Characters Galore!

One of the best things - no lines!  It's quick and easy to get photos with the characters.  So, even if you've seen Mickey 500 times and have that many pictures together, when he changes outfits and you need to grab. one. more. photo!  it's just a matter of a couple minutes. 

The other great thing is how the characters come out and interact with the kids.  Peter Pan and Captain Hook were out playing Follow the Leader and Hide & Seek with the kids almost every evening around dinner.  

7

Somehow I blinked and it is seven years later.  With Nadia in our hearts everyday, we celebrated them both on the 20th.

After her birthday dinner and cake, we went to a Magic Dave workshop and he called her up on stage to help with a trick!

Emily is our sweet, shy, yet very sassy girl.  Lover of reading, creating, and random cartwheels.  Actually I won't call them random because they happen anywhere and everywhere.  She's a mama and a daddy's girl, but still has a hard time talking with adults while we are around.  She's more open when we are out of sight!  She never sits still and still doesn't care about movies or TV, but luckily she's not picky and is easy to entertain (as long as you've had a good night's sleep and a few cups of coffee, because she is still an early to bed and early to rise kind of girl).

She's now about 4 feet tall, lost her 7th tooth recently, and doesn't want to cut her hair because she wants to braid it like Elsa.  She loves all food, and is always hungry starving!  She loves going to gymnastics and riding every week; but loves time in the water, a bike ride with mom, or any adventure presented to her.

Emily is an amazing girl who misses her sister whole heartedly.  Most nights there are tears because of this ache, which is so sad to watch.  There is a twin bond that we cannot begin to understand between our two girls.  Emily is still trying to get a grasp on sharing, taking turns, and being fair when out in the real world with friends, but she's getting better!

Oh how we love our little girl, our twin b, the one who rescues me from grief even as we deal with hers.  She's growing up way too fast, and as much as I wish she'd just stay little, I love watching her grow and change and question things.  She's beautiful inside and out, and I cannot wait to see what 7 brings!

Two Days at Sea

Sunday (Father's Day) and Monday (the girls' birthday) were days at sea, and both days were spent relaxing without a schedule!

 Detective Agency is a fun thing to do when you're not in the pool.  On 11 different decks there are interactive pictures.  You hold up your detective badge and it gives you clues as to who stole the Muppets' instruments, took the 101 Dalmatian puppies, or who took Mickey's artwork.  It has kids and adults running all over the ship locating the pieces and trying to solve the mysteries.

Emily was thrilled Magic Dave would be performing on the ship again.  He really is a great act to watch.  I actually spied him the first day on the ship, and Emily chased him down and gave him a big hug.  After that, he acknowledged her every time he saw her (even during his big performance in the Walt Disney theater).  

lifeboat 7 for her 7th birthday - it's a tradition!

By chance, we had the same waiter as we did last year, but we were lucky enough to not have to share our table with any other families.  Emily spent both mornings doing activities in the Oceaneers Lab and Club and the afternoons riding the aquaduck, the waterslide, or in the pool.  Aaron went to the movies or the seminars on shopping in port (his favorite!).  I found comfortable chairs in the adult section with a few good books.  Of course, here and there we had really important character meet and greets, ice cream cones to eat, and other fun ship activities.  We all like the lazy days at sea!

Disney Fantasy 2016

Saturday was embarkation day for our cruise on the Disney Fantasy, the same ship that we sailed on last year.  We left the airport on a bus for the port and were able to board before lunch (one perk of sailing multiple times!).  After a quick buffet lunch at Cabana's, Emily was in her suit and on the water slide.

And in the Mickey pool.

By afternoon we were settled in our room, Emily had been checked into the kid's club, and we were ready for another week at sea with Disney!

birthday room decorations

Emily decorated the stateroom door

But by the evening the storm clouds rolled in, and the traditional Sail Away Party was moved indoors.  It was a little crowded fitting the whole ship into the atrium, but it's still fun seeing the kids react to the characters first appearance!

Here we are in the Kids Club for Anyone Can Cook activity with the chef from Ratatouille.

Sea World

Day 2 of our vacation was spent at Sea World.

We arrived mid-morning and we were very thankful that the days weren't as hot as they were during last year's Disney World adventure.  We started off with the penny machines and gathered quite a few more for her collection.  Then while Dad went for the big kid roller coasters, Emily and I headed over to Shamu's Happy Harbor to the kid rides.

Then it was time to see the animals and a few shows.  

beluga whale 

rescued manatee

Cylde and Seamore Sea Lion Show

Journey to Atlantis 

Emily begged to sit in the splash zone for the Shamu One Ocean show, so while Aaron stayed in the dry zone, Emily and I moved closer to the front.  At one point she was mad! that she hadn't been hit by a single drop of water yet.  Then came the tidal wave, and we were both soaked!

During the afternoon there was a brief, but heavy downpour of rain, so we did some of the indoor activities before heading back to Happy Harbor to end the day with a few more rides.