"It was all started by a mouse."

Disney.  Walt Disney World.  Walt said, "I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.”

A mouse.  That little mouse that has been around for 86 years, and last week he cost us beaucoup bucks.  It was definitely worth it.  Although the highlight of the trip for Lil One, who is 5, was the hotel and pool.  That was really all he wanted to do.  He was happy meeting Lilo and Stitch, and The Mouse himself. He had fun dancing with the German band at dinner one night. He also laughed at the 3D Muppet Show.  But if you ask him his favorite part of the trip, it was the pool, eating and the hotel.  In that order.

First Born was all about the rides, and since The Hub does not do rides, it was I who partook in those rides.   The rides at Disney are not too crazy so it was not taxing, but enjoyable.  

We surprised the kids with my parents (Nana and PopPop) showing up at the airport to come along with us.  So it was a magical trip right from the beginning.  

We flew out of very cold and nasty weather to some not-as-cold and not-as-nasty weather.  Florida did warm up for us after a couple of days and we were enjoying the sunshine in our shorts and t-shirts.  I dressed the boys in very bright colored, matching t-shirts as to spot them quickly in the crowded parks.  According to the touringplans.com app that I downloaded, on a scale of 1-10 the crowd level was only between 2 and 4 the entire time we were there.  I couldn’t get over how crowded it was and how much worse it must be in the summer or peak seasons!  

There are so many apps and websites and books about Disney that my OCD brain had a field day while planning.  I loved the planning process.  I spent hours and hours on www.disneyworld.disney.go.com on "My Disney Experience."

Planning is exciting, the execution is where I get nervous and uptight.  I sincerely try not to let things get me angry.  Stupid things, like Lil One crying because he does not want to leave the hotel. First Born worrying himself nauseous about what we have planned for the day.  My phone with all aforementioned apps on it, NOT WORKING and running out of battery power by noon. It took a few days to work out the kinks, but I don’t like kinks.  If things don’t run smoothly and according to my plans I feel as though I have failed.  Not only failed myself, but failed my kids, my husband and my parents.  Therein failing Disney.  

I failed at Disney for the first couple of days. But The Hub, on the other hand, is the antithesis of this.  He lets it go.  All of it.  He just goes along and does not feel the need to direct, plan or control any of it.  He is wonderful when I refer to him in a quandary.  He is quick and helpful if there is a true problem or dilemma.  But he is also King of Calm when it comes to getting stuff done.  I wish I had this.  I NEED TO LEARN THIS!  I can’t let ANYONE else plan anything that I am involved in.  It is pathetic and a huge character flaw that I would like to overcome someday.  

I do enjoy the planning and the timelines and the making of reservations - the anticipation of everyone’s needs and wants and desires - the painstaking tasks of forecasting every possible bump in the road.  I delight in that and feel really accomplished if it all goes the way I plan AND everyone is happy and having fun.  The minute that something goes astray, or someone is unhappy, I not only get upset, but I take personal offense to it. YES!  I know!  That. Is. Crazy.  I’m working on it.  

I genuinely tried to let some of it go on this vacation.  I mean, I did plan the shit out of it and took control of mostly everything, but when the weather didn’t cooperate, or the reservations got screwed up, or Lil One just wanted to go back to the hotel, (and so did First Born and The Hub), we did.  I went with it.  

I decided to have a few drinks when we went to the countries in Epcot.  A margarita in Mexico, a few beers in Germany, a couple of wines in Italy.   

I walked arm in arm with my Hub watching our boys swinging from my parent’s arms, which warmed my heart beyond compare.  

I stopped to feel the soft little hand of my Lil One, grasp on to mine for no other reason than to hold it. (we weren’t crossing a street or anything!!) I relished in that feeling the entire time.  His little fingers curved gently around my hand, made me long for the days that First Born was that small and knowing how fast it goes.  

I was very conscious when First Born and I rode the Haunted Mansion and he scooted closer to me and asked me if I was scared when I rode that same ride when I was his age.  I put my arm around him, happy to have this opportunity to comfort this little boy who is only about 4 inches shorter than me.  I explained how each of the illusions were being done and how none of it could be real, which makes it all the more fun.  

I looked at my parents and enjoyed their stories of rides that I liked and didn’t like as a child, their remembrances of myself and my brother in the very same place and what had changed and what hadn’t.  Watching them with my boys was a joy that I could not hide.  My boys adore their Nana and PopPop almost as much as Nana and PopPop adore my boys. Seeing that brought me back to the same feelings I had with my grandparents.  

The Hub and I were very in sync during this trip.  We both were feeling extremely lucky and full of emotion.  It is hard not to in Disney World.  It was a roller coaster of emotions and fun, intermixed with some tiring timelines and long long days.  

And it all started with a mouse.  An 86 year old mouse who makes families come together and have fun.  That we did.  

Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie (1928) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)