disney, part one

so birthday season is upon us and we just survived an intense birthday weekend.  i’m still recovering.

but before i get to that, gotta get through disneyland first.

so backing up a month, phil had his annual work conference at disneyland the weekend immediately following our trip up to big bear.  after a brief stop at home to switch out snow gear for swim gear, we headed back out to hang with the mouse.

one thing about tsai kids is that they loooove staying in hotels.  cabins, trailers, grandpa’s…  pretty much anywhere that resembles any type of vacation and they are totally all over it.  the littlest one was no exception.  this time, we stayed at the grand californian hotel.  so while daddy was stuck in lectures all day, the kids and i managed to have a tolerable time ordering room service for breakfast, watching cartoons all morning, heading over to the pool for the afternoon, and eating lunch poolside.  it’s a tough life, but someone had to do it.  😉

so while the kids would’ve been totally happy just hanging out at the hotel (which is what we did last year), daddy took us a day before the conference started so that we could all enjoy a day at the park together.

it’s been almost two years since we were here last and in that time, the new ariel ride opened and yes, we were on it.  four times.  lots to see, very colorful, but i thought these characters were a little freaky.  allie didn’t notice though.  she was too busy loving the entire experience.  like i said, four times.

this was cool.

all in all, a very fun ride.  especially for princess-loving little girls.

the new “up” attraction was open too, so while daddy and older sibs went to check it out, little dude snuck in a quick nap.  ah, those eyelashes.  and that snuggly, warm baby smell.  ahhhhh…

and the cookie monster sock-clad baby feet.

having had his fill of princess girlyness, we let mikey ride autopia twice and then look!  got to go to jedi training school!

he was a little apprehensive at first, but was an attentive student.

because ready or not…

the bad guys came to fight.

seriously, i was scared to take darth maul’s picture.  so i snapped i think with my eyes closed and quickly looked away.  not sure what would’ve happened if you make eye contact with him and i certainly didn’t want to find out!

but mikey proved to be braver than his mom.

and fearlessly faced off with darth vader himself.

my hero.  🙂

jonah found everything to be downright fascinating.

as long as he was safely in daddy’s arms.  oh this face.

bracing ourselves for the “it’s a small world” ride.

part two coming up next!  🙂