his face on the SNOW WHITE'S SCARY ADVENTURE ride. Seriously? When he heard the name he was like "Mom is it scary?! What's it like Mom, I don't want to go!" This ride doesn't even have a height requirement, so even babies get to go on this one. I said "Brighton you ARE going!" He tried to shield himself from anything scary the whole time.

It's hectic trying to keep everyone (siblings and cousins, over twenty of us) together, but it sure is fun.

The second ride we went on was Nemo's Adventure (the submarine one for us old schoolers). Brighton started asking me again if it was scary. I just refused to answer...but I did say "I hope we don't see any sharks!" and Brighton kind of freaked out a little bit, but he was prepared with his hat over his ears...

On the submarine

It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all...

The kids couldn't help but splash the people (Grandpa) behind them on this ride...a couple of times.

Regrouping, where to go next? Justin is always on the ball and doesn't like to wait around in lines (who does?) so he was ready to get the most out of this trip by having an agenda with the rides and times all arranged for when we run to get fast passes and what lines to have other people go wait in while some are getting fast passes, etc. It worked great and we really didn't wait long at any of the rides.

My boys are handsome. This looks like the line for Gadgets Go-Coaster. It was a pretty long wait since there weren't fast passes for this one, and when we were about 3/4 the way in, Dale says he has to pee. There wasn't an easy way out of line, and he had only recently become fully potty trained, and I did NOT want him to have an accident there, so we hid behind an area where there was a rock and bushes next to the fence and Justin and I stood there to shield him from anyone seeing him, and the kid peed for what seemed like forever, just kept going and going. Thank goodness that didn't end up in his pants, but what kind of hicks are we? Peeing in line at Disney, I'm sure some people would be appalled, and some moms probably would have left the line and ran to the bathroom. What can I say? LOL...

Roger Rabbit ride; Brighton sitting back and covering  his ears with his hat because he doesn't want something to jump out and scare him...

Adaira took control of that ride. We picked up her lovely lamp shade hat at Goodwill. Keeps the sun off her face!

Angie & Tristen, he and Dale will wreak havoc when they move back to AZ.

Dale really tried to lift it...

Who doesn't love Splash Mountain?

Brighton commented that he didn't get wet at all because he just hid behind Grandma.

Hi. I'm pretty.

I added this picture because I have no idea what Dale's facial expression is saying. Looks like Bells Palsy...

Thunder Mountain Railroad. The kids got to go on this one about four times.

Brighton was pretty serious about focusing on getting himself off the ride alive.

Okay then he realized it was fun.

Adaira and Kalvin loved hanging out together on this trip. They'll be good friends for at least another 5 years I think, until they hit the awkward preteen phase...

Just kickin' it.

We snuck all our own lunch in every day to avoid the cost of feeding our whole family at Disneyland prices. Hurray for PB & Honey sandwhiches!

My Dad turned 80 while we were there. We had dinner together at Tony Roma's that night to celebrate. We sure are grateful to have him around.

Thank goodness Daisy is such a good little girl. This trip would have been far worse with a more temperamental baby.

Dale "fainted" a few times at the restaurant. He loves to do this, just fall down and make a dead face...

Daisy wasn't too good at napping on the go, but we did get about a 20min nap from her in the stroller on occasion, but no more than twice a day. Poor girl is used to two naps a day of 2-2.5hrs a piece!

Riding the rapids in California Adventure

Dale & I missed the water ride because we were going on a different ride together after we stayed back to watch Daisy while Justin went with the older two. While we waited I got him to take some pictures with me. He is so stone faced when you try to get him to show expression. He really has a very expressive face, but only on his terms.

This picture is awesome. "I can't believe my mom is kissing me in public" kind of face.

And this one should win a prize...

Finally got him to say "cheese." You can't see it too well, but I wrote Dale's name and my phone number on his forearms with permanent marker on the first day at Disneyland. I couldn't help but think of how disastrous it would be for him to get lost and not be able to tell anyone his name or his parents name (because he still doesn't say them. Adaira's name is "Day" Brighton's is "By" and yet he says "Day-sees" for Daisy, go figure. If you ask him his name he will either look you right in the eyes and not say anything, or say "uh huh" or "no"). I thought having it right there on his arm would help in that sort of scenario...

When I tried to get him to smile he would put up his hands like claws for the picture. What the??

Some tickles will get a genuine smile though.

I had to ask Dale to quit climbing the fake boulders and standing on the railing to look down on the rapids below, it wasn't a straight fall by any means, but I figured the personnel wouldn't want him up there. I put him down over and over and over again, but in Dale manner he persisted and kept getting up. An employee got ticked off and came over and told me not to let him up there. About 3 minutes later I was taking a picture of Justin & Brighton coming around the corner (below) and while I did Dale climbed up again (because it takes him about 3 seconds) and the lady came storming over and says "Ma'am PLEASE keep your son off of there!" It made me wonder if that is what it's like to be the parent of a child with some sort of special needs that aren't immediately visible to strangers (like autism or cerebral palsy, or any other non-physical disability). They just think you don't watch or discipline or control your kid, that you are a bad parent. That sucks. Dale is hard, he is developmentally delayed, scoring below the 15th percentile in social areas. When I tell him not to do things he just looks at me like he doesn't know what I'm talking about (though I KNOW he knows...). Some times he just flat refuses to engage when I try and sit and teach him simple concepts that he should have mastered 6-9+ months ago. He doesn't seem to have any inhibitions. He is a big kid, above the 97th percentile. He's busy, he doesn't listen, and he's strong and active. I have learned that I can't expect certain things from him right now or else I will constantly be upset with him (and have higher anxiety levels than I already have). He drives me to the border of insanity but is also my big sweetheart. You can't sit next to him on a couch without his snuggling in, I love it. I just keep praying that where he's at right now is only temporary and that we'll get him caught up. But until then, get off my back lady!

Cars Land! Pretty crazy walking into Arizona while you are in California. They planted native plants and everything so it totally looks legit! Such a fun place, and no surprise that's it's a huge hit right now and super busy.

Justin stood in line for about an hour to get us fast passes for the Cars ride behind them. Thank you! They got to go twice because when Justin took them he got a companion pass for me since I had to stay with Daisy. That pass let's me take one kid with me, and since I had my own fast pass I got to take Brighton & Adaira a second time!

Chilling with Daisy

She was really becoming aversive to the stroller by the end of this trip.

The World of Color show that plays nightly at California Adventure is pretty awesome.

It was a long wait but worth it...once anyway.

Daisy fell asleep on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Yay!

I added all three of these pictures to show Dale's crazy expressions. By the third shot he finally conceded that he needed to look at the camera and fake a smile... That's some smile Dale!

These two are awesome when they decide to love each other and get along.

Thankfully as I write this post, Dale has stopped giving this forced, stiff upper lip smile.

My blue-eyed boyz.

With aunt Marisa on Splash Mountain again.

Adaira never gives up a moment to pose for the camera. Never.

Picture of the Disney picture of us on the ride. Stratton (David & Marisa's) didn't want to go on Splash Mountain since he didn't want to get wet. Marisa convinced him to go with her poncho, and she turned it around backwards on him and then pulled it over his head for just a few seconds during the splash down. The wind pushed the plastic on his face as well and made for a fun smashed face picture.

Had to stop and see the dinosaurs on the way home.

Our kids had a fabulous time on this trip. Thank you again Mom & Dad for taking us and helping us make these memories!