Trevor's long awaited trip to 'Mickey's House' was finally here!! It was a combo vacation - one to celebrate Trevor going poopy in the potty (queue Double's song for those of you who know it!) and a push present of sorts to celebrate our new family of four. After Trevor was born we went to Florida so it's only fitting that we go to California now with baby girl. We left after Brian got done with a work golf event on Thursday...probably wheels up around 5:45pm. Trevor is such a good passenger in the car. Reads, plays, watches his ipad, sleeps....
...unlike his sister who cried and cried and cried for two whole, long, freakin hours until we stopped, fed her and gave her some tylenol (teething?). When we got back in the car the girl like passed out and slept the remaining 4 or so hours til we got to the hotel! Mommy said next time we go to Disneyland that Ashley and she would be flying! Funny thing about the car ride....before we left Sara looked at the news and saw that I-10 was once again closed west of Phoenix. Closed, as in traffic stopped. Just like last time we went to California. Strange. Luckily we saw that and took a detour around it. Can you imagine being parked on the Interstate with a crying 5 month old? Yuck. We're thankful for navigation systems in cars!
We got to our hotel a little after midnight and the kids went right to bed. Ashley wasn't so excited about sleeping in a pack and play and was fussing every hour or so, so around 5am Daddy moved to Trevor's bed and Ashley slept by Sara. Amazing how then she slept just fine. Stinker!
Although Trevor was excited to go to Mickey's house he let Mommy and Daddy unpack and get settled before heading out. He loves his new Batman headphones that we got him for Christmas. He looks pretty cute in them too.
The first thing Trevor wanted to do was find Mickey. Mickey wasn't where he was last time (how does he remember that?) but Pluto was and Trevor thought he was pretty neato!
First ride was of course, the Buzz ride. He can't get enough of Buzz! Ashley was a rockstar in the baby bjorn. Sleeping however she needed to!
We're all concentrating so hard shooting our lasers! Oh wait, Mommy didn't get a laser gun...just the boys!
Second ride request? Small world! Now Ashley is sleeping while Mommy is holding her. The blanket cover didn't work too well. She woke up halfway through the ride a bit freaked out as to where she was. Don't blame her - it's sensory overload! And unfortunately that is one long ride for a baby that wasn't having it!
After that we checked out Toon Town. We didn't do that the last time we were at Disney. Trevor thought it was pretty cool.
We even got to go in 'Mickey's house' and to our surprise Mickey was at the end! The sign outside his house said 45 minute wait but there wasn't anyone in line so we figured out he was gone. Imagine how excited Trevor (and we) were when we got to meet Mickey the first half of the day we were there!
Ashley sleeping through her first Mickey visit. :)
Trevor was super anxious to see the parade. Luckily he is a very patient little boy because he waited for close to an hour to see it!
Wait, I hear something!
Trevor captured the parade on his itouch. Seriously, we all need to be scared - kids and technology is crazy! He's going to surpass Mommy with his knowledge soon!
Ashley even enjoyed the parade (and was awake for it!)
We did a few more rides then headed back to the hotel around 7. Trevor fell asleep in the stroller within minutes of being put in (no nap) so we walked through Downtown Disney to see what that was about.
Saturday was our beach day although the weather really wasn't cooperating (with our annual pass some Saturdays are blocked from passholders going). It was cold, cold, cold! It didn't stop Trevor from wanting to go in the water at Newport Beach. That meant Daddy had to go in as well. Brrrr....
Trevor still loved running in the water, turning around and running right back out. So silly!
We fed Ashley in the car then decided to have an early lunch at Rockin Baja Lobster, which was a favorite place of Daddy's when he was at college in San Diego. It was just as good as he remembered and Sara learned that she likes lobster! Probably even better dunked in butter but that won't happen until she's done nursing and can go back to having dairy.
After lunch it was still a bit chilly by the water so we headed back to the hotel for naps. Plural. :)
Ashley was ready to go!
So was Trevor when he woke up! He wanted to go swimming.
Luckily the hotel pool was heated so the boys were somewhat warm.
Ashley and Mommy watched from the sides. Our princess is perfectly content in her new riding style. Not sure if she's going to remember how to be independent but whatever, it's vacation. You can't spoil a baby anyway, right?
We walked down to a nearby Tony Roma's for dinner (yum, ribs) and when we got back we snapped a quick photo with 'monsters' at our hotel.
On Sunday we headed to Disney's California Adventures. We didn't go there the last time we were at Mickey's house because we ran out of time. The entrances to both parks are literally across from each other. Trevor first spotted a 'Mater' ride so they waited in line to check it out. Poor Dada...his shoulders and back must just kill from always doing shoulders with our tank Trevor.
Almost Trevor's turn! So happy!
On Mater...finally! You'll see a theme that there are a lot of Daddy and Trevor pics. Daddy got a lot of great pics on his phone of the two of them this trip. It's great to see them have so much fun together. Lots of special time!
An action shot! This ride was way more fun than it first looked!
With the ride swap program, often was the case that Daddy and Trevor would wait in line while Mommy and Ashley would hang out. After they would come off the ride, Trevor and Mommy got to go right back on without waiting in line. Pretty cool!!
After the 'Mater' ride, we got to meet the real Tow Mater!!
And just as luck would have it, we were in the right line at the right time because then Mater left and Lightning McQueen came in! He even talked to Trevor saying he liked his shirt! Trevor thought that was the neatest thing!
We also checked out the Flying Tire ride. Trevor liked his triangle mustache (as he called it).
Like Father, like son. They really had a fun time the two of them. Didn't matter what they were doing.
The tires moved in the direction of your body weight so it was fun trying to maneuver it! This was Trevor's favorite position even if they weren't trying to go backwards!
Bump!
So much fun!
Mommy's turn!
Ashley was having her own fun being in the stroller without being in her car seat!
After the tires we got to meet the firetruck!
Ashley wasn't too happy when it started making loud sounds. Don't blame ya, it hurt our ears too!
We headed over to Paradise Pier within the park and Trevor spotted swings. He had to go on them. Had to. He found the perfect viewing spot for his eyes to watch the swings go round and round until it was his turn!
Bye Mommy, I'm going on the swings!
Weeeeeeeeeee!
And then we discovered that there is a big parade at California Adventures too! Almost more up Trevor's alley than at Disneyland because he saw Nemo and Toy Story Characters...
...and his favorite - this is when he saw Mr. Incredible! He was in awe! He couldn't even believe it when Mr. Incredible came over and gave him a high-five!!
One ride on the carousel - even Ashley enjoyed this one!
And then we stood in the longest line ever to ride on the Toy Story arcade game. Mr. Potato Head was cracking jokes with the audience as we waited. He was actually pretty funny!
Ashley slept while in line. Pretty soon so did Trevor...in Daddy's arms that pretty soon gave out so he went to sit on a bench nearby until Mommy and Ashley were at the front of the line. It was a good thing he woke up because the long line was well worth the ride. It was like arcade game after arcade game! Awesome!
Both kids LOVED the Ariel ride. It was good that both loved it and it was a super short line because we went on it over and over and over and over. Looks like we'll have to dust off Sara's old VCR tape of the Little Mermaid for Trevor to watch!
We went to see 'Talk with Crush' and Crush picked Trevor out of all of the kids to talk to first!! Trevor was a little shy but had fun anyway. Crush said Trevor's sea name was 'Tidal Wave Trevor'
After walking back to the hotel, we watched the fireworks from our hotel room! Great view without having to be at the park!
Monday morning we woke up and headed out only to find out that not only was it chilly, it was also drizzling so we stopped by the gift shop and got rain ponchos. Trevor wasn't thrilled about wearing his but did want it around his legs.
We got to the park early so that we could get a fast pass for the big cars ride at Cars Land. Well so did everyone else! Once they let people in everyone rushed to where the passes were distributed and by the time we found the end of the line it was pretty evident that we probably wouldn't get one (even after standing in line for 40+ minutes). What a zoo! So we went to where the actual ride was and found out that it wasn't working. They weren't sure when it would be back up and running but they were soon going to stop letting people even stand in line for it. Brian and Trevor decided to chance it and quickly got in line.
While they waited in line Mommy and Ashley took a stroll around Cars Land. Luckily the light rain had stopped so we were poncho free!
We saw a lot of people getting out of line while we were waiting around but then after about an hour the ride started back up!!
It worked out that Brian and Trevor waited in line because it was soon their turn!
So exciting! We can't believe they only waited in line for an hour before getting to ride the best ride in all of California Adventures. Wow!
Mommy captured a picture of them - they are in the yellow car! You can see Brian's hands up!
Looks like fun boys!
All smiles, although Trevor right away told Mommy that 'baby boy didn't like the ups and downs' :) Well who is going to go with Mommy then? This ride share thing is pretty cool!
We took a break from rides and had lunch at the Pacific Wharf restaurant. California Adventures has the best food! Brian enjoyed his clam chowder sourdough bread bowl and Trevor loved his lunch which included a big cookie. Baby boy likes cookies he said!
The Nemo ride at Disney had been closed but when we went over today it was open! Trevor found it just as fascinating as he did the first time. Ashley? Well when she woke up and found herself in a contained space, she wasn't so sure!
Trevor really liked watching the 'hi ya' guys...he just didn't want to be in on the action!
Come on guys - small world....again!
Woody!
And back to Buzz again!
We headed back to California Adventures for Mommy to feed Ashley - what a great nursing area they had in the Baby Care Center. While she did that, the boys checked out the mad hatter tea dance party and a new ride - Monsters! The line was super long but someone coming off the ride handed Brian a 'buddy pass' and they got to go to the front of the line. Turns out the ride is a new favorite of Trevor's so they went on quite a few times since the line was next to nothing at this time of night. We've noticed the park really dies down around 6:30/7pm.
After that baby boy was ready to go on the Cars ride with Trevor and Mommy! (Seriously, where does Trevor get this stuff??). We got right on with the ride share pass and at first it was a great ride. Scenic tour through Radiator Springs, nice and slow...until we got to Route 66 and we started racing over hills and around bends. Yuck!! Here is Sara and Trevor's picture. Way different than Brian and Trevor's picture, huh? Trevor just kept saying that baby boy didn't like it and Mommy was protecting him while ducking in sheer terror. That is not a Mommy ride!
We're glad we did it though!
Good night Cars Land!
Well, hold on...Mater was calling Trevor to do one last ride.
Trevor wanted a few granola bars for dinner on the way home. He practically fell asleep eating them so we stopped for him to finish and then reclined his part of the stroller and it was lights out! Ashley was sleeping in the baby bjorn so Brian and Sara stopped to pick up some Mexican food and bring it back to the hotel.
On Tuesday, our last day, Trevor had a plan. He knew that on his last day he could pick out any toy from one of the many fun gift shops. When we asked him what he wanted to do first on our last day there and he said Small World Toy Store. He had been eying a particular toy every time we came off the ride and went through the shop. We said that isn't a ride. So he said how about we go on Small World. We said we could do that but we wouldn't get a toy until we were done and headed home. He asked when that was and we said after lunch. He then said he was hungry !!!!!!
Now seriously, a 3 year old shouldn't have the logic reasoning skills our boy has. He is so smart!! We just ate breakfast but now he was hungry for lunch because he knew that after lunch he'd get to pick out a toy. He just makes us smile.
Well, after that discussion we headed to Bug's Life in California Adventure. Dada and Trevor had a fun time on the bumper bugs.
While Mommy was feeding Ashley the boys went to see a show. Trevor thought it was pretty cool seeing Jake and the Neverland Pirates....especially when the gold doubloons started falling from the ceiling!
They also checked out an area of the park that reminded them of MN! Can't believe it is snowing in MN right now! Yuck!
After a few other rides we headed over to Disneyland for one last Buzz ride and a new ride - rocket ship!
Zoom zoom!
It can't be said enough what a good baby Ashley was during this trip. She went along with everything and was as happy as could be! She waited patiently while big brother went on all the rides he could. Maybe he'll return the favor when she's older and wants to do all princess stuff. One can hope :)
Before we headed back to Small World for one last ride and for Trevor to pick out his toy we got a family shot by the castle. The sun came out and it was the most perfect day. Too bad Sara didn't put shorts in the backpack to change into!
Well we headed back to Small World Toy Store for the toy Trevor had been looking at and as it turns out it was a toy airplane just like one he already had. We felt bad because he said he could pick anything but we gently persuaded him out of that toy and said let's go to a different toy store for bigger kids. So after lunch in Toon Town he found the most perfect toy for him - literally Mickey's House complete with toy furniture and characters! The best part was that it was cheaper than the Christmas ornament Brian picked out for us to remember our family of four trip to Disney!
Trevor didn't let go of Mickey's house once during the car ride home.
He clutched that thing for dear life even while sleeping!
The ride home was uneventful minus Ashley crying off and on for the first two hours while we were trying to get out of LA. We left a bit later than we had wanted and were stuck in rush hour traffic at 3:30!! Oh well, you get to see a lot of strange things in LA traffic - like the guy sticking his head out of the drivers window and throwing up. Multiple times. It was lovely. Kidding.
Ashley eventually fell asleep and stayed asleep until 7 or so when Brian stopped to fill up with gas and use the restroom. Sara stayed in the back seat and kept her happy by singing and other crazy things until we stopped for dinner and to feed her at 8. After that it was back in the car and we got home shortly after 11pm. We had a really wonderful trip. A family vacation is exactly what we needed and we feel so lucky to be able to spend the time to together at Mickey's house. Memories in the making...forever remain in our hearts :)
