Happily Ever After

This is probably one of my longest post yet.

I can't help myself.

I'm so in love with these photos and memories.

But for everyone else...  unless you...

a)  love our Walt

or

b) love Walt Disney World

.....you may want to check back another day.

It's that long.

And if by some chance, both a & b apply to you....   call me.  We need to do lunch.

;)

  I do these post for my memory, which makes it hard not to record every detail.  Whenever we vacation, I'm always tempted to spell out each day....  in order...  including every stop, activity, meal, etc.,.
But really....   the "and on Wednesday we went to.... "   isn't what I hope to remember.

It's so much simpler than that.

So instead of a play by play.....here are a few things I hope to not forget...


Not only was this Walt's first trip to Disney, but also his first flight!

I hope to never forget how fun it was having him at the airport with us...

.....how much he loved looking out the window before take off and landing.

And how even though I had a diaper bag stocked with new toys and treats....he slept the entire time we were in the air.  Both going and coming.

I hope I never forget where we stayed, as it now holds special memories for the past two Disney trips.

And I hope I never forget the way Troy would show Walt the views of Disney in the distance each morning.

I hope I never forget the butterflies I had on that first morning monorail ride.  I've taken that ride a zillion times, never thinking a thing of it.  But I couldn't wait to see our Walt in Magic Kingdom.  To see his face at the sight of it all.

But watching Troy introduce our son to the iconic, magical castle....

A place of so many memories for us....

The place where our Walt began...

was more than I could have imagined.

And to see his little feet tap about on Main Street.....

..... was one of the sweetest sights I've ever seen.

I hope I never forget the look on his face as he watched his first parade.....

Like many moments on this first trip....  it was almost too much for my heart to handle.

I hope I always remember that his first ride was Winnie the Pooh.  And how the excitement of waiting to step onto the ride.....

.....was just as fun as the ride itself.

And who can resist this cuddly souvenir of his first ride?  The look on his face when we showed it to him, made us want to buy him 30 more!

And what Disney fanatic hasn't dreamed of taking their little one on "It's a Small World?"

I wondered if Walt would be too young to care to watch.

But he couldn't get enough.

He sat so still...

...turning his little head back and forth trying to take it all in.

I hope to always remember that.


Goosebumps.

I hope I never forget how he actually held onto the handle bars on the carousel.

It was something so simple.... yet so sweet to me.

And if you remember Walt's first Halloween costume....  you know I was beside myself to see him on this ride.....

I couldn't get enough of him and the flying elephant.

I hope I never forget how he jumped and smiled during the Festival of the Lion King...

.... but more importantly..... how he slept in my arms while waiting for it to start.

And nothing could have prepared me for when Walt met the famous mouse.

When Mickey spoke to Walt (Yes!  For all you Disney fans- the one in Tony's Town Square now speaks and interacts!),

Walt literally giggled out loud.

Over and over again.....

And speaking of Mickey....  I hope I never forget how much Walt enjoyed having meals with the characters.

It was again something I wondered if he would get into.  Would he be too young to interact?  Or would they scare him?

But he couldn't have been any more precious.

He laughed and smiled, and loved on each character.

This is a crazy amount of character meal photos, but Troy and I had so much fun watching him.  I want to remember it all.

He eventually began to anticipate them coming to his table.... which was so fun to watch.

I hope to never forget how different our evenings were on this trip.  Normally, Troy and I are closing down the parks with one last Dole Whip, one last ride, and the best spot for the fireworks.  But on this trip, we spent our evenings snuggled up in bed with a cuddly baby who had just experienced a very big day.  We would order room service, watch him play with his souvenirs from that day, and get to bed early.  There was something very sweet about it.

And something I don't think we could ever forget, but I have to include....  is how sweet people were with Walt.  We were overwhelmed by it.  Truly.  I can't tell you how many people stopped to make over him...  or asked to have their picture made with him (yes!?  crazy!?), or would just stand and watch him.  We figured his name would turn a few heads.....   but had no idea how much we would be stopped.  It was definitely an experience.

  On our very last day there, I decided to take a few pics of a little bit of the fuss we had experienced that week.

They'll never know what a big part they played in making our week so memorable.  It tickled Troy and I so much!

I hope I never forget how different my camera memory card looked on this trip.
  I normally fill it with pictures of Disney buildings, landscaping, characters, etc.,.


But there was very little of that on this trip.  I absolutely could not stop taking pictures of our Walt...

But above all.....

Above all the parades, and character meals, and rides,

... and monogrammed outfits....

;)

 I hope to never forget the contagious, true, joy that came with this trip.


And I'm so thankful for these pictures that seem to capture a tiny piece of it.....

I've looked at the photo above a million times, since taking it.

It's just one tiny picture, but it says so many things.  As Disney as it may sound....  for Troy and I, it truly does symbolizes a dream come true.

Not because of Mickey or a castle....  but because of a healthy, happy baby....   the beautiful experience of becoming parents, and the joy and contentment that Walt brings to our lives.


The last time I blogged about Disney, I ended it with thanking Troy for a memorable conversation that we had while on that trip.  It was a conversation about the hope of future babies.  I'll never forget where we were standing (in Disney), and what he said to me.

As most of you know....  we were blessed with Walt while there.

It still completely overwhelms my heart.



Of all the fairy tales....  of all the wishes, the dreams, and the once upon a times......

I have to say, that our happily ever after remains my very favorite.



























Whether you quickly scrolled past pictures, to get the gist of this post....

or studied every photo, and read every word...

I am truly honored that you care to share in our lives!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,

Kristin, Troy & Walt