Disneyland Part II



So, there are many hazards of being a father to a two-year old girl. Sometimes, love means overcoming formidable obstacles, natural fears, and at times gag reflexes. Prior to the trip, I had made it clear that I did not want to participate in certain activities, and that we would have to draw straws to determine who would take Sydney on the ride, “It’s a Small World.” Well, despite my better judgment and own personal health, I went on the ride with Sydney, Karen, and the grandmas. I simply did not want to miss Sydney’s very first ride.  The haunting song still terrorizes my waking dreams to this moment. Okay, perhaps that’s a little dramatic, but I just hope she appreciates the sacrifice I, and others, have made on her behalf.



Into the depths...and some never
return from the Small World ride.



For life in the parks, one would think it would be essential to have a stroller. Well, the first day we pushed a mostly empty stroller. The cries of “up Mommy” were a common theme. Daddy was willing, but Karen was the typical target. In fact, I think she carried the 28 pound human enough that her biceps started to take on the form of a gorilla or a member of the greater chimpanzee family (without the hair though).

While on the trip, Sydney also surprised us by ordering her own meal one night while we were out to dinner.  This was the first time we had witnessed such an act.  The waitress approached the table and asked everyone what they wanted, and she made it very clear that she wanted Mac n' Cheese.

The rides were great fun, but Sydney was also thoroughly entertained by the elevator at the hotel.  She just had to be the one responsible for pushing the buttons.  She also felt the need to jump constantly while in the elevator.

Karen also found this trip to be a great opportunity to try out some different fashion styles.  She looks 'okay' with a Jamaican look, but for some reason she just seemed to pull off the Dopey look better...haha!

Grandma and Nana also made the trip great.  Not only did it add a whole new level of fun and excitement, but they also took some great pictures that we'll have forever.

All in all, a great trip.  We wondered what the trip would be like with a 2 year old.  Would she be old enough to enjoy it???  That was answered with an emphatic yes.  She's still contemplating which is her favorite character, but that'll be something she can take her time with.

Disneyland Part I

Sydney Fuller…a world traveler in her own right at the ripe age of two…made her first trip to Disneyland look like…well, child’s play! So how did the trip go??? Well, we had “faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust.” Okay, as a guy in his early 30’s I should not know the common saying of Tinkerbell and her posse. But, the fact of the matter is that we have a two-year old that loves the little green one, so there are many things that can’t be helped but learned, simply due to the nature of the environment.

Prior to departing on our trip to the Sunshine state, we were able to get Sydney to say “Disneyland or bust.” It’s always amazing how clear she can say things. But we had truly reached the point of no return. As parents, we did the prep work we thought vital for the trip. She could name most of the main characters, and she had the right amount of excitement buildup.

On the first day of her official Disney outing, she got to meet Tinkerbell as part of her first act. She played it cool, slowly strolling over to her and giving her a hug. We weren’t sure how she’d react to the size of the characters, especially since they are much bigger in person than they are on the TV, but she approached the situation as to say, “we pixies gotta stick together.”

Sydney also had a great time meeting Mickey Mouse. She was happy to point in him out, and then get a couple of memorable pictures with the iconic figure. We could see that she was having a good time, but we knew she was already becoming a Disneyland veteran. On the morning of day two we asked if she was looking forward to Disneyland, and she balled her fists tight and shook them while cheering and saying “yeah!!!”

During her time at Disney she learned about many of the parks essential features…the Fastpass, that magical taste of churros, and early morning admission. We noticed pretty quickly that she had a taste for the more thrilling rides. After her participation in Pirates of the Caribbean and a few faster rides, she appeared a little bored on the ‘toddler’ rides.

While her days were filled with fun activities, one of the best things she liked about the trip was spending time with the grandmas….including her Grandma (Gloria) and her Nana from Montana (Donna). They both made the trip extremely fun, and Sydney loved sharing such great memories of her first Disney trip with them. And there were even some occasions when it looked like they were little kids again, too :)

Beyond her time in CA, she also handled the travel portions of the trip like a pro. Security at the airport was not a problem for her. Fortunately, TSA is not into ‘toddler profiling.’ If the were, I know we’d be in trouble since Sydney really appears to be a shady character.

All in all…a great trip that provided some fun, a break from work (and daycare for others), and some needed vitamin D. And of course we have so many pictures that we’ll have to make this blog a two-part entry. So what’s next??? Well, let’s just say that Sydney is now counting down the days until her first trip to Disneyworld!!!