june1st1997
06-03-2006, 02:32 PM
I am posting this here because it is more about the 1st time parent experience than the park...
We just returned home from my first trip to DLR with DD who is 3 months old. Every year we return to Disneyland on the anniversary of our first date... which was at Disneyland. We never miss it (this was our 9 year anniverary) and this year was going be even more special... we were going to be bringing our baby.
I should stop right here and mention that we went to Disneyland OFTEN. Not as often as some people... but often. And the anniversary trip was always a big deal... We would spend 4 days on site, usually at GCH. I have never seen a parade, fireworks or F!... We would use that time to ride rides. I knew this trip would be different... I guess I just didn't realize how.
I booked the trip when my daughter was a week old. I could not wait. One night at GCH. Ok. So it wasn't 4 days... That was ok. The night before the trip I was so excited I barely slept... DD sleeps from 8 to 5 and after I was done feeding her and putting her back down I stayed up and finished doing all the little things... We were going to leave on time... 7:30 am. We left at 9... But that was ok. I kept telling myself that this trip was going to be different than any other and I was gonna go with it. We hit almost no traffic and arrived at 10. We get to GCH and register... requesting an early check in... Sure they will do what they can.... shouldn't be a problem...
We get to the park and I wait for the magic. For my inner 6 year old to break free... And for the first time she doesn't. I also notice I am very interested in where the ramps are on the sidewalk. Wow... there are a bunch. That is incredibly convenient. I have to eat. At this point it is 11 and I have been up awhile... I need fuel. We head over to Tomorrowland and grab a burger. I LOVE THESE BURGERS. DH and I used to drive down just to get one for dinner and drive home. That is how much I love them. But all I really care about is finding someplace to put the stroller in the shade. Tick tock it's time to feed the baby... I wolf down my burger and rush to the baby-center.
The baby-center... BRILLIANT. It saved me. And I am certain that the lovely ladies who work there are the fairies from SLEEPING BEAUTY. Honestly. Anyway, the baby-center was cool, quiet and something this first time mom needed. I had several lovely conversations with other nursing mothers... This really is the happiest place on earth. I'm beginning to think this trip is gonna be a breeze. DD and I finish up our business and head out into the park. Straight to Fantasyland. Let's ride some rides. I tell myself we'll do one first and then we will re-evaluate. I pick Peter Pan, DH picks Snow White... The line is short. Not a great choice. She does not scream, but it's not a smooth ride, pretty jerky and she doesn't have the best head control. Dad keeps her head straight. I vow to make Tummy Time our top priority. Back into the Stroller.
The Stroller. Car seat and Snap N Go. She lived in this thing in NYC a week ago. But it wasn't 85 degrees and sunny. We debated getting a stroller but opted not to... Biggest reason, I have a uva/uvb protective tarp thing that goes over the carseat (it's a screen plenty of ventilation).. I was very concerned about the sun and knew that she would be protected. It's also dark under that thing. She is basically alone. And everytime we try to put her back she cries and then falls asleep. It was heart breaking... Taking her out to get her diaper changed... which she usually hates... and seeing her little face light up... "I'm free, I'm free". And then I feel guilty... I am subjecting my 3 month old to this. I am a horrible parent.
To help with the heat we purchase a cute little tank top one piece and put it on her at her next feeding.. which is right after Snow White. It is now 2pm and we have ridden one ride. Thank goodness we didn't get into the Peter Pan line... we never would have made it.
We nurse and visit Mickey. It is the coolest place in the park. We walk in and I have 2 thoughts instantly... wow it feels great in here, she must be freezing, put this blanket on her. We get our pic with Mickey (thank you again Adrienne for the suggestion). My DD, the ham and DH look gorgeous. I really need to lose 40 lbs... I really shouldn't have eaten all those fries with lunch. As we leave Mickey, I am hit with the oppressive heat and tremendous guilt of putting the baby back in the stroller. She screams and falls asleep.
It's 2:30 and time to head over to GCH. Get that baby out of this stroller, let her play in her swing that seems to be the toy of the week ( so of course we brought it). We didn't get into the room til 4. And the bags arrived at 4:30. However, they did put us in a suite at the end of the hall. Score. Nurse the baby. Back to the park...
Rode Space Mountain. We had gotten fastpasses earlier that day. Did the baby switch up thing. As I waited in line I realized I had never ridden anything by myself before. They re-opened Space while I was pregnant and I was VERY excited about FINALLY getting to ride. I requested the 1st row and as we are getting ready to "Blast Off" my neurotic musings begin. If something happens to me on this ride Eric will be left to raise the baby. How will he feed her, I didn't bring any formula... I made it off the ride shaken, less by the ride than my neurosis. We trade off and the baby is up and needs a change. I take her to the restroom. She is very animated. All smiles, flirting with me. Doing anything she can to prolong her freedom. I begin to play back, she is very persuasive... After a few rounds of smiles, I realize there is a very patient mother waiting for my table... I am also hit with the realization Eric probably got right on the ride, has gotten off and his wife and daughter are missing. He must be frantic. Friends have regaled us with stories of attempted abductions at Disneyland... He must be worried sick. I hurry us out of the restroom and there he is, all smiles. He grabs the wheel and begins pushing us back out into the park. I tell him I am sorry if he was worried. I explain that she really needed some play time. He smiles and kisses my head, " That's what I thought". Confirmation: I am the only crazy one in this family.
Our girl is due to nurse. Another lovely conversation with the woman nursing next to me. I'm considering having my picture taken with the CM's in the baby-center. We decide to try another pic with Mickey... I did my makeup at the hotel... I might look fat... But I'll be fat and pretty. DD has meltdown right before we are to see Mickey. It's time to go back to the room. The Parade is about to start and I put my many years maneuvering around the parades to good use. We get back to the hotel. DH runs out and get dinner from Jazz Express and goes back out later to get ice cream. Good Man.
Next morning DD gets up at 6. I feed her and put her back down. I read Mouseplanet while I'm pumping. I don't know why... but that was pretty cool. We have a 9:40 reservation for the character breakfast at Plaza Inn. DH wakes at 7:15. We agree to leave at 8:15. We leave at 9. As we walk over I begin to wonder if this is going to be a huge waste of money.
Character breakfast. Awesome. Perfect. We got 3 pictures and I am thrilled. The Characters were awesome. Food was good and Dad and I had the best time. By the end of breakfast I think that DD was kinda getting it a little. Maybe she could tell what a good time mom and dad were having.
We shopped a bunch. She was much more interested in my face than the animals I was showing her. I'm sure that will change. We got our girl a book and some stuffed animals... Mickey, Pooh, Eyore, Minnie. And mom got a really nice scrapbook.
We were back on the road home by 12:30 and home by 1:45.
I remember as I walked out of the park.. a feeling I had never felt before. Satisfied. I never thought that was possible. Where was that burning desire to ride one more ride. Even though I left with alot of things I wanted to do undone... I was content. I was happy to be taking my girl home and at the same time looking forward to our next trip... August 18 & 19. Already booked it.
I know now that Disneyland will never be the same for me. And I believe that is the way it should be.
P.S. If I stopped abruptly in front of you... I am sorry. She really needed her pacifier.
We just returned home from my first trip to DLR with DD who is 3 months old. Every year we return to Disneyland on the anniversary of our first date... which was at Disneyland. We never miss it (this was our 9 year anniverary) and this year was going be even more special... we were going to be bringing our baby.
I should stop right here and mention that we went to Disneyland OFTEN. Not as often as some people... but often. And the anniversary trip was always a big deal... We would spend 4 days on site, usually at GCH. I have never seen a parade, fireworks or F!... We would use that time to ride rides. I knew this trip would be different... I guess I just didn't realize how.
I booked the trip when my daughter was a week old. I could not wait. One night at GCH. Ok. So it wasn't 4 days... That was ok. The night before the trip I was so excited I barely slept... DD sleeps from 8 to 5 and after I was done feeding her and putting her back down I stayed up and finished doing all the little things... We were going to leave on time... 7:30 am. We left at 9... But that was ok. I kept telling myself that this trip was going to be different than any other and I was gonna go with it. We hit almost no traffic and arrived at 10. We get to GCH and register... requesting an early check in... Sure they will do what they can.... shouldn't be a problem...
We get to the park and I wait for the magic. For my inner 6 year old to break free... And for the first time she doesn't. I also notice I am very interested in where the ramps are on the sidewalk. Wow... there are a bunch. That is incredibly convenient. I have to eat. At this point it is 11 and I have been up awhile... I need fuel. We head over to Tomorrowland and grab a burger. I LOVE THESE BURGERS. DH and I used to drive down just to get one for dinner and drive home. That is how much I love them. But all I really care about is finding someplace to put the stroller in the shade. Tick tock it's time to feed the baby... I wolf down my burger and rush to the baby-center.
The baby-center... BRILLIANT. It saved me. And I am certain that the lovely ladies who work there are the fairies from SLEEPING BEAUTY. Honestly. Anyway, the baby-center was cool, quiet and something this first time mom needed. I had several lovely conversations with other nursing mothers... This really is the happiest place on earth. I'm beginning to think this trip is gonna be a breeze. DD and I finish up our business and head out into the park. Straight to Fantasyland. Let's ride some rides. I tell myself we'll do one first and then we will re-evaluate. I pick Peter Pan, DH picks Snow White... The line is short. Not a great choice. She does not scream, but it's not a smooth ride, pretty jerky and she doesn't have the best head control. Dad keeps her head straight. I vow to make Tummy Time our top priority. Back into the Stroller.
The Stroller. Car seat and Snap N Go. She lived in this thing in NYC a week ago. But it wasn't 85 degrees and sunny. We debated getting a stroller but opted not to... Biggest reason, I have a uva/uvb protective tarp thing that goes over the carseat (it's a screen plenty of ventilation).. I was very concerned about the sun and knew that she would be protected. It's also dark under that thing. She is basically alone. And everytime we try to put her back she cries and then falls asleep. It was heart breaking... Taking her out to get her diaper changed... which she usually hates... and seeing her little face light up... "I'm free, I'm free". And then I feel guilty... I am subjecting my 3 month old to this. I am a horrible parent.
To help with the heat we purchase a cute little tank top one piece and put it on her at her next feeding.. which is right after Snow White. It is now 2pm and we have ridden one ride. Thank goodness we didn't get into the Peter Pan line... we never would have made it.
We nurse and visit Mickey. It is the coolest place in the park. We walk in and I have 2 thoughts instantly... wow it feels great in here, she must be freezing, put this blanket on her. We get our pic with Mickey (thank you again Adrienne for the suggestion). My DD, the ham and DH look gorgeous. I really need to lose 40 lbs... I really shouldn't have eaten all those fries with lunch. As we leave Mickey, I am hit with the oppressive heat and tremendous guilt of putting the baby back in the stroller. She screams and falls asleep.
It's 2:30 and time to head over to GCH. Get that baby out of this stroller, let her play in her swing that seems to be the toy of the week ( so of course we brought it). We didn't get into the room til 4. And the bags arrived at 4:30. However, they did put us in a suite at the end of the hall. Score. Nurse the baby. Back to the park...
Rode Space Mountain. We had gotten fastpasses earlier that day. Did the baby switch up thing. As I waited in line I realized I had never ridden anything by myself before. They re-opened Space while I was pregnant and I was VERY excited about FINALLY getting to ride. I requested the 1st row and as we are getting ready to "Blast Off" my neurotic musings begin. If something happens to me on this ride Eric will be left to raise the baby. How will he feed her, I didn't bring any formula... I made it off the ride shaken, less by the ride than my neurosis. We trade off and the baby is up and needs a change. I take her to the restroom. She is very animated. All smiles, flirting with me. Doing anything she can to prolong her freedom. I begin to play back, she is very persuasive... After a few rounds of smiles, I realize there is a very patient mother waiting for my table... I am also hit with the realization Eric probably got right on the ride, has gotten off and his wife and daughter are missing. He must be frantic. Friends have regaled us with stories of attempted abductions at Disneyland... He must be worried sick. I hurry us out of the restroom and there he is, all smiles. He grabs the wheel and begins pushing us back out into the park. I tell him I am sorry if he was worried. I explain that she really needed some play time. He smiles and kisses my head, " That's what I thought". Confirmation: I am the only crazy one in this family.
Our girl is due to nurse. Another lovely conversation with the woman nursing next to me. I'm considering having my picture taken with the CM's in the baby-center. We decide to try another pic with Mickey... I did my makeup at the hotel... I might look fat... But I'll be fat and pretty. DD has meltdown right before we are to see Mickey. It's time to go back to the room. The Parade is about to start and I put my many years maneuvering around the parades to good use. We get back to the hotel. DH runs out and get dinner from Jazz Express and goes back out later to get ice cream. Good Man.
Next morning DD gets up at 6. I feed her and put her back down. I read Mouseplanet while I'm pumping. I don't know why... but that was pretty cool. We have a 9:40 reservation for the character breakfast at Plaza Inn. DH wakes at 7:15. We agree to leave at 8:15. We leave at 9. As we walk over I begin to wonder if this is going to be a huge waste of money.
Character breakfast. Awesome. Perfect. We got 3 pictures and I am thrilled. The Characters were awesome. Food was good and Dad and I had the best time. By the end of breakfast I think that DD was kinda getting it a little. Maybe she could tell what a good time mom and dad were having.
We shopped a bunch. She was much more interested in my face than the animals I was showing her. I'm sure that will change. We got our girl a book and some stuffed animals... Mickey, Pooh, Eyore, Minnie. And mom got a really nice scrapbook.
We were back on the road home by 12:30 and home by 1:45.
I remember as I walked out of the park.. a feeling I had never felt before. Satisfied. I never thought that was possible. Where was that burning desire to ride one more ride. Even though I left with alot of things I wanted to do undone... I was content. I was happy to be taking my girl home and at the same time looking forward to our next trip... August 18 & 19. Already booked it.
I know now that Disneyland will never be the same for me. And I believe that is the way it should be.
P.S. If I stopped abruptly in front of you... I am sorry. She really needed her pacifier.