(no subject)
We finally took the child to Disney World. It was an amazing trip but for none of the reasons that I thought it would be. :-) basically from ride one we realized that the kid really does not like rides. If it wasn't a dislike of being jostled around, then he didn't like how fast things moved, or he didn't like screens being in his face, or he didn't like the suddenness or of surprises at the rides. He cried on almost every single one. By day two we pretty much just gave up on trying to make him ride anything. It was the best decision we could have made as they caitian was much better after this. We did a couple days it Disney World, then had a couple days off to explore the coast and the Animal Kingdom Lodge with a final day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter before heading home. By far the best part day we had was that Harry Potter. While I spent over $1,000 in robes and Wands and shirts for the family there, it was by far our best day. The kid is normally very focused on fitting in and just being normal. He often won't do anything that embarrasses himself or that he thinks will make him with silly yet there he was spending most of the day walking around in a Slytherin robe and his wand making things interact. You are probably all the way through the ride home and to our Resort before taking it off because he couldn't swim in the pool in it. It was very cool can relaxed and being willing to step out of his comfort zone. It does help that over half the people there were in some type of dress and clearly made it okay for him to be a geek. The funniest thing was that while everything seemed to terrify him for the first few days, once he put on his Slytherin robe and got a Slytherin necklace he seemed to feel more secure and more powerful. While anything even faintly or remotely dark scared the shit out of him for the first couple days, in his robe with his wand he went charging into knockturn alley which was so dark I could barely see in front of me... He charged in there as if it was his own home when we told him that's where the slytherins go. It was like we had a different kid. We also found that he is certainly a fish and after years of being a little bit nervous about being in the water alone, the kid just took off swimming and jumping and Diving throughout the pool areas. It was very cool to see him so confident towards the end of vacation. Saying goodbye to them was a rough thing as they flew back and I'm driving back today. The highlight of our trip was definitely spending a lot of time with the animals at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. From the giraffe to the zebra to the many different types of birds and grazing animals, our family spent a fair amount of time just quietly watching them. But I asked him he said his favorite Parks were Epcot, in the animal kingdom. I'm driving back and have not even made it to Virginia yet but in a quick conversation with spouse, a comment was already made about us possibly going back over winter break. :-) well I don't think I can afford that, I love the excitement both of them have about going back. The kid told me he wants to try the Polynesian Resort next. :-)
As for me, almost a year of planning felt like it went by so quickly. I have tons of stuff to do when I get home and some serious decisions to make, but I do feel like an accomplished parent that the trip went off well and that he had such a good time. I know it seems silly but there is a certain Pride factor that I can get the money together for us to go on vacation and not really worried about money and it seems almost like a badge of honor that I made our families First Disney trip happen. Looking around at all the people that were there I realized that they were mainly white, upper middle class, and definitely more privileged than others. There were a couple times on the trip where I felt guilty because I saw somebody who had less than us whether it was somebody working in housekeeping, or someone adds a rest stop, and the pangs of guilt hit swiftly. I'm well aware that I do a lot of work to get the money that we have, but I also understand that I am more privileged than many as well. It's something that I think about today as I drive home. Anyway, it's like it near to Virginia today, my mind is already shifting to all of the things that I'm doing when I get back. Well I enjoyed vacation it is often hard for me at this stage in my life to not feel like I've got so much to do and I wonder if that's now my comfort zone... To have too much to do. :-) maybe it's because I feel more comfortable when I have tasks that I can check off on a list or cross out so that I know that I'm making progress towards things. While on vacation I can do the same thing with experiences but I tend to like to leave things more fluid. I don't know, are we all creatures of habit? The idea of a possible time in my life where I retire and have nothing to fill my days is not something that sounds good to me. Having time instead to devote myself towards Passions seems much more my style. :-) I don't know, just some random thoughts as I drive. :-)
As for me, almost a year of planning felt like it went by so quickly. I have tons of stuff to do when I get home and some serious decisions to make, but I do feel like an accomplished parent that the trip went off well and that he had such a good time. I know it seems silly but there is a certain Pride factor that I can get the money together for us to go on vacation and not really worried about money and it seems almost like a badge of honor that I made our families First Disney trip happen. Looking around at all the people that were there I realized that they were mainly white, upper middle class, and definitely more privileged than others. There were a couple times on the trip where I felt guilty because I saw somebody who had less than us whether it was somebody working in housekeeping, or someone adds a rest stop, and the pangs of guilt hit swiftly. I'm well aware that I do a lot of work to get the money that we have, but I also understand that I am more privileged than many as well. It's something that I think about today as I drive home. Anyway, it's like it near to Virginia today, my mind is already shifting to all of the things that I'm doing when I get back. Well I enjoyed vacation it is often hard for me at this stage in my life to not feel like I've got so much to do and I wonder if that's now my comfort zone... To have too much to do. :-) maybe it's because I feel more comfortable when I have tasks that I can check off on a list or cross out so that I know that I'm making progress towards things. While on vacation I can do the same thing with experiences but I tend to like to leave things more fluid. I don't know, are we all creatures of habit? The idea of a possible time in my life where I retire and have nothing to fill my days is not something that sounds good to me. Having time instead to devote myself towards Passions seems much more my style. :-) I don't know, just some random thoughts as I drive. :-)