Life Lessons Month of October: Blog 4- Letters from Mom & Mimi

Hello my little Cinder-Ellie!

Now that we are back from Disney, I definitely need to write something about our trip, as it was one of the best vacations I have ever experienced!  However, since we were gone for 5 days and from past blogs you know I would love to write about the day-to-day events in detail, but that would lead to at minimum a 10 page story!  So I won’t.  I’ve thought of another interesting approach instead.  But before I go into it, I do hope you remember this trip for always Ellie as we shared our Disney stay with your cousin Colin and our cousins Steve and Jackie, Colin’s grandparents!

And what a wonderful time it was.  Both you and Colin (who is 1 year older than you) got along wonderfully.  During park-time as well as downtime the 2 of you chatted incessantly, entertained each other as well as us adults, and giggled at each other’s silliness!

The only time I actually saw Colin put his foot down to your many requests was when you insisted on him being a Prince!  He made it very clear to you El on the very first day that he does not like Princesses and he is not and never will be a Prince.  In Colin’s words, he “is a Boy” with a capital B!  Now with that being said I shall continue with my lesson.

Life Lessoned Learned #34: Don’t assume you would automatically know The Top 10 List of ‘Favorite Vacation Moments to Share With Mom and Dad” from a 3 ½ year old child’s perspective!

Ellie, when we arrived home I was so excited to share with your Mom all the really cool things we did.  I assumed you were too!  After watching your excitement throughout our stay I was pretty sure I had your list down pat.  If I were to ‘get into your head’ this is what I thought you would have said when your Mommy asked you (so this would be your perspective) to tell her all about Disney:

1.)  The Mickey Mouse Not So Scary Halloween Parade was by far the best one ever!  There was a headless horseman who rode through the streets and I wasn’t afraid at all!  Colin was a little bit, but I rubbed his back and told him it was pretend.  I wanted to wear my pink poodle costume but Mimi said I would be too hot so Poppy bought me a Cinderella dress with real glass slippers… oh and a princess crown too!
      

    Colin was an astronaut and he said he was a brave one at that.  We had front row seats right underneath the rope and got lollipops when the characters gave out candy!

2.)  My first Disney ride was on the teacups and I spun it so fast that Poppy and Mimi got soooooooo dizzy!
   

     And then the very next ride that Colin and I went on was Dumbo.  That ride is ok, but the circus tent that you have to pass through before you get on the ride is super fun.  It has sliding boards and climbing nets and stairs that bounce and a kid house with doors everywhere!  You get a beeper to hold and when it goes off that means it is time to get back in the Dumbo line, but if you want you can stay in the circus tent forever!

3.)  Mimi and Poppy and Jackie and Steve took us to the pool each afternoon and I learned how to go down the little water slide swiftly.  First I would put my toes together and hold on to them with my hands.  That made me go fast! Then I figured out that if I pushed off the sides of the wall, that way worked even better.  Mimi called me a torpedo!  Poppy let me go down it a million times!

4.)  Colin and I got our grandparents to take us to see the Country Bear Jamboree 2 times.  Colin’s favorite animal is the talking deer on the wall.  My favorite bear is Big Al… he’s really fat and sings a funny song in a funny voice!  Silly Jackie asked me if they were real animals.   I told her “Of course they were!”

5.)  The Moon Ride is still my favorite… I don’t know why but everyone else calls it the People Mover.  It is kind of like a roller coaster but doesn’t go up and down.  You can see stars and planets and a lot of the other Disney rides while on it.

6.)  Animal Kingdom was a lot of fun.  We went on the Safari and saw the Lion King Show, but the best part was when we went to Dino Land and I got to play in a huge, huge, huge sandbox.  It had pails and shovels and even bones that we could find.  I got yelled at 1 time from a sandbox guard because I took my shoes off and wasn’t suppose to.  But that was ok; I just put them back on again.

7.)  At the Hollywood Studios Park we got to see 3 shows:  Disney Junior, The Little Mermaid and the Muppet Show.  That last one was really cool because we got to wear 3D glasses!

8.)  My favorite park is the Magic Kingdom and I was so glad that Poppy and Mimi took me there everyday.  We got to see the fireworks and the Castle show and watch Tinkerbelle fly.

9.)  Poppy bought me the snowman stuffed animal (which I named Chilly) from the movie Frozen.
   

     Every time Poppy and I watch the commercial to promote it I giggle because when the snowman sneezes his head always pops off!  I hope Poppy buys me the reindeer that’s in the movie too.  I think his name is Ice.  I would like to have him.

10.)    Poppy got us the best hotel room.  Our window faced the Magic Kingdom.  Some days we walked to the park and other days we rode the Monorail.  Jackie and Mimi brought games and crafts for us to do in the room.  We had lots and lots of fun!

All right Ellie… now it is time to for me to write what you actually shared with your Mommy and Daddy about our Disney experience.  At 3 ½ you my little princess, have a unique mind that thinks like no other.  See for yourself.

1.     We went to Chef Mickey’s for breakfast and while I was there I was waiting for Goofy to sign my autograph book.  Do you know what he did?  He stepped on my foot!

2.     Colin didn’t go on the Ariel ride with me because he only likes boy things.

3.     One night I got a vanilla ice cream in a cup with chocolate ears.

4.     There was a big Gumball machine in Mickey’s Halloween Parade.

5.     Mimi and me went to the Jack Black show but I didn’t raise my hand to be in it because I was too shy.  Maybe next time.  (Ellie, the show was actually a short skit and the actor in it was Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean!  Thought this might need some clarification in years to come!)

6.     The Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride.  I like the tiny ghost who rode in the car with us. 

7.     Colin had glitter stuck to his face that came from my Cinderella dress.  I told him it was there and he was not happy.  He washed it off but I told him it was still there. He tried to get it off again.  But I still told him, “That glitter is still there Colin.”  He was mad.  He doesn’t like girl things.

8.     There was a trashcan that we had to put our 3-D glasses in after the Muppet show.  It wasn’t really a trashcan but it looked like a trashcan.  It was really tall.

9.     We had to wear wristbands and it had my name on it.  I got in the park all by myself!

10.  At Monsters Inc. they told a joke.  Want to hear it?  “Knock, knock.   Who’s there?  Orange.  Orange who?  Orange you glad I didn’t say that guy?”

Ellie, each day since we’ve been back you have come up with one or two more Disney memories.  Unlike mine, yours are much more simplistic and a lot cuter.   I couldn’t stop laughing after hearing about the conversation you had with your parents.  I could actually picture in my mind everything you were saying!  Thank you El for giving your Poppy and me a priceless memory… one we shall treasure forever.

I guess the lesson I really learned here was that even though yours and my Top 10 List wasn’t quite the same, we are on the same page when it comes to Disney in general.  You see, when we were at Hollywood Studios there was a water fountain in front of the Muppet Show.  Ellie, you asked me for a penny to throw and I gladly fished one out of my pocketbook and handed to you.  Without encouragement you turned around with your tiny fist clenched tightly over the penny and closed your eyes.  After about 30 seconds, you turned back around and threw the penny into the fountain.  When I asked you what you wished for you responded with, “I wish to come back to Disney again.”  Ellie-bean I couldn’t agree with you more as it truly is one of the happiest places on earth!  And next time we will take Will along with your Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Ryan and Aunt Sammy!

Love you princess!

Mimi