Moments

I forgot to write some of my favorite moments at Disneyland, and then I’ll quit talking about the darn trip.

–Listening to Max and Elle assure Grace over and over and over again that Space Mountain is NOT scary and that she was going to LOVE it. She didn’t, but she was brave enough to at least try it because of all their sweet assurances.

–Grace’s face when she got off of the California Screaming roller coaster for the first time. I was watching from over a balcony (I had stayed back with Claire), and as they pulled back in to the “station” the sun caught the radiant satisfaction and accomplishment on her face so perfectly. She had done it! And she sure was proud of herself.

–I loved how Claire kept calling the hotel our “show and tell.” Yes, we need to get her hearing checked.

–Having time to really concentrate on each child and their needs and personalities.

–Watching Elle herd around her little sisters, and really enjoy the “kid” rides with them with a huge smile across her face.

–Having sleepy Claire curl up on my lap and be mesmerized by the Disney parade. I had to wake her up to watch it…she was completely exhausted. But she loved it.

–Talking the kids out of more greasy fast food after our first day and sitting with them at the Cheesecake Factory late into the night…listening to Max tell Elle about Randy Johnson’s bird exploding pitch over dinner and watching her jaw drop in wonder at the story.

–Riding roller coasters with Dave.

–One of the mornings we sent Max to take the girls down to breakfast at the hotel while Dave and I finished getting things together. When we joined them a lady came up to me just raving about what an outstanding big brother Max is and how sweetly he had been looking after his sisters, getting them what they needed, etc.

–Listening to the kids fight in the car over who got to sit in the back seat, who got to watch which CD, who’s “best sister” was who (they can all agree on who the best brother is), who got the most animal cookies… Oh wait that wasn’t a “favorite” moment. That was just one of the bad ones…just keeping it real.

–Watching Lucy’s big grin pop out from behind an armchair at my sister-in-law’s house when we went to pick her up on our way home.