Okay.  So I know I said I did zero planning, but actually I did make two reservations.  Character dining and a dinner show.  I knew that I pretty much had to do that if we wanted to attend either.  My family has been to Chef Mickey before, and I wanted something different.  I found breakfast at the Grand Floridian resort at 1900 Park Fare.  A Supercalifragilistic Breakfast!  It was wonderful.  Very different from Chef Mickey.  It was a calm atmosphere featuring Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and the Mad Hatter.  They came around to the tables for pictures and autographs while we enjoyed a delicious breakfast.  Chef Mickey has all the classic characters, but I knew we would see them throughout the week.  I have no regrets making this decision.  A wonderful experience!  Highly recommend it...especially with very young children.

This was our first peek into what Millie Janalee would be like for the remainder of our character sightings.  I wasn't sure how she would react.  Especially after our Santa Clause experience.  But she was amazing!!  Seriously.  Amazing!

This is pretty much how all the adults looked the entire trip!  Hands full of cameras, video cameras, or iPhone cameras.

Susu and Pawpaw seemed more surprised by Tigger's unexpected appearance than Millie Janalee.  Ha!  He snuck up behind them for a photo opp before visiting with Millie Janalee.

Millie Janalee waved and smiled and blew kisses at the characters as they stopped by.  She kissed Pooh on the nose and gave Tigger a high five.  Alice in Wonderland never stopped talking about mushrooms and hairbows and Tinkerbell, so Millie Janalee thought she was very interesting.  Mary Poppins was as sweet as could be.  She also commented on her cute red bows and loved the kisses Millie Janalee sent her way.

Then came the Mad Hatter.  He wasn't quiet like Tigger and Pooh.  He wasn't sweet and kind like Alice and Mary Poppins.  He was loud and silly and had a giant hat.  Something about that combination didn't set well with Millie Janalee and she was immediately frightened to tears.  She still managed a high five as quiet tears ran down her face.  Bless her!

After our breakfast, Russ had to leave to register for his conference.  In case you didn't know, that's why we came to Disney in the first place.  Russ had a radiology conference at one of the Disney resorts, and we tagged along for fun.  So each morning, Russ went to conference while we played in Disney World.  Then, he joined us around lunchtime each day.

We said our "goodbyes" to Russ, and the rest of us headed off to our first full day of Disney fun!  At Hollywood Studios.  Originally, I worried that there wouldn't be much for a 19 month old to do.  I was wrong.  Immediately, we spotted Pluto and Goofy.  Millie Janalee recognized them from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse I'm assuming, because she ran right to them!  She needed a little encouragement when we first met Goofy and Pluto.  Then the characters switched to Daisy and Donald Duck.  She took  her little autograph book right up to them, gave them hugs, and took pictures.  She loved them!

 

If you've ever been to Disney, you understand that standing in line to see four characters for photos and autographs takes a little bit of time.  It was SO WORTH IT!  So after those introductions, she was ready for a nap.  While she napped, we took a ride on The Great Movie Ride.  Russ met up with us by then also.  She slept right through it.  Perfect! 

By the time she woke up, we were ready to find Mickey and Minnie.  I stood in line with my mom while Russ and Pawpaw took Millie Janalee around to play and explore.  She managed to find some characters on her own.

We also realized that the Minnie Mouse line was significantly shorter than the Mickey Mouse line.  I have no idea why, because HELLO it's MINNIE MOUSE!  We immediately left our line for Minnie's.  I knew we could find Mickey anywhere.  And, OH, how glad I am that we left for Minnie Mouse!  Because there was never a more perfect meeting than that of Minnie Mouse and Millie Janalee.  

I promise!  NEVER.  My mom proclaimed that she could leave now.  She no longer needed to see the rest.  Nothing could top this, and she was right.  Millie Janalee LOVED Minnie Mouse!  She was starstruck.  She hugged her, kissed her, covered her mouth as she giggled with glee, gasped with her mouth wide open when she signed her book, ran to her with open arms to hug her again.  Simply love at first sight between these two!  I will be forever thankful to have this moment on video, and I'm glad Russ was there to see it!  Simply perfect!

After meeting Minnie, we headed toward our next Fastpass+ experience...Disney Junior Live.  We passed Sofia the First on our way and waved to her as well. (No picture of that though.)  There were a few attractions that I will always love simply because of how they planned the wait in line.  Disney Jr. is one of them.  They had Disney Jr. shows playing on various televisions throughout the line, so Millie Janalee was entertained and not squirmy wormy while we waited.  We enjoyed the show...or what little we could see of it.  We were on the first row, and us adults could barely see over the stage to see the puppets.  So I know Millie Janalee probably missed half of it.  She didn't seem to mind much though.  I lifted her up as much as I could.  The music and voices kept her looking for characters.  She knew they were there somewhere.  Bless her.

On our way out of the park, we caught a street show.  A band played and sang while kids danced in the street all over.  I let Millie Janalee out of her stroller so she could break it down!  And she did!  She had a blast meeting new friends, dancing, jumping, and singing along.  She pretty much put on her own little sideshow for those spectators around her.  Hilarious!

So if anyone is wondering about toddlers in Hollywood Studios, I would say go for it!  Millie Janalee had a blast!  And so did we.  No, we didn't ride the Tower of Terror or Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.  We didn't even have time to see Beauty and the Beast or play in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. (Remember we got there late since we had our character breakfast that morning.)  But we filled our day completely and had so much fun!  We even got a nap in somewhere.

We left Millie Janalee's first visit to Hollywood Studios with absolutely no regrets!

We finished our evening with a trip to the grocery store for groceries before calling it a night of rest and recouping for our little sickly one.  She was such a trooper!

We're Going to Disney World!

Valentine's Day, we woke up at the crack of dawn to catch our 8:00 am flight out of Memphis.  Anyone who knows Millie Janalee and me knows that we are not "crack of dawn" people.  However, we both woke up just as happy as could be.  Who wouldn't be happy when YOU'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD?!

After we got dressed and ready and let Russ load the car, Minnie gave Millie Janalee all her Valentine's happies.  We didn't get very far as the light up Minnie wand took complete attention away from anything else.  (Best $3 spent ever!)  We would have to open the rest at the airport before we boarded.  She did manage to take her Daddy his Valentine card before we headed out the door.

After opening several Valentine's gifts from Susu and Pawpaw, from Aunt Nana, and from us...we boarded our plane for Orlando.  We had a pleasant flight, and Millie Janalee took a full nap.  I'll spare you the details of our rental car ordeal, but OH MY at the drama.  Eventually, we ended up at our home away from home for the week.

We stayed in the Cabins at Fort Wilderness.  We have never stayed here before, but my mom camped at the Fort Wilderness campground as a teen and we were up for a trip down Memory Lane.  Also, we liked that we would all be together instead of two different rooms. 

The cabin was smaller than I expected, but very nice and rustic.  There was one bedroom with bunk beds and full bed.  Then there was a full bed that pulled out from the wall in the living area.  We also had a full kitchen.  Perfect for a family!  My mom's favorite part, besides her pull-out bed, was the little table and chairs Millie Janalee's size.  Millie Janalee enjoyed them too. 

We began the task of figuring out the transportation system for our resort.  There was an internal bus system, a ferry, and the buses that left from certain posts for the parks.  It was all quite confusing on our first day.  And since I did absolutely ZERO planning for this trip, I had no clue which to take.  Ha!  My parents would learn what it is like to vacation without an itinerary...which I was sure would send my mother to her grave.  We proclaimed it easier to just drive to Downtown Disney to stroll and eat.  I would look at the transportation on a need-to-know basis.

That's just how I roll these days.  Ha!

Millie Janalee enjoyed meeting new friends that shared her title as "princess."  She mostly enjoyed the freedom of walking around after spending all day in car seats and in the air.  The weather was cool but comfortable, and we were all full of excitement for the week to come.

Susu, Millie Janalee, and me

Millie Janalee and Pawpaw

Millie Janalee and I took a spin on the "choo choo".  She loved it.  She blew kisses and waved as we passed everyone.  Then it was time to get off.  Uh oh.  She did NOT want to get off the "choo choo."  She was heartbroken and had a mini-meltdown.  Ha!  I realized then that we would need a "getting off and onto the next ride" strategy for the rest of the week.  Rides are too fun to have to get off!

We enjoyed our time shopping through the Disney shops and stopping for ice cream.  Millie Janalee was happy to be in Disney World.  And so were we!

When we arrived at our cabin for the night, Millie Janalee enjoyed some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse before calling it a night and resting up for our big week.  We knew she would need her rest, because she was battling a cold/cough that began a day or two before leaving town.  Of course!

Tomorrow the magic would begin!  And she didn't even know it yet.

Whew! We're Back!

"Whew!  What a magical whirlwind!"

We arrived home from Disney World this afternoon, and we are slowly getting back into the real world.  I think we are all suffering from a mild "magic deficiency" since our flight landed causing depression and a longing to return!  Millie Janalee was asleep by 8:15 for the first time in forever, and Russ and I are headed to bed too.  Nothing is unpacked, but the pictures have been uploaded.

First things first, you know.

We had an amazing time, and Millie Janalee was BORN FOR DISNEY MAGIC!  There is so much perfection to share, but for now I'll leave it here and go to bed.

Phyllis's Story {God Gave Us Love}

God has a way of providing for His children in just the right time.  I will attempt to share as much of our adoption story as I can but please understand there are some details of her story that are very personal and we wish to keep those private.  So here goes ...

Nick and I married June 18, 2005.  I knew long before our marriage that I wanted children...I've always loved children.  So about a year after we were married we agreed to start trying the "natural" way.  Well a year turned into 2...then 3...then 4....then 5....so on.   We saw several doctors, heard lots of advise (some good and bad), and even had some procedures but needless did we know God had other plans for our family. y.  After 4 1/2 years of fertility treatments in April 2011, we were finally PREGNANT!!!! Excited was not the word...I was one top of the world.  But, I soon began to have problems and at 5 1/2 weeks we lost our sweet little innocent baby.  I did not realize you could love someone so much you had never met.  Devastated was not the word; I can't begin to describe feelings we experiencing individually and as a couple.  Well of course the doctors all said "don't give up...it will happen again...it's a great sign you can get pregnant."  So I tried to remain positive. The days seem to pass more quickly and before we knew it 6 months had passed and there I was PRENGANT AGAIN.  Well of course this time I tried to protect my heart but there is just no hiding the love a mother has a for her child (even if is unborn).  Well as you can guess within a few weeks here we were having problems again.  I tried to remain positive but as a nurse practitioner I soon realized the road we were headed down again. At 8 1/2 weeks I miscarried again but this time there were complications associated with the miscarriage and I found myself admitted to the hospital and in surgery on a Saturday night. The 2nd loss was even more devastating than the first but by God's grace we have survived.  The holidays were hard but with the love of our family and friends we made it through.

Through much prayer and debate about our next steps in our adventure to be parents was dealing with the feeling we were being called to ADOPT.  If you would have told me how blessed we would be just by saying "Yes" to God's will and perfect timing for our family I just might not have believed you.

Many of you will never fully understand the heartache that comes with years of infertility and while I would not have chosen this path for myself I am glad that God chose me for this journey.  Although it wasn’t easy, I wouldn't change a thing.  God definitely made me a better, stronger person through this journey.


On Thursday, August 1, 2013, we received a call from a friend informing us of a potential private adoption.  All we knew at the time was she was 26 weeks along and it was a girl... well that was enough for me.  Two days later, Saturday, August 3, 2013, we met the birth mom and a friend of hers for dinner.  You could tell from the moment we met God had his hand all over this sweet girl and on the precious baby she was carrying.  As we sat and talked for a couple of hours and we shared our story with her she made the decision that night that she wanted us to be this precious girl's parents.  WOW ... we were shocked, scared, excited all in one.  So imagine how hard it was to keep this great secret for 2 months!!!.  



 As the weeks passed and we met with a lawyer and she did the same we began secretly preparing our home for the new arrival.  We made lots of trips to Memphis or Tupelo and late night runs to our local Wal-Mart hoping not to get caught with our purchases.  As we secretly awaited the arrival of our sweet girl we began falling in love with the thought of becoming parents; however, little did we know just how much our hearts would grow once we met Nora Kate.



Nora's expected due date was set for November 3, 2013.  I too am a November baby so I was excited to share my birth month with our little girl.  On Saturday, October 12, 2013, Nick and I went to have dinner with the birth mom and her mother just to catch up and begin preparations for our little arrival.  We arrived home around 10pm and when I text the birth mom to let her know we were home safely her response was quite a shock.  It read, "well I'm at the hospital my water broke when we got home they are keeping me waiting on delivery!"  I immediately sprung into action gathering up a baby bag for Nora (yes I was unprepared I thought I had a little more time) and throwing some things in a bag for us and most of all making sure we didn't forget the car seat!! Off we went to await the arrival of our greatest blessing.  We made it in record timing!!! Glad there was no traffic and no cops!!



The next several hours are somewhat of a blur.  As we made camp in the family waiting room pushing chairs together managing to sleep a few minutes here and there the night lasted forever.  Into the next day time inched by as we waited for the notice of the birth.  Nora Katherine was born on Sunday, October 13, 2013 at 2:35pm.  She weighed 5 pounds 8 ounces and was 18.5 inches long and absolutely perfect.  As we anxiously awaited the time to meet this little miracle my heart was overflowing with love for someone I had never met.  As the nursery nurse placed the infant arm band on my arm tears of joy and sadness filled my heart.  For in this instant I knew my dreams of motherhood were finally coming true yet my heart ached for the birth mother and the decision she was making.  Nick and I instantly began praying for this sweet, innocent, miracle we had yet to meet and we prayed for the birth mother and her family as they began dealing with the hours and days to come.  



It was love at first sight!!!

When this sweet little miracle was placed in my arms for the first time you can tell from the picture it was a very emotional time.  I had waited for 7 years to be called "momma" and as the nurse laid her in my arms and called me momma my heart melted.

In the 10+ years we have been together I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen by husband cry ... but this one topped this list!!! I've never seen someone cry such tears of joy (besides myself).  It's amazing how quickly this little baby has melted his heart!!


After we were able to spend some alone time with Nora Katherine we decided we better share our little miracle with the rest of the family.  As you can see from the pictures below the grandparents were just as excited as we were.  Nick is an only child so this is the first grandchild for his parents who are pictured below.


Even though my parents are a pro at this grandparent thing with little Nora being the 5th grandchild, they were just as excited to welcome this miracle baby we had prayed for, for so long.

So as you can tell, October 13, 2013, will be a day my family will remember for many years.  While the seven years of waiting was hard and often tested our faith, God’s plans had been in the works for many years.  For you see, the number seven means completion ...

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all His work.  Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done " Genesis 2:2-3.

Our family of three is now complete!!!



Happy Valentine's Day!

What a difference a year makes!

 Happy Valentine's from our little family to yours!  Russ and I have never been real big on celebrating Valentine's Day.  It's a year to year thing.  In the past, we may go out to eat at a nice restaurant or not. Depends on the mood.  When we were dating, I'm sure we did it up big.  But I honestly can't remember.  Hmm.  Valentine's with kids is way more fun than a fancy night out and dressing up.  I'm not a big fan of getting all fixed up for a night out anyway.  That's more Russ's thing.  

Does that make me weird?  

But give me time to pull out the paint for homemade Valentine's and take cute pictures of my sweetheart, and I'm on Cloud Nine!

 

We will be spending the day celebrating our family.  And the love that binds us!  Which brings me to one of my favorite quotes: "Love makes a family."  So true!  And Russ and I are incredibly blessed with so many we consider a part of our family.  We are loved!  And blessed forever!

So, how will you spend your Valentine's Day?  If you have big, fancy plans...good for you!  Have a blast!  If you are spending it at home watching the Olympics eating take-out...have fun! And if you are spending today dreaming of the days you will make your own homemade Valentine's with a little one...I'll say a prayer for you!  Next year could be your year!

And then you'll see that it was PERFECT!  Every waiting moment. 

Tis So Sweet to trust in Him! 

Handmade Valentines

 Last year for Millie Janalee's first Valentine's Day, we had just taken her 6 month pictures.  So we had professional cards made to send out to friends and family.  They were the most precious cards ever, by the way. (In my unbiased opinion...)  This year, Millie Janalee and I have been having so much fun in the paint and art department, I decided we could make a few handmade Valentine cards for family.  So we did.

I had seen this on Pinterest before, but my sister reminded me of it a few months ago.  Millie Janalee is obsessed with the paper towel roll after the paper towels run out.  It's always a treat when she sees me taking it off the holder.  Ha!  Last week, I was taking the roll off and handing it to Millie Janalee when it dawned on  me.

We can use this for our February art!  (So far, we have a piece of painted art for every month since September.)  I pulled out my red paint, paper plate, and construction paper.  Remember, I was a teacher for years, so these things have been a staple in my home since my freshman year of college.  My roommates can attest to that.  I cut the paper towel roll in half to make two "stamps" and folded them in to make the edge resemble a heart.

Then, Millie Janalee and I got busy!  She was very interested in the red stuff on the end as you can tell from her clothes and hands.  She wanted to touch it and feel it over and over.  Ha!  Thankfully, this teacher knows to use only WASHABLE paint.  Lesson learned the hard way.  We stamped and stamped and stamped away.  On about 7-8 cards.  I kept one for myself of course, so if you didn't receive one...it's because I put myself before you.  Ha!

The next few days were spent "coloring" the insides of some of them.  Russ and I also set up a "Valentine's Day portrait session" one night last week to take a few pictures of her.  They turned out so well!  Russ has skills.  Give him a camera, some flashes, and a white sheet...and he can work magic!

I had no plans of anything except "Happy Valentine's Day" on this card.  But one of the pictures was perfect for a catchy Valentine!  She loves this little stuffed dog, and it is what we used at one point to make her stop fussing.  The picture looked so pitiful...unless you pair it with a cute and catchy Valentine greeting!

We have heard back from many of our recipients, and they were all very surprised and pleased with their sweet and special Valentines. 

A Birthmother's Story {God Gave Us Love}

I am so glad to bring you more stories in our God Gave Us Love series during the month known for love.  There is no greater love, besides that of our Heavenly Father, stronger than the love of a mother.  This includes birthmothers.  I am incredibly honored and humbled to share the story of a precious birthmother.  You will understand the sensitivity of her story and her anonymonity.  This is her story...raw and real.  Soak it in.  Cry with her.  Love with her.  And  pray for her even now.

People have always said, through life you will be tested and tried. I never thought my life would take me down the path that it has the last ten years. Through heartbreak, tears, smiles, and laughter, I made it to who I am today. When I was a child people asked me all the time what it was like to be adopted. For me, I never gave it a second thought. My birth mother was only 17 years old when I was born. I always wondered, did she want me? Was I a mistake? Was I something bad that happened to her or was it very difficult for her to make that sacrifice? When I reached 17, I realized how young she really was and how there was no way I could ever have had a child at 17. For the first time in my life I had respect for my birth mother. The questions always remained though, why did she decide adoption? My answer came twice but took years before I saw it.

My boyfriend and I found out I was pregnant with my first child when I was 26 years old. We were in a tiny apartment and had very little money. We tried and tried to make ends meet and save for the baby but never could. Finally we decided adoption was the best answer. I knew in my heart that it was the only option because I was living the gift adoption brings. I did not want my son to grow up not having everything at his finger tips. I knew then that if we were to keep him, we would be so selfish and would only end up hurting his chances in life. Now, I'm not saying that everyone who ends up keeping their babies out of wedlock or being a single parent is selfish. In fact the majority of the parents in those situations make a bigger sacrifice by working nonstop to provide for that child. However, most of them have help from family members, which was an option we did not have.

I remember the first time I walked in to Bethany and met Nancy, our adoption counselor. I was terrified. My whole life I had been judged.What is this stranger going to think of me? I never thought being adopted myself I would be on the other side. After roughly five minutes, I felt like I was talking to one of my closest friends. I never felt awkward about telling her anything. My boyfriend met her and he felt the same way. She very quickly knew every detail and every secret of our lives. She was with me through every step of the process and held my hand through the hardest times. She even met my mother. I decided that due to my adoption being closed, I wanted my child to have the access to any questions he may have later in life. The answers that I will never have. I wanted to meet the family we had chosen to make sure they were going to be the right match for us and for the baby. I will never forget that day. My boyfriend and I were so nervous. We had read their profile and loved what we saw. We could almost feel through the pictures and their words that they were the perfect couple for our child. Upon meeting them it was as if God himself had held our hands to lead us to each other. We sat in the Bethany office for 2 hours, talking, laughing, carrying on like we had been old college friends who hadn't seen each other in years. We had so many things in common and so many things different but the main thing we had in common was the well being and love for this precious baby. I wanted them to have the experience of taking the baby home from the hospital and wanted them to be able to see him in the hospital. I wanted it to be as natural as if the adopting mother had given birth to him herself, just without all the pain. On a hot summer day I knew it wasn't long before he made his grand entrance into this world. Sure enough, by 8 pm that night I was headed to the hospital and by 2 am, he was in my arms. A beautiful, gray, big brown eyed, 6 lb baby boy who never cried but maybe once, had graced us with his presence.

The next day the adoptive family came to see their new born son. It was yet again just like a party. We hung out in the hospital room and talked and talked. I don't remember too much at this point, the pain medication is pretty awesome when you have a very easy but rather painful post delivery like I had. I remember though the night before I left the hospital. I sat in the bed with my son singing "Baby of Mine" from Dumbo, a lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a baby, to calm him to sleep. I cried and cried that night. We watched as the nurse laid him down in his bassinet to go to sleep before he took his journey to his new home with his new family to begin his new and wonderful life. The next day the nurse brought him in for the last time so we could say goodbye. We took pictures, told him how much we loved him and sent him off with Nancy.

After months and months of communicating through pictures and letters, the bond between us and the family had grown into an extension of our own family and just when we thought everything had begun to settle down and return to normal, I found out I was pregnant again. I was mortified. Not only was I pregnant, I was 31 weeks pregnant when I got the news. I never had any symptoms, never had any indication I was expecting again. We immediately called Nancy. We were still struggling to make ends meet and could barely afford to feed ourselves, much less our two cats. We had to come up with a plan and fast! In the first selection of profiles, just like with the first family, we kept looking at this one couple. The same feelings came flooding back to both of us. We never said which one felt the most to either of us until the end when we said "Okay, I think this one". We had both picked the same couple just like the first time. Every word, every picture just spoke to our hearts and once again God led us to this amazing couple. We met them and explained to them about our situation and that we had picked them. The meeting went exactly the same way. We left 2 hours later feeling like we had met up with old friends after years of being apart. It all felt so natural. I was in communication with my son's mother the whole time and Nancy actually came with me for the gender reveal at the doctor. Once again, on a warm summer night I gave birth to a stunningly beautiful baby girl. Everything went smoothly with the delivery, the parents came in to meet their new addition. We hung out in the hospital room playing music, talking and laughing and enjoying this precious baby. I arranged for an open adoption again so that if she had any questions, she would have the answers. I sang the same lullaby to her, even though she slept through most of her stay, unlike her brother. I never let her leave my arms except for when my boyfriend held her or it was time for the nurse to take her. I watched as the nurse laid her down the last night we were there. The next day wasn't as easy as the first time.

After the birth of my daughter, I began to wonder, why doesn't anything work out for me? Why is it that so many of my friends can have babies and have them with them and watch them grow. Would I ever get to the point of my life that I could have a child of my own? Why couldn't I have what I want? Then I realized, God was not punishing me, he was giving me what I needed and what I did always want. I've always wanted a large family and now I will have one. I've always wanted a man who would stand by me through hell and high water. We are one of the very very few couples to make it through, not just one, but two adoptions and are still going strong. I haven't lost my children. I still have the ability to watch them grow into beautiful amazing adults. We have four of the greatest people I have ever met now in our lives. My children later in life will know their brother and sister and will be able to spread the word of adoption and hopefully will give the world a new perspective of what an amazing gift adoption is. People now ask me "how could you do it? How can you just let go and give away your child?" I just smile and say " I didn't". I will always be with them in their hearts. They will never have to question themselves and why they were adopted. They will never have to wonder if they were wanted. They will grow up knowing they are two of the most wanted people on the face of this Earth. They will know they were loved so tremendously that I had to do what I did to give them the life they deserve.

I will now have the amazing family I have always wanted. I have a better understanding of my own adoption and have as much closure with my issues as I will ever have. God gave me the ability to give back for the gift I was given almost 30 years ago. Call it life, call it the cosmic universe, call it the work of God, whatever your beliefs, whatever your thoughts, there is one undeniable fact - that you will be tested throughout your life. What you make of the test and what you make of yourself is all up to you. My personal belief, God most certainly works in mysterious ways. It is up to you to open your eyes and see the gifts and the blessings brought to you. Appreciate them, love them but above all else, recognize them.

Cruising with a Toddler

Back in December, I had special requests to blog about how we prepared to cruise with our 17 month old.  I promised to do it, and then I got busy and forgot!  Maybe it's not too late to pick it up now.  Plus, it will be good for me to look back on and remember for reference...or just for entertainment when Millie Janalee is a teenager.  Ha!

First of all, I must admit that I was incredibly nervous leading up to our departure date.  Not only was I dealing with my own anxiety about being on a boat in the middle of the ocean.  I was also dreaming about worst case scenarios boarding a boat in the middle of the ocean with a TODDLER!  I lost sleep and made lists and tried to avoid the topic at all.  I also knew that once we got aboard the ship, I would be fine.  And I was!  Better than fine.  We had a ball! 

And Millie Janalee had as much or more fun than all of us!  It is fun to cruise with a toddler.  That's my tidbit for today.  It's a different kind of fun, but everything is a different kind of fun once you're a parent, right?

Let me break it down.

1. {Packing}  Packing for a cruise is much different than packing for a regular vacation.  Remember, you are on a boat in the middle of the ocean!  You can't just run to the grocery store or drug store (except whatever your ship provides on board).  We had a. lot. of. luggage.  Russ and I could have certainly taken a cruise with Millie Janalee alone (although it was WONDERFUL to have my family there), but we could NOT have carried all our luggage to the check-in, to the ship, to the taxi, to the hotel, etc. alone.  Nope.  We would've had to tip and pay someone at every stop to help us.  We had three full-size 49 pound suitcases (50 lbs was the limit), three carry-ons, a stroller, a car seat, my purse, and Millie Janalee.  And we had four hands between the two of us.  Thank goodness for my dad and Lee!

Packing for a toddler:

• sunscreen
• toiletries (hair/body wash, lotions, diaper cream, Q-tips, etc.)
• lightweight sweater for windy nights on deck
• extra swimsuits (I liked not having to wash and hang swimsuits to dry.  We were having too much fun to do laundry.)
• tummy meds (children's dramamine and Emetral - we gave her half a dramamine on the flights and some at night on the ship as a preventative mostly) 
• infant meds (Tylenol, Motrin, Benedryl)
• birth certificate and a copy in a suitcase
• antibacterial hand cleaner
• veggie/fruit baby food packs (Thank goodness for these!  Otherwise, she would've eaten fries for every meal.  She was a very picky eater that week.)
• swim diapers
• wipes (We preordered diapers through our cruise line.  Make sure and call ahead to confirm.  Thankfully, we did that because my reservation had not gone through!  Whew!)
•  dish detergent (to wash sippy cups and snack grabber cups)
• sippy cups
• snack grabber
• inflatable tub for shower (even though we only used it once after it scared her to death)
• umbrella stroller with basket underneath (I was so thankful to have that basket underneath for belongings at each port!  And I was thankful for the small size of the stroller in our tiny staterooms.)
• small bag of books and a couple favorite toys
• bibs and disposable placemats
• blanket and crib sheets for the pack n play we reserved for our room (We also brought the egg crate for the pack n play.  She's like the "Princess and the Pea")
• spoons
• leash backpack (although we really never used it)
• pacifiers
• plenty of snacks for flight and cruise
• dinner outfits for each night
• comfy clothes for the day
• sandals, shoes, pool shoes
• sunhat(s)

See?  I told you we packed a lot.  

2. {Reservations}  I do realize Millie Janalee is gifted in the social world.  Bless her heart!  She really doesn't have a choice.  She's been ringing cowbells and on the road since she was 5 weeks old.  But, consider your toddler when making dinner and show reservations.  What time does she get fussy?  What time is your show, and what can you do to prevent a meltdown during dinner or attraction?  For example, I knew we had a show nearly every night after our 8:30 dinner.  Meaning, our shows were at 10 or 10:30 each night!  So, I made sure her diaper was fresh and she was well fed with a paci handy before entering the shows.  I packed backup meals for every dinner/lunch reservation in case she refused to eat what was on her plate.  This saved us from having to go somewhere else for her food.  For us, we pretty much let Millie Janalee work around our reservations (so we have to try and prevent any ugly moments if we can).  You may need to work your reservations around your toddler, keeping in mind his/her fussiest times.  She did manage two naps a day, and one of those naps was always in the room for an hour and a half or more.  The other was by the pool after splashing around.  If you are gonna stay as active as we did, you must have naps!

3. {Ports of Call}  Leaving the ship at each port took some planning also.  We knew we would not be going back to the ship except to leave, so we made sure and packed what Millie Janalee would need.  I also knew I wasn't going to purchase anything for her to eat or drink from a foreign country.  I didn't want to carry much around, so I packed all I could in a little backpack.  Snacks, veggie packs, diapers, wipes, paci, juice and water from the ship, sunscreen, and a sippy cup.  I made sure I packed disposable place mats, antibacterial hand wash, and diaper changing pad too.  Germs!  Enjoy the sights and show your toddler everything you see.  Let her walk around some, so she won't get too antsy.  Millie Janalee was able to take little catnaps in her stroller.  I think she took naps in our stateroom after we boarded the ship at the end of each day.  We never went without a nap.  But, our pace really didn't slow much for it. Basically, she slept up until dinner each night.  Ha!  That's probably how she made it so late for the shows.

That's all I can think of to share.  Other than telling you that we never ever let her run free outside on the ship decks...especially the top deck where there were only rails keeping her from jumping over!  It makes me cringe to think about it!  She never even visited the top deck except when we watched the ship depart each port.  And she was in her stroller by my side.  All the other decks were glassed in.

I might even say that cruising with a toddler is easier than going on any other vacation with one (except the packing and anticipation part).  Everything is right there and only a walk or stroll away.  Tons to do for all ages.  Running back to the room is easy, and everyone is on "island time." 

Make sure to stop and ENJOY it!