This did not make Sara's list

When I say Sara loved everything at Disneyland, what I mean to say is that she loved everything except ...

Dale.

Sara's Disneyland Favorites

Sara loved Disneyland.  Loved, loved, loved it.  This surprised me.  I guess I had assumed she would be a passive participant merely dragged along, suffering the sun and the sleeplessness so the rest of us could make some memories.  But, no, she was totally into it!

She loved the closeness and togetherness of our family.  She loved the excitement of our surroundings.  She was so happy to simply be outside.  She was fascinated by the colors and music on the rides, never squirmy or nervous, just soaking it all in.  Sara is observant, and during our vacation there was so much to observe. What is amazing is how content Sara was--not wired or overstimulated--but simply content.  Sure, she was tired and sleep-deprived by the end, by she was remarkably, incredibly easy-going and resilient.  It was such a pleasure and so special to share Disneyland with her.

This list is not clever or ironic.  It's based on what we observed to be her truly happiest moments, when she was fascinated, excited, and contented.

Meeting Ariel

Sara was fascinated by the princesses, their sparkles and smiles.  When we tried to get a picture of the girls with Ariel, Sara couldn't stop looking at her.

Her Very Own Minnie Mouse

The Little Mermaid's Undersea Adventure

Sara's first ride was technically Mickey Mouse's Fun Wheel.  But her second ride--and first narrative, animated ride--was The Little Mermaid.  She loved the colors and singing and bubbles!   (Throughout the trip she was so good on all these types of rides, like Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Small World and Buzz Lightyear.  She was never overstimulated or freaked out.  She was happy to sit on your lap and soak it all up.)  Mary and I had a chance on our last day to come back and ride The Little Mermaid two more times with Sara.

Finding Nemo Submarine Ride

Baby loved this one!

Note:  Yes, Sara was rocking some crazy hair that week!

a bug's land

Towards the end of our first day, when we were in California Adventure, we found ourselves in a bug's land, a shaded pocket of kiddie rides.  We were humoring Mary, who still loves little rides like these, while we figured out what to do next.  (This was the moment of crisis we had before Greg decided we were going to watch the parade.)  We were all kind of tired.  David was feeling down because he had chickened out on going on the Tower of Terror (my kids do NOT like spooky stuff), and I was weary and grouchy.  But Sara was having a great time, tagging along through a bug's land.

Going on the Ladybug ride with Daddy and Mary

Watching David and Mary on the bumper bugs

Going up is fun.  Look at that smile!

Wee!  So it going around and down!

Hanging out

Looking around

Best of all, eating seat belts!

Meeting Winnie the Pooh

The #1 highlight of Disneyland for Sara was meeting Winnie the Pooh.  When she saw him, her face immediately lit up.  She was beaming!!  It was like meeting him was her whole reason for being born.  She almost jumped out of Greg's arms when she saw him, and she watched with envy as Pooh autographed David's and Mary's books.  Soon enough, she got to meet him, and it was pure bliss!  This happened towards the end of our last day in the parks, and it seemed like the perfect way to end.  It was such a sweet, magical moment.  Seeing Sara so happy became a favorite memory for everyone.

David and Mary meet Winnie the Pooh

Sara sees Winnie the Pooh and lights up immediately!

She tries to jump out of Greg's arms, and watches David and Mary with envy.

Ah, finally!  She gets to meet this enormous stuffed animal!

She is a happy baby.

Raise your hand if you love Winnie the Pooh!

Mary's Disneyland Favorites

Tea Cups

Mary's number one goal on our vacation was to ride the tea cups.  And ride the tea cups she did!  Again and again and again.  She LOVES these kinds of spinning, vomit-inducing rides. This was her number one favorite thing from Disneyland.  I think she went half a dozen times, at least.  While David was the Screamin' King, Mary was the Tea Cup Queen.

Greg took Mary and David the first time.

Greg worked hard, really hard, to get that tea cup spinning.

What a thrill!

This was towards the end of the ride.  Greg and David look like they're going to puke.  But Mary is as happy as can be.

Mary also went on the tea cups with me and Sara. 

Fortunately, because we had Sara, we had to take it a little slower.  No thrills like riding with Dad!

I took David and Mary one evening while we were waiting for the parade to start.

Mary was so happy to get a yellow tea cup--yellow is her favorite color right now.

I just want to point out that I am the best mom ever because even though rides like this make me sick, I did not wuss out and we spun the like the best of them.  Three times.  I may never be the same.

Ariel's Grotto

A highlight for Mary was definitely lunch at Ariel's Grotto.  I used to be kind of disturbed by the whole princess thing.  (I guess I thought there was a straight line between a three-year-old Cinderella and a grown-up real housewives reality star??  Or that a pink tiara would directly result in an inability to do math?)  But, one, it's just too hard to fight, and is the fight worth it?  And, two, as my wise sister-in-law pointed out a few years ago, girls grow out of the princess stage so don't worry about it.  That was eye-opening for me.  And a fact that made this trip timely.

Mary is just on the verge of outgrowing the princess stage.  She's close enough that we can see what lies beyond, and I'm not sure I'm excited about a lot of it.  Suddenly, the fact that she loves Belle seems so sweet and innocent and young.  So we decided that on this trip we were going to freeze time and embrace the princess thing.  A few years ago, I would have led Mary away from the princesses--but, now, we worked on an autograph book ahead of time and made reservations at a restaurant that would allow her the opportunity to meet them.  It was fun to just be "all in," you know.  To be just as excited as she was.  It was great.

Sure, afterwards, she announced that she wants to be a princess when she grows up.  But she also wants to be a teacher, a rock star, a nurse, a pianist, a ballerina, and a doctor.  So I'm not too worried.

Mary and Sara meet Ariel.
(Notice their matching princess t-shirts.  Yes, we were "all in," even at the expense of good taste.)

Cinderella!

Princess Aurora signed Mary's autograph book.  (She signed David's too.  He wanted all of the princess's autographs, but he refused to ask for them himself or pose in pictures with them.  He was so funny.)

Mary and Princess Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty

Greg looks on, as happy as can be.  

Mary and Snow White

I love this picture, of an awed Mary looking up to Belle.

The highlight:  Meeting Belle!

Goofy's Sky School

Mary loved this ride in California Adventure.  Sadly, I don't have a picture.  It's one of those mouse trap style roller coasters--lots of ups and downs and turns--but smoother.  Honestly, I think this might have really been her favorite ride, except that she's so obsessed with the tea cups that she can't admit she might have liked something else better!


The Little Mermaid Under Sea Adventure

This ride goes right along with the all the princess love Mary was feeling.  (She's not in the picture because she was next to me.)

Meeting Mickey and Minnie and visiting Minnie's house

Mary has decided she loves Minnie so much that she wants to be her for Halloween now!

Also, I wasn't sure if David and Mary would care much about meeting Mickey Mouse.  But it was a given--of course you meet Mickey Mouse when you go to Disneyland, duh.  They were determined to meet him, even waiting in the hot sun for a long time to do so. (For Minnie, David sent his autograph book with Mary. So funny.)

Mary relaxing in Minnie's house

Splash Mountain

Mary LOVED Splash Mountain!  I got to go on it twice with the kids; it was so fun.

Okay, can we just agree this is the worst picture of me ever?  But' it's so classic!  

Other Favorites

Autopia
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
Meeting Winnie the Pooh
Goofy's Kitchen
The parades
Grizzly River Run
Shopping with mad money
The fireworks-decorated headboard over the hotel bed
It's a Small World
Bug rides in It's a Bug's World
Doing stuff with Mommy