Firefly Lights and Sparkle

We recently took a trip to Disneyland with my family before all the siblings scattered for the summer (and beyond). I was sort of like a kid counting down to Christmas during the weeks preceding the trip, even though I'm far too old to be that excited (or admit it!). I don't think this is how it's supposed to work, but trips to Disneyland have been like Stradivarius violins: they just keep getting better over the years. Or maybe I just appreciate those trips for different reasons.

1. I don't remember much about my first trip to Disneyland but I remember that it affected me DEEPLY - ha! I was in second grade at the time, and in second grade we were allowed to "self-publish" our own books (i.e. we were given card stock pages with text lines on the bottom half and blank top halves for pictures. We could write and illustrate the book and then the teacher would bind it with black spirals. It felt very official to me). Immediately after returning from Disneyland that first time, I started using my second grade "free write" sessions to work on my magnum opus (at least, that's what it felt like to me then even if I didn't know the word).

I remember that my "book" created quite a stir among my classmates. It became more of a legend the longer I worked on it and the more pages it accumulated. I wanted to describe every detail of my experience. I didn't want to forget anything. So I wrote and wrote and drew and drew with all the fervor my little second grade self could muster. (Sometimes I take myself too seriously. This was probably one of those times.) I don't remember how long it took me to complete, but it was quite a hefty little masterpiece by the time I was finished. The teacher let me use an entire reading time to read my "book" out loud to the class. That honor of honors was (I felt) a fitting end to an enthralling vacation.

(I still have that book somewhere in a box in my parent's attic. I wish I could dig it out to review for my own pleasure - and maybe scan some pages for yours - but alas. I'm sure my mother will happily take this opportunity to remind me why I should re-appropriate the rest of my boxes.)

2. In sixth grade I returned to Disneyland for a family reunion. Bliss to be trusted to leave the parents on a bench somewhere and run around all day and night with my cousins! We were so proud of ourselves, getting to know every pathway of the park as if we were the only experts there. This was pre-California Adventure days, so each night we opened up our Disneyland maps and counted the number of rides we had enjoyed, checking off each one on the list until we could proudly brag that we had ridden every single one.

3. My next trip wasn't until senior year of high school, only a month before graduation. I went with the band and choir, so the trip also encompassed long but happy bus rides with best friends. Our time at Disneyland  was more laid-back than the happy scurrying of the previous trip. It was fun and merry, though there was an underlying sense of strangeness, knowing that soon we would all be separating and starting a new sort of life at different colleges all across the country. We were nearing the end (or at least the shallowing) of those fast friendships, and I think we felt it a little more keenly, somehow, in a place like Disneyland.






So. Now that I've spent way too much time reminiscing...

4. This last time around lived up to my giddy expectations. The fun began with the car trip there (I'm a car-trip kind of gal. Bring a good book to read out loud, pack up the snacks, turn on the music, follow along with the atlas). It was a sweet chance to talk with my husband about all sorts of things - to catch up, even though we manage to find time to talk for a little while, at least, every day. Madelyn was an angel, like always, sleeping through most of the ride and talking quietly to herself when she was awake. We arrived at the hotel within a minute of my family, which was crazy since they'd had a much longer trip and we'd had a couple of unexpected traffic delays along the way.

Disneyland was fabulous. We laughed a lot. We loved being together (all of us - my whole family!). We shrieked and giggled on the rides. We took Madelyn on any ride we could and she watched the magic with big eyes. We took our shoes and socks off on Soarin' Over California. We walked slowly to savor the atmosphere. We sent Jordan running ahead to get fast passes so that we could walk slowly to savor the atmosphere...

Unfortunately, Madelyn developed a 102 degree fever the morning of the second day. She remained sweet as ever though, sleeping in her stroller most of the day while I tried to keep her out of the sun. I had my thermometer with me and baby Tylenol, so between the two I was able to have an enjoyable day without too much worry. We gave her extra fluids in between meals and I let her nurse as much as she wanted during the day to keep her hydrated.

I will say, I don't think I've been in a more baby-friendly place since Madelyn was born. I loved Disney's Baby Center off Main Street. You are greeted at the door by a friendly, matronly woman in a dress and apron, who helps direct you according to your needs. They have high chairs and microwaves, curtained rooms with cushioned chairs for nursing and pumping, cushioned changing tables and small potties for toilet trainers, and a carpeted area where babies can stretch, roll and crawl for a little while. It was quiet, away from the bustle and noise of the park. Though I mostly fed Madelyn in tucked-away corners of wherever we happened to be when she got hungry, every day I went to the Baby Center once to nurse in a little place of peace. When we were out and about, we took good advantage of the stroller passes that allowed two or three of us to stay behind with the baby and jump straight to the FastPass line when the rest of our group returned for their babysitting turn.

Dave was much more impressed with the Disney experience than he expected to be (having never been to either the -Land or -World before). We both marveled at the attention to detail given to every corner of every ride and Disney street. We admired the colors, the atmosphere, the universal friendliness and helpfulness of the staff (even of the poor street cleaners who had to sweep away the dropped chunks of chicken salad sandwiches right out from under our feet). I think I was successfully able to convince Dave that even if we had to start saving now, it would definitely be worth it to take our own little family again in a few years.


This was the "no extra spinning" cup

Dave calls this his "Madelump"

On the cool, breezy, dark (in other words, much appreciated) Small World

Madelyn loved the uncles and aunts time, even if it was more limited because of her sickness


Love this great lookin' guy

The WHOLE family. Rare these days. 

Yes, we did. 


Yes, I ruined it. 

 
Astroblaster pros

Grandpa time!

 

Dave and I weren't at our most photogenic this trip, but Madelyn was sure looking gorgeous!

(We accidentally left behind the camera, so Ty was nice enough to take lots of pictures of us.)

Dave says I love Disneyland because it "presses all my nostalgia buttons" (the first half of this post should be evidence of just how nostalgic I can be!). My own history there, coupled with the history of the park, the architecture, the blinking "firefly" lights in the trees, the rides that hearken back to favorite childhood movies and delights, the dramatic nighttime shows that are somehow delightful, emotional and moving, and the exclusive family togetherness time make Disneyland one of my favorite - and yes, nostalgic - vacations.

And here was the revelation: I haven't had many "special" moments in my life lately. While I was in Disneyland, I found myself skipping a little when I walked, I held Dave's hand while we walked and sat close to him on the rides. We were even caught kissing in the middle of a Disneyland street once or twice (gasp!). I realized that our lives have settled into a normal, fairly drab routine lately. Disneyland made me sparkle in a way I haven't done for quite a while. I started to evaluate how I could bring some "firefly lights" into my life on a more regular basis. My conclusion was that I needed to make memories more often. Watching TV and checking Facebook might be momentary mental breaks, but as that happens day-to-day, it blends into the same drab routine that ends up feeling pretty tiresome in the end.

So that was the commitment I made while I was at Disneyland: Make more memories. My post about the Botanical Gardens represented the beginnings of that effort. Hopefully there will be other memories to come!

Comments

Tyler said…
I remember those happy scurryings! My happy introduction to the joys of Peter Pan's Flight!

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