Because I LOVE Disney Way Too Much!

I am certifiably insane now. Yep, insane. I spent 8 days of my 11 day vacation at Disney World in Orlando. Yep, 8 days! Oh did I tell you for 5 of them I had a 15 month old by myself.... WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?! I was thinking..... WE HAD THE BEST TIME OF OUR LIVES!

So many people couldn't believe that we would spend so much money on a trip that Bella would not even remember; I maintained that this trip was for me to experience the joy in her face as one day she will hate me and I will need these pictures to remember why humans don't eat their young (I'm referring to teenage years). I got exactly what I needed, and I learned a few things about parenting, relationships, and the joys of childhood along the way.

The biggest thing I noted was the difference between our time as a family (with Cody) and our girl time. When Dad was with us, he wasn't as into just going with the flow. I have to credit him that he did keep us on a straight course and I really enjoyed going to the bathroom by myself. Once he was gone back home, we did GREATLY miss him! The time I received one on one with my daughter was truly a gift though and I thank him very much for allowing us to stay longer with no strong opposition.

My daughter's mind was blown by all of the "magic" that abound us at Disney World, and she has came home talking more and associating more. I can tell a huge difference in her mental capabilities. That in itself was WELL worth the money! So here are my tips..... yep another list. I LOVE LISTS! In order to keep this blog from running into a novel I have limited myself to 10 tips.

1.  Remember your children are innocent and you are taking them to a place FULL of magic! I saw countless parents fighting... like literally COUNTLESS. It was sad to observe, but I completely understood the pressure. You are in a race to get into the park, into the rides, into line to eat, into everything! Its one big race unless you take a step back and realize its Disney World its going to be crowded! So take a step back when you get in the parking lot and remember this place will enchant your child; don't take the magic away by fighting. Save the fight for when you get back to the hotel room.

2.  Be prepared! Have a game plan together otherwise you will waste a whole day just trying to figure out what you are going to do at select parks. My suggestions for each of the parks are as follows:

MAGIC KINGDOM- This park is HUGE and CROWDED! If you have a little one (anything under teenager) try to go multiple days and break it down into sections. For instance, you don't want to fast pass an item in Tomorrowland and then have to run over to Adventureland...its a lot of walking! If you are there for limited days pick whether or not you want to get the characters autographs or ride majority of the rides. You can do both, but be sure to make one or the other a priority because both will have long lines. There are so many rides for even the wee little ones at Magic Kingdom....TONS! We spent a total of 4 days at Magic Kingdom. The characters we saw at Magic Kingdom were: Marie (Aristocats), Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Minnie (again), Pluto (again), Rapunzel, Snow White, Aurora, Cinderella, Tinkerbell, Rosettta, Ariel, Tiana, Jessie, Merida, Mary Poppins, and Fairy Godmother.

EPCOT- This park is great for seeing characters without the long lines unless you are going to see Elsa and Anna. Elsa and Anna are over in Norway and have a 3 hour wait at 9am. Its RIDICULOUS, and I believe Disney is in the works of fixing it, but for us 3 hours was not worth it. We saw Mulan, Belle, Jasmine and Alladin, Duffy the Bear, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Foulfellow, and Chip and Dale. There are still a lot of rides for little ones at Epcot, but not as many as Magic Kingdom. We went to Epcot for a total of 2 days.

ANIMAL KINGDOM- This park is great to observe the animals! There aren't very many rides to ride there for little ones, but we did get to see Pocahontas, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and Rafiki (which my husband had to recreate the main scene from Lion King with-see picture below). We were only there for maybe 4 hours and watched a lot of the shows. We spent 1 day at Animal Kingdom.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS- (Formerly MGM) We only went to this one to get a signature from Sophia the First. We went to one Disney Junior show and went on the buzz lightyear ride, but that was basically all there was to do other than see characters. We saw Sophia the First, Woody, and Buzz. We were there a few hours and then left.

Out of all the parks Magic Kingdom is the most crowded followed by Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot.

3. Split up. If you have multiple adults and multiple children, split up. I couldn't imagine having a toddler and a 3 year old or older. I think at that point, Cody and I would have had to split up. This would allow for both children to get the maximum experience and some one on one time each. We saw several parents doing that and the children looked so happy!

4. Get a Character Book. We did not have a character book at first and found that Bella LOVED the characters and went and bought one. We now have every signature but Mike and Sulley and Gaston. I was able to leave a page opening and between my camera and the Disney photo pass, I have some AWESOME pictures to put with each signature. Definitely a shining moment. You wouldn't think a 15 month old would be into the characters, but she loved it! She stood amazed until her turn and then by the end of the trip went up to the character hugged them, turned around and reached for her book from me, got their signature (while patiently waiting) and then posed for a picture. It was actually kinda sad how well trained she was. At most of the characters, Disney will have a photographer that will take your pictures and scan onto a photo pass. See below for more details.

5. Stroller. Bring your own stroller. The strollers you can rent are not suited for small children like below 18 months, and get crazy hot!! You will have to park your stroller to get on most of the rides; just be sure to get your belongings and any food items out and then don't worry of all the times we parked our stroller nothing happened. That doesn't go to say I would feel comfortable leaving my purse.

6. Food. You can bring in all kinds of food! If you can fit it in your backpack and don't mind carrying it along you can save a lot of money. We would often eat in line so I brought chips, a banana, puffs, 2-3 bottles of water because its HOT, and some fruit like grapes and strawberries. We snacked so much that most of the time we would not be hungry for lunch. We would eat a nice breakfast and a nice dinner. Who wants to waste their time in line getting food when you can be riding the Peter Pan ride!

7. Get in Early. The best time to go was early! If the park opened at 8 am we were all over it. We got the majority of everything we wanted to do at Magic Kingdom done on the two days that it was open at  8am. We just walked onto most of the rides, but by 10-10:30 it was crazy packed!

8. Fast Pass. As soon as you get there, get in line for fast passes. Each ticket gets 3 fast passes. If your whole family wants to go on the same ride you will have to use 1 of each of the tickets fas passes, but say your 1 year old wouldn't be able to handle Splash Mountain, but would love Peter Pan...use your husband and his fast pass to Splash Mountain with your older child and their fast pass and then use your fast pass to take the one year old (whom doesn't have to have a ticket) to Peter Pan. Each ride use to have fast passes, but that is now gone. You have Fast Pass Kiosks around the park where you get your fast passes put on your ticket.

9. Don't limit your child. I never once limited Bella to the rides she would like or the character experiences. I let her figure out if she liked things on her own. She did very well with every ride.. she actually LOVED them. I initially thought that Pirates of the Caribbean may be too much for her... nope LOVED it. She in fact laughed and cackled the whole time while she pointed. I can say there was not a single ride she didn't love; however, I do question my sense when we went on the Astro Orbiter at Epcot.. it scared me to death!

10. Soak in every moment. Our children will not be little long, and I found that this was the best trip I have ever had to Disney because of the way my daughter reacted. I will never forget her giggles and amazement when we would go on rides or see characters that she watches on TV. I have never felt such a sweet feeling as I did when I would see her brain wheels spinning with delight. I often felt like I had never experienced life until that moment.


We also went to Sea World and the beach which was AWESOME!!! They have a dog show my grandfather has talked about for ages and we finally experienced it with him! Bella laughed the whole time and pointed! We stayed with my grandparents in their condo and also got to experience the beauty of spending time with them. All in all we had the most delightful vacation! I did have to work a lot when Bella went to bed and found myself pulling things together for the office on my "Log Me In" app at the base of Cinderella's castle, but it was WORTH IT!

Baby Jetsetter!

We have finally made it back from our 11 day escape to Florida; 4 days of which Daddy was with us and the remainder we were hanging out with my grandparents. 

So how was flying with a 15 month old with an earache? A surprising breeze!! To give you a recap of how this flying business went down: Bella, myself, and Cody flew down to Florida and then just myself and Bella flew back. Here are my tips broken into solo and with help:

With or without "the help"

BUY THE BABY A SEAT ON THE PLANE! If you are flying don't be cheap; our flight was an hour and half and we all got to peacefully rest and relax. If you buy a seat you will need an airplane approved  car seat. We traveled with our Britax Marathon and it fit perfectly in the seat. It is also super nice to quickly install. 

To install a Britax car seat in a plane just lift up the back flap and stick each side of the seat belt through the seat belt restraint, buckle, tighten, and then lay the back flap over again. 

Having our car seat gave Bella a sense of normalcy, gave us a car seat for the car, and then also provided a great way to transport her in the airport. 

BRING A SIPPY CUP! We have Bella a sippy cup for take off and landing. This worked great for her ears; we were nervous of the flight aggravating her ears since she had an earache, but she handled it like a pro!

GET A CAR SEAT CART TO TRANSPORT THE LITTLE JETSETTER. We bought the Britax travel cart prior to leaving and may I just say it was awesome!!! I literally wheeled her all through the airport and it proved to be very handy for the solo trip. You simply set the car seat on top of it and hook it in with the car secure hooks. I left her in every time and just took her from the car to the travel cart and vice versa.

With "the Help"

LOAD THE CAR SEAT FIRST. On the flight down, Cody boarded with Bella after I had already boarded with the car seat. I strolled the car seat while attached to the Britax travel cart to the plane door; popped the car seat off the travel cart, folded the travel cart down and proceeded to our seat (I stored the cart in the overhead bin). We had three seats so we put Miss Bella in the middle.

UNLOAD THE SAME WAY YOU BOARDED. When we got off the plane Cody took Bella and I got the car seat. Once we got off the plane we hooked the car seat to the travel cart and went on our marry way.

Without Help! Ah!

TAKE A DEEP BREATH! Enough said.

ASK FOR HELP WITH LUGGAGE. Luckily, my grandparents watched Bella in the car while I hauled the stroller and our 3 pieces of luggage (I may have bought too much) to the airline counter. If you can't leave the baby with someone I suggest using a luggage valet. It's worth it. Once I got us all checked in I went back for Bella. HINT! Buy a gate check bag for your stroller and then just check it at the counter... ITS FREE! 

SECURITY IS NOTHING TO FEAR! I had two carry ons, Bella, and the travel cart with car seat. I left Bella in the travel cart until the last moment. I was capable of getting all the way through security in 10 minutes. 

GET THROUGH SECURITY, USE THE BATHROOM AND LET THE LITTLE ONE RUN. I kept Bella in the car seat in the travel cart while I purchased snacks and a few drinks, used the bathroom myself, and recovered from security. Then I just let her run around in a secure blocked off barricade of seats and carry ons. 

THE FLIGHT.... TURBULENCE! On the flight back, I had help from the nicest people whom carried my bags as I carried the car seat and Bella. It was only a tiny bit stressful. ASK FOR HELP! People like to help and quite frankly there is no shame! We were stuck on the tarmac for an hour and a half before we took off. Thank goodness Bella fell asleep after eating snacks and a drink. She also slept the ENTIRE hour and half flight; which was GREAT and UNBELIEVABLE since we had a lot of turbulence like losing your stomach and your lunch turbulence. This is why I HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting a seat and restraining your child in a car seat. There would have been NO way I could have held onto no matter how much I would have tried! Safety before money!! Because she was in her car seat she slept right through it! 

SERIOUSLY ASK FOR HELP! When we I boarded I unhooked Bella lifted her back up and unhooked the car seat. I literally just hoisted the car seat up while an awesome gentleman carried one of my bags and the travel cart off. When we got out of the walk way I unfolded the cart (while holding the car seat) set the car seat on it; hooked it in and went on our way. 

I was stressed anticipating the worst on both flights but they both turned out great. Just be sure your stress doesn't project onto your child... Just keep smiling! 

BABY SHOES! Oh the Joy!

Life has been a bit crazy with this unusual winter weather. Seems like I am rushing around to take care of a sick baby (we can't get better), a sick husband (because he is a little needy ;) ), and somewhere in between trying to work. AH! Luckily, the cold I was getting only last two days; its funny how fast your body will heal when it knows it has no choice but to recover! All of you mommies know exactly what I am talking about...armageddon becomes a reality if you have to take a moment of rest for even an hour! My house becomes an episode of Revolution. Our dogs are so beyond this weather they have started fighting amongst themselves. Needless to say, cabin fever has set in.


Ok, so enough of my complaining. On to the best baby shoes I have found!


Bella was a late walker. She just started walking about 2 months ago at 13 months. The doctor recommended "special" shoes which helped IMMENSELY! On my search to get my daughter to walk (which yes I now regret) I found that lots of us mommies choose the wrong shoes for our babies. We often go for the cute, very uncomfortable shoes; however, are we doing our children an injustice? Something so common as shoe buying should be simple right? WRONG! I am too blame myself, but as my nephew would say "I see the light" (don't ask he's just hilarious). Poor shoes at this age can cause a number of problems: PAIN (an unhappy baby is an unhappy family), hammer toes, corns, ingrown toenails, and the like (http://www.epodiatry.com/children-footwear.htm).

 Here is a common guide to your toddlers shoes:

Advice for the fitting of a child's footwear:

* Children should have their feet measured about every 3 months (thus ensuring the need for new shoes as required).

* Generally, for a shoe to be correctly fitted, there should be a thumb width between the end of the shoe and the end of the longest toe.

* When looking at the bottom (sole) of the shoe, it should be relatively straight (not curved in too much) - the foot is straight, so the shoe should be straight.

* The fastening mechanism (laces, velcro, buckles) should hold the heel firmly in the back of the shoe (the foot should not be able to slide forward in the shoe).

* the heel counter (back part of the shoe) should be strong and stable.

* the shoe should be flexible across the ball of the foot, as this is where the foot bends. The shoe should not bend where the foot does not bend (ie in the arch area).

* Leather and canvas are a better material - they are more durable and can breathe. Synthetic materials do not breathe as well, unless they are of the 'open weave' type. Avoid plastics.

* Check that the shoes have rounded toe boxes to give the toes more room to move.

* Shoes should not need to be "broken in". If they do, they are either poorly designed or poorly fitted.

* An absorbent insole is helpful, as the foot can sweat a lot - children are very active!

* A number of retail stores specialize in footwear for the child - use them!

http://www.epodiatry.com/children-footwear.htm

So what is the best brand? I am really loving two brands of shoes in particular. They are by no means cheap, but well worth it!

Stride Rite!

Stride Rite offers lots and lots of choices and since you will have to buy a new pair every time they outgrow the old ones, I like the Graham toddler. Bella has both colors and I can manage to put either pair with nearly every outfit she has. Thats two pairs of shoes for every occasion!

Jack and Lilly!

I love this brand as it is chic, but well thought out and not crazy expensive. We find these shoes to be more useful for church and more formal activities. 

Each pair of shoes cost roughly $30 plus shipping. I have had no problems with getting these shoes quickly either. For instance, the Stride Rite Graham red was ordered directly from their website on a Thursday night and showed up at my door on Saturday morning! You won't be able to find the selection or the orthopedic thought in any shoes that you would find at your local mall. If you are lucky enough to have a Stride Rite store...well I hate you ;). 

If you are trying to figure out what size your child should wear Jack and Lilly has a great sizing guide! You simply print out the sheet and measure your child's foot barefoot. Here is the link: https://www.jackandlily.com/downloads/SizeFinder.pdf

Remember! Barefoot is best!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When your child can be barefoot they should be!!! This means no socks as well. I know no socks is hard. My family believes it is a cardinal sin, but it is truly the best to allow their toes to function properly. While I am by no means a M.D., I am an Economist which translates into over thinking and heavy researching; hope this helps as I know it helped my little one whom is now chasing my dog.