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lalasmama
03-02-2012, 04:08 AM
It's 11:30pm, I'm at Disneyland (well, at the hotel now), and I'm writing a BP. UGH!

So, here we go:

DD has ADHD and is generally anxious. She's a routine kinda gal. She wants to know what's going to happen next. We're at Disneyland. Routines are REALLY hard to follow at Disneyland! I don't know if we're going to Astro Blasters or Star Tours next, kid, it depends on the lines!

I took her to Build-a-Bear yesterday. She wanted to get an animal that they have at our local BAB. I was a mean mom and said "no". We're in Disneyland, dammit, please get a DL one! (FTR, I explained that since we are at Disneyland, it would make it really fun to have a Disneyland one, wouldn't it, since they don't have DL ones anywhere else?... and she went for it.)

She's 8, and I've been told 8 is the new 16. OMG. I think she missed that there's not a "1" in front of that 8. YOU ARE NOT AN ADULT YET CHILD! .... but we're off our routine, things are always discombobulated on vacation, and things are ALWAYS bad around her birthday, when she's navigating the difference between one age and the next.

All DD wants to do is ride Screamin' California. I said no, because I feel like she's too small still (50 pounds on a heavy day). "But it says xx inches, Mom!".... She fusses about not getting to ride it every morning on the way into the park. UGH!

DD's flip flopping around in bed right now, not wanting to go to sleep. Oh, she needs to sleep. But, we're in a hotel. With loud neighbors. And she's 8, so why should she need to be asleep at nearly midnight?!

We've been at DL for 5 days now. 5 days may be too many for a 1-on-1 vacation when DD's testing limits and mom's PMS'ing. Oh yeah, there's still 2 more days to go.

The neighbors next door have been enjoying some adult beverages. They couldn't figure out how to work the new-fangled card keys. The whole hotel could hear them arguing about how to do it, and wondering if it was the right room, blaming the front desk staff for the wrong key, etc.

I'm trying, soooo trying, to enjoy this vacation. I'm a Disney freak, as is DD, so this is one of those general "dream" vacations for us.

And then my dad calls tonight. He's drunk off his @ss. He tells me I need to lighten up. He tells me I'm thwarting my daughter's personality because I medicate her. He tells me he hates that he was "removed" from the family. He tells me he misses those days back when I was little and I was a daddy's girl. He's in the middle of a separation right now, and this is the first time he's drank in months. When he's not drunk, we are very much alike and get along well. When he's drunk, well, I can't figure out where truth ends and fiction begins.

So, I'm at Disneyland, PMS'ing, with loud neighbors who are now slamming doors, a child fighting sleep, and a drunk dad waxing poetic about his life pre-drugs/alcohol.

Yep, this is the happiest place on earth.

I do know that there is good going on and happening:
We were blessed to have the money for this vacation.
I was blessed to have the paid time off for this vacation.
Tomorrow is payday.
I haven't had to think about money on this trip.
The beds are WONDERFUL!
The weather is wonderful. (At home, they had a 2-hour snow delay. We were in shorts and a t-shirt here, and I got a little pink!)
DD's willingly walked the whole time--even back to the motel at insane hours.
We got to be extras on Modern Family!
We've been able to ride all kinds of fun things.
We've seen parades and fireworks.
The Bronine or whatever it's called (for nausea and motion sickness) works well for me!
I *think* I'm walking off all the good food.
DD's up for any ride that I want to try--she's got no fear.
There's been ZERO blisters!

.... and so while I know the positives FAR outweigh the negatives (and I could have continued on with the positives), I just needed to whine...

elektra
03-02-2012, 04:18 AM
OMG I am always tired and grouchy at the end of a DL day!
I bet you will be feeling more positive tomorrow. Sounds like you are creating some great memories. :)

eagle
03-02-2012, 04:21 AM
BIG HUGS! hang in there and enjoy the last two days! (or try. it sounds like youre doing a good job of seeing the big picture. so instead of trying to encourage you to enjoy the last to days, its less encouragement and more of a hugs reply here.)

you can do it! :cheerleader1:

:hug:

TwinFoxes
03-02-2012, 07:35 AM
You actually sound like you're having fun. :) Disney can be stressful, as can 7 days one on one with anyone. Hang in there! What's Lala's favorite ride so far?

klwa
03-02-2012, 07:46 AM
*hugs* I don't know anyone who leaves a day at Disney without feeling a little stressed, and it sounds like stuff is piling up. So, just *hugs*

peanut520
03-02-2012, 10:32 AM
sorry to hear about the stress, but you listed some wonderful positive things too!

Gracemom
03-02-2012, 12:37 PM
I have an 8 year old DD too, and yes, it is the new 16! Can you take some time to hang by the pool? We did this in December when we went to WDW and we were all refreshed.

My DS is anxious (age 5) and he had a total meltdown at WDW about the Jedi Training Academy (long story...). So I know how stressful that environment can be on anxious kids. I kept thinking "We're paying for this stress!" Try to enjoy the good moments!

hellokitty
03-02-2012, 12:48 PM
I can understand how it can be. You think that vacation should be relaxed. However, with a disney vacation, there is still a lot of running around and trying to figure out when/where/what to do. Kids have their own idea about what they want to do and they get cranky during trips. Trying to reason with them can be really frustrating and you're spending $, vacation time and effort to take this big dream trip. Do you think that you are spending too much time at the parks? Maybe spend the morning there, come back to the hotel after lunch, swim and rest and return in the evening if she is up for it. I found that at WDW, our kids were pretty fried by lunch time, so we had to go back to the hotel after lunch for some wind down time. I also made sure my kids stuck to their regular bedtimes, so yes we missed the fireworks (luckily, my kids aren't really into fireworks), but it helped us stay a lot more sane that everyone was well rested and not as prone to being cranky. Have a great trip!

larig
03-02-2012, 12:49 PM
aww, hugs for you!!! Sorry you had to have a BP on vacation. I'd agree about doing something low key, like heading to the pool. I almost always need a vacation from my vacation when we're gone more than a weekend. :hug:

lalasmama
03-02-2012, 01:21 PM
Ahhhh, it's morning.

Wonderful morning.

Oh wait.

I have an 8yo crying like she's 2. Because she said she didn't want to watch Disney Junior while I was getting ready to go. And then 10 minutes later, changed her mind, and started crying about it.

And we're talking full-on crying fit. At 9am. Enough that I told her to go back to bed.

Today is the last day of vacation. All I want to do is enjoy it. And when the day starts out like this, I'm not very optimistic.

karstmama
03-02-2012, 01:42 PM
aww, i'm sincerely sorry your vaca isn't entirely magical. i was there two weeks ago with ds (autistic traits), dbf (never been - enjoyed some but spent a lot of time with the 'dad at disney' face on), and my mama (tries hard to keep up but likely will need a scooter next time)...so i hear ya. keep trying, the good will outweigh the bad! you're a hero!

AnnieW625
03-02-2012, 02:11 PM
Good luck! The last days of vacation are always hard. Hoping to go to Disney on Sunday so hopefully there will be some magic left for us:) Have a safe trip home tomorrow.

How did you like the Super 8? My brother when he goes to Disney for more than a night usually stays there and always has nice things to say about it.

zag95
03-02-2012, 06:14 PM
Lala-
At least you have missed the rainy, cold (and a little snowy) weather that will welcome you home.

I hope you are able to enjoy your last day!

Take care- your Portland friend!

HannaAddict
03-02-2012, 09:46 PM
Sorry, that sounds hard and that is a long time for any kid, let alone ADHD to deal with DL. We did three days and kids are exhausted. My then five year old was fine on the California ride and he was still in a five point car seat harness, meaning I am a safety nut. Have you ridden it before? Maybe you could try it? Hang in there and hope you got some good photos.

MamaMolly
03-02-2012, 09:53 PM
Oh my goodness, it sounds like so much work and so much fun! I know this is the BP but still...
Hope the day went up hill :)

jenstring95
03-03-2012, 12:33 AM
I think you deserve to go next door to see if those loud neighbors have any of their adult beverages left! :p I hope your trip ended on a positive note. Traveling is so stressful, especially when it involves sleep deprivation, as a Disney vacation almost certainly does. Have a safe trip back home!

squimp
03-03-2012, 01:19 AM
We went to Disney once and I just had to throw all concept of bedtime out the window. We were not going to make rope drop, and we stayed until the last firework went off. I think it was wise to just let her sleep, eat some good breakfast and lower expectations. I hope the last few days are fun.

Uno-Mom
03-03-2012, 02:44 AM
Aw, I'm sorry. I dearly hope you squeezed some more fun out of today. Print this thread, but hide it. You know lala's going to spend the next few years bragging about how this was the best, best most perfect trip EVER! (Because that's how she'll remember it.).

You're doing an awesome job. :grouphug:

smiles33
03-03-2012, 02:52 AM
Sorry, that sounds hard and that is a long time for any kid, let alone ADHD to deal with DL. We did three days and kids are exhausted.

:yeahthat: We went earlier this year and both girls napped everyday. I also went to rope drop myself (I'm a Disney nut) so the girls could sleep in and hopefully be cheerful later in the day. I hope your trip ends on a good note!

lalasmama
03-03-2012, 04:37 AM
Update....

After she went back to bed for another 30 minutes, she got up in a much better mood. We headed out, and had a fantastic time. We actually didn't leave until after 11pm (so maybe 13 hours there today).

We rode a ton of rides, we waited in a ton of lines, we ate a ton of food, and things were good (finally).

And it was a wonderfully comfortable 75ยบ or so, sunny and warm. We didn't pull out sweaters until like 9pm!

... and now back to the rain of Oregon. Bummer.

AnnieW-- the Super 8 has been... well... Super! :) There were some loud neighbors, but other than that, it was good. I was expecting much worse on so many levels--I mean, I'm paying less than $45/night for the place!--but the rooms are in good repair, they are clean (seriously, my socks are still white on the bottom, there's no "dirt print" on the shower where my feet were when I stepped in), and, oh yeah, cheap ;) And with all the comments I had heard about how bad the walk would be (that the blocks take forever, and 3 blocks is really like 2 miles), it's a quick 10 minutes and we are there. In a 10-minute-walk radius, we've seen Tony Roma's, 2 IHOPs, Denny's, McDonalds, and all of Anahiem Garden Walk or whatever it's called. The front desk people have been fine as well. My only real "complaints" (not bad enough to make me change hotels) is the water at 8-10am (hot turns to lukewarm within 6 minutes), and the lack of soundproofing (could hear people outside in the parking lot EASILY). But its $45; I'm not expecting the Hilton!

smiles33
03-03-2012, 02:07 PM
Hooray! I'm so glad it ended on such a great note.

carolinamama
03-03-2012, 02:51 PM
Every time we do an activity that the kids will love but is tiring (WDW etc), I tell myself that the highs are high but they come with lows too for the kids. It is so much for them to take in and while they love it, they also have the lows.

Glad that your trip ended well. Now you just need a vacation to relax from your vacation! :)

boogiemomz
03-03-2012, 04:26 PM
So glad you had a better day! Sounds completely exhausted with some seriously frustrating elements like your dad trying to rain on your parade, but you are a trooper to look on the bright side and stay mindful of all the awesome things that are happening, even on your toughest days.

Now when do we look for you on Modern Family!?! That is awesome!! :bighand:

anamika
03-03-2012, 05:55 PM
So glad things looked up!
And yes, tell us more about Modern Family! I love that show. Hope it was fun being an extra.

Uno-Mom
03-03-2012, 06:43 PM
Yaaaay!!!

Just fyi, it's cloudy but bright and WARM here in town today. :bighand: The news was even forecasting a possible 60 for tomorrow. Your re-entry might not be as traumatizing as you expect.

lalasmama
03-03-2012, 10:15 PM
No idea on our Modern Family debut! They wouldn't tell us crap about it! Guess I'll have to start watching it now!

There was a ton of filming being done, so this could be our big break, right? :ROTFLMAO: Modern Family was there 2-3 days, they were shooting 2-3 commercials for DL as well. Should I start practicing my autograph? Do I sign it "Mimi", or "Mom at Disneyland Number 794"?...

We're home, the weather is wonderful (airing the house now, at 6pm, which is rare!).

And, most wonderful after 8 straight days of mom and kid time....

DD is at least 15 feet away in the other room, her bedroom, playing quietly. It's the first time in 8 days that there isn't a kid climbing over me!!!!