Disneyworld Babymoon Trip

Niel and I just returned from a 5 day trip to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida for our babymoon!  I'm a Disney lover through and through and love all things magical, Minnie Mouse, treats, princesses, glittering lights, castles, carousels, and fancy dining.  I was 22 weeks pregnant and we left the kids at home!  It was so fun to get away from work, homeschool, momming 24/7, church responsibilities, and the monotony of COVID life.  Lots of people suggested waiting to do a Disney trip until after COVID because of the limitations, but I am so glad we went.  It was my first time going since I was four so I didn't have any expectations from previous trips to live up to.  If something was closed, I didn't know any better!  There is SO much to do and see at Disneyworld, it's OK that we didn't get to do every single thing.  In a world where entertainment is shut down, I was THRILLED to spend a few days at Disneyworld even if I had to wear a mask!  Sometimes you can't wait for everything in life to be 'back to normal' to keep on living!

Our itinerary: 

Day 1:  Travel Day.  Arrived to hotel around 6 p.m. Checked in & had dinner at Ale & Compass on-site

Day 2:  Magical Kingdom

Day 3: Epcot

Day 4: Rest & Relax day at the hotel.  We slept in, ordered room service, hit the pool, and enjoyed the hotel amenities

Day 5: Animal Kingdom & Disney Springs

Day 6: Travel back home (We didn't go to Hollywood Studios since it has the least rides for expectant mothers.  Looking forward to going to Disneyworld again someday and experiencing that park!) 

Know before you go. Disneyworld during COVID:  Masks are strongly enforced, Reservations are required to enter the parks, Reservations are required for all sit-down restaurants, six-feet distance is enforced in lines, no parades, no fast passes, no characters, and all parks are at 30% limited capacity.  Not all on-site eating establishments, hotels, and rides are open.  

Planning your trip: 1.  Check Park Availability HERE first to make sure the park/s you want to attend are available on the dates you want to travel.  Make your park reservation, buy your park tickets, book your hotel and flights.  

What to pack:  The comfiest shoes you own that are broken in.  Minnie Mouse ears (yesssss!).  Since we went in January, I packed a short sleeve tee with a light jackets or pullover for each day and long pants.  I wore my Mini Fawn Design bag to the parks everyday and it was the perfect size.  I could still wear it on all the rides but it was big enough to hold my water bottle, wallet, chapstick, and snacks. 

Park Hopper or Single Day Ticket?  We chose to do single day tickets.  I personally, prefer single day tickets because the parks are HUGE and there is so much to do at each park.  If you go regularly or are only wanting to visit a few select attractions, a park hopper would be a good option for you.  If you are like most people visiting for the first time, you will want a full day dedicated to the park without taking time to travel in between parks.  

Where we stayed:  We stayed on property at Disneyworld at the Disney Yacht Club Resort.  Normally this hotel is close to $500/night but Disneyworld is running a promotion on select hotels up to 35% off now through April, 17th 2021 (must book by March 15th!)  Click HERE for the details of this promotion.  This is a great opportunity to stay on property for a lower price!  I love staying on property because it extends the Disney experience.  Our hotel had a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport and complimentary bus/boat/shuttle to all the parks.  I chose the Yacht Club because it was walking distance to Epcot, next to Disney's boardwalk, was recently renovated, and had an amazing pool and amenities.  We loved the restaurant Ale & Compass which was on property.  Overall I loved this hotel and would stay here again.

Before you go:  Download the "My Disney Experience' application on your phone.  Make dining reservations through the website or Disney application.

My best tips and recommendations:  

1.  Arrive to the park EARLY!  The parks are opening their doors up to an hour early to avoid crowding.  They are not advertising this and employees will not tell you what time they are opening their doors, but they open doors to the park as soon as people start congregating to avoid crowding during COVID.  Our best and most-productive hours were from 8:40 a.m. until about noon at Magic Kingdom when we walked on almost all the rides in Fantasyland. 

2. Go Tuesday-Thursday during the week for shortest wait times 

3. It's OK if you don't get to see every park and every ride.  We ended up doing three park days and I wish we had stuck with two and relaxed on the third day.   

4.  Make a reservation at 'Be at Our Guest Restaurant' in advance before your trip 

5.  Don't leave the park without enjoying some chocolate covered Minnie Mouse ice-cream ears.  

6.  If you love shopping and food make sure you plan time to visit Disney Springs!  We spent about three hours there and I wish we could have spent 4-5.  Tons of shopping and great food!

What I wish I had known beforehand:  It was really hard to get dining reservations!!!  All sit-down restaurants require reservations.  All the restaurants are operating at limited capacity and book up fast.  Unless you want to eat hamburgers at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe for every meal, you need to schedule your dining reservations in advance!  This can be tricky (and annoying) because it's hard to know exactly where you will be during the day in the park and what you will feel like eating!  

Common questions I received regarding my Disneyworld Trip:

Is it worth it going pregnant?  Absolutely!  I had a great time and would do it again (in my second trimester! Not sure if I would want to go during my first or third trimester).  I recommend doing two days while pregnant and sticking to Magical Kingdom and Epcot which I felt were the two parks I could do the most at while pregnant.

What rides can you ride pregnant? Below I listed the rides I did while at Disney, all of which were approved for expectant mothers. 

Magic Kingdom- It's a Small World, Peter Pan Takes Flight, Charming Regal Carousel, Mickey's PhilharMagic, Under the Sea-Little Mermaid, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Tea Party, Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion.

Epcot- Soarin' Around the World, Frozen Ever After, Spaceship Earth, Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival, Living with the Land, Nemo & Friends, The American Adventure (wish we had made it to Beauty & the Beast Sing along!)

Animal Kingdom- Kilamjaro Safari Ride, 

How was the weather?  Weather was beautiful!  We went in the middle of January.  The mornings and evenings were chilly and afternoons would warm up and the sun would come out.  I would wear a pullover or light jacket most of the time and take it off during the afternoon hours sometimes.

How were the lines?  The longest we waited was 1 hour on Avatar.  We waited 45 minutes for Pirates of the Caribbean, Mine Train, and Frozen.  Everything else we were able to walk on or wait 10-20 minutes.  the line wait times were always overstated and appeared to be longer because of the 6 feet distance required between people in line.  We went to the parks on Friday, Saturday and Monday during a three day weekend so it was still busy but not as busy as pre-covid. 

How long should I stay to do all the parks?  In my opinion you will need four days (at least!) to do all four parks.  If you are going to do all four parks I recommend going for 5-7 days so that you can break up the days.  Park days are long days.  I would not want to do three consecutive park days. 

Disneyland or Disneyworld?  I love both for different reasons!  The castle at Disneyworld is amazing.  The SIZE of Disneyworld is amazing.  I liked Disney Springs better than Downtown Disney.  Disneyland is smaller and nicer to get around faster and quicker. 

What is your favorite park?  My personal favorite park is Magic Kingdom.  Because it feels MAGICAL and makes me feel like a kid again!  I love the Castle, Main Street, It's a Small World, Dumbo, the Carousel, and all the Disney classic rides and shops.  

Do you wish you took your kids?  I was so grateful we took this trip alone before baby!  There were so many times when we said to each other "Emmy would love this!" or "This would be Tate's favorite!" but we were glad we didn't try to bring them because of the long flight, three hour time difference, and mask mandates on the planes and parks.  I would love to take them someday when they are older and mask mandates aren't a thing!  I am hoping to take them to Disneyland as soon as it opens since we could drive!   

Which ride do you recommend to start at for each park?  Magic Kingdom- Mine Train, Animal Kingdom- Pandora- The World of Avatar, Epcot- Frozen, Hollywood Studios- Star Wars.  With that said, those are the best rides to start at if you get there first thing in the morning and typically have the longest wait times.  But it also means you will be walking past some other rides while you walk through the park and have to back-track.  Sometimes it makes sense to do the rides you are nearby to save the time walking back and forth.  Use your app to check wait times.  Most times we ended up doing the rides in the we were walking to save time walking all over the park! 

Such a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime trip to take before bringing baby #4 into the world.  So grateful for the time we were able to spend alone together before baby boy.  Cheers to the happiest Place on earth!

16 Months

Words:
Ma-Ma
I- Stuh (It's stuck)
Duh (Duck)
Ba (Ball)
Moe (More)
Bah (Bye)

He still loves playing with balls and is showing more interest in planes and especially cars.

He wants to play with whatever his big sister, Kensie is playing with.  He enjoys antagonizing her by trying to play with the toys she is playing with.  He especially likes taking her favorite stuffed animal, Lady and sitting on her ottoman chair in her room.

Eating is one of his favorite things to do.  I swear he is always hungry and he definitely eats more than his sister.  He will eat just about anything I give him, which is awesome.  Some of his favorites are bananas, avocado, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and cheese.  Oh and of course any type of chocolate or candy.

He loves Kensie and tries to wrestle her and give her hugs.

Tate is still a momma's boy but not quite as clingy as he used to be.  He walks up to me when I'm cooking or doing the dishes, puts his arms around my legs, and gives me a hug.  Sometimes mid- playing he will stop what he is doing, walk over to me, lay his head on my leg or chest and then go back to what he is doing.  Other times he will walk up to me and lean his head into mine until our forwards meet.  My ultimate favorite are his sweet open-mouth kisses.  He doesn't give them very often but when he does, it's so sweet.

I usually put him to bed at 8 p.m. and get him out of the crib at 8 a.m.  He usually takes one nap now after lunch about 1 p.m.  He could go down as early as 10:30 or 11 a.m. but I keep him up because it works better with our schedule.  He tends to get cranky in the mid morning because he hasn't adjusted fully to one nap.

He has become more attached to his monkey and dog pacifier.  He is also attached to his monkey and elephant stuffed animal.  When he wants his monkey he says "oo oo ah ah."

He has started to test limits, be mischievous, and make his voice heard.  Church is difficult because he is so busy and loud.  Looking forward to starting nursery soon!

Tater is our sweetheart.  He has such a funny and cute personality, we love him.

Tate: 13 Months

18 lbs 11 oz.
10th percentile for weight and height

He is close to walking.  He took a few steps this week but is still very cautious.
He loves balls.  He wants anything round and calls it a 'ba'.
He really likes his bottle and doesn't want anything to do with milk in a sippy cup.  And he wants me to still hold him while he drinks his bottle, which I am perfectly ok with.
Thinks toothbrushes are the best thing next to balls or anything round.
Started climbing.  On just about everything.
He learned how to climb under the safety gate at the top of the stairs and goes up and down the stairs on his own now.
Discovered the toilet.
And the toilet paper.
Has 5 teeth.  Two on bottom and three on top.
He has grown attached to his monkey stuffed animal.  I find him sleeping with it tucked under his arm.
New Words:  "uh-uh" for uh-oh and "uh-un" when he doesn't want to do something.
Grocery shopping or shopping of any sort with him is almost impossible.  I have to come prepared with something for him to eat or play with.  Otherwise he is constantly standing up and trying to get out of the cart.

Since Tate turned one he has become much more vocal, strong-willed, and demanding.  He does this awful loud scream/screach when he doesn't get what he wants or needs something.  He gets really frustrated because he knows what he wants but can't communicate it to us.  I've tried teaching him sign language in the last 3-6 months but he has no desire to sign for me.  He started pointing recently which helps.

Tate is busy.  And he isn't even walking yet!  I'm nervous for when he starts walking because I know he will only get busier.  I'm trying to savor these last few weeks of crawling because he still feels like my baby.  I'm not ready for him to be a toddler yet!

Tate: 1 Year

My baby is one.  The year went by pretty fast.  Tate has been a good baby and I've been so grateful for that.  He is happy and smiley.  The hardest part of his first year was the fact that he got sick so often.  I'm not exaggerating when I say he was sick as much as he was well in his first year of life.  Since he got sick so often it was really hard to sleep train him at night and get him to take longer naps.  Six months he started sleeping consistently better at night and taking longer naps.  After the six month mark things got significantly easier.

He loved nursing and wouldn't have anything to do with a bottle until around 10 months when I ran out of milk so he eventually had to transition to formula.  It was a process though.  For a few weeks he would only drink an ounce or two at each feeding and just eat more solids.

says "Ma Ma Ma Ma" "da da"

says, Mmmmm when something tastes good

He calls balls "Mah"

He thinks it's funny to feed us. 

He started making airplane noises with his airplanes.

He crawls everywhere but bear crawls if he is wearing shorts or is outside.

He learned how to push the play shopping cart while standing a week or two before turning one.

He is pretty independent and loves crawling around the playroom and playing with toys.  He wants to play with whatever Kensie is playing with and gets a lot of satisfaction out of trying to get the toys Kensie doesn't want him to play with.  He pulls her hair and pulls on her dresses.  

He is a total mamma's boy.  During the day he doesn't like to be far from where I am.   If he can't see me, he'll come find me.  He'll crawl up next to me and climb up my leg and give my leg kisses or put his head between my knees.  If I'm sitting down, he'll crawl up to me and give me hugs.  If anyone else is holding him, he'll lean towards me to hold him.  I love how much of a mamma's boy he is.  

He still takes a morning and afternoon nap.  

My favorite part of the day is right before bedtime when he lies his head down on my shoulder.  

For his first birthday we had a BBQ and pool party in our backyard.  We had the Eliason's, Wheelus', Kramer's, Iroz', and Tayla Shurtz over.  We got him a Cozy coupe car, airplanes, cars, and a Jake and the Netherlands Pirates ship.  Niel did most of the birthday shopping and thoroughly enjoyed shopping for a boy.

We love our Tater-bug!

    

Tate: 9 Months

He claps

Sleeps from 7:30 or 8 p.m. until 6:30 or 7 a.m. (sometimes later depending on when his sister wakes him up)
He takes two naps. The first at 9 or 9:30 and the second about 2 or 2:30 p.m.
He says "ma ma ma ma" all the time.
Mom is still his favorite but he gets really excited to see his dad and leans towards him when he comes home.
He still likes nursing and nurses 4 times/day.  7:30 a.m., Noonish, 4ish, and right before bed.
He has perfected his army crawl and gets to where he wants to go.
He loves pushing a ball around and army crawls after it.
He does 'stiff legs' a lot when we try to get him in the car seat, stroller, highchair, etc.  
He wants whatever toys his big sister is playing with.
He especially enjoys trying to get Kensie's favorite stuffed animal Lady and play with it.
He also gets a kick out of pulling Kensie's hair, pulling on her dresses, and taking her toys.
Two bottom teeth and two coming in on top.
He doesn't want to eat baby food anymore.  He loves to eat whatever we are eating.
He doesn't like getting his diaper and clothes changed and almost always cries.

At his nine month appointment he weighed 16 lbs 9 oz.  He was in the -3rd percentile for weight and 10-25th percentile for height.  The doctor was a little concerned and said I need to supplement with formula.   This kinda stressed me out.  I want him to be getting enough nutrients but my milk supply is pretty low and he won't drink hardly any formula.  If we're lucky he will drink an ounce and then bat the bottle away.

 Tate's first story time at the Library.

I love Tate so much.  I love his soft chubby cheeks and I can't help but kiss them 100+ times a day.  He makes the cutest facial expressions and is so smiley.  I look at him and can't believe he is mine.  I think he is the cutest and sweetest little baby boy and I love being his mom.  He is in a good stage right now because he sleeps through the night, takes two good naps, and isn't too mobile.  I want to freeze time because I don't want him to grow up.  I'm a little terrified for when I have two children on the go!

Tate: 8 Months

Doing crossfit with his dad.

 Tate's first time going on the swing at the park.

He got his first two bottom teeth just before his 8 month mark.  

On a side note...notice how all of these pictures are taken from a camera phone?  Things sure do change with baby#2.  I need to take more pictures of my adorable little guy, especially with our good camera!

Tate: 7 Months

-smiley

-no teeth

-finally started sleeping through the night consistently from about 8 p.m.-7 a.m. HALLELUJAH!!!

-His naps are STILL horrible.  Usually two 30-45 minute naps.  Sometimes I get lucky and get an afternoon nap of 1-1.5 hours.

-drank 2 oz. from a bottle for the first time since he was newborn

 We had a scare two days after Tate turned seven months old.  He had an allergic reaction to peanut butter.

About twenty minutes after Tate was given peanut butter, I noticed red dots under his eyes and thought maybe he was having an allergic reaction to it.  I figured I was overreacting and put him down for his nap.  But he wouldn't go to sleep or stay asleep.  I went into his room after awhile and got him out of his bed to rock him to sleep.  I noticed hives and redness on his face and neck.  Soon his neck became quite red and swollen.  I didn't know what to do so I called the doctor's office.  She asked me if his neck was swelling and I said yes. The nurse told me I needed to take him to the emergency room ASAP.  I quickly loaded both kids in the car around 9:30 a.m.  My hair wasn't done and I didn't have any makeup on.  Kensie was in a princess dress and scraggly hair.  The nurse checking us in at the ER kept saying, "you should never give a baby peanut butter!"  "I KNOW!  It wasn't me!" I kept saying.  We must have looked like such a wreck.  I was so relieved after she took Tate's vitals and his breathing seemed ok.

Long story short...

After being in the ER for almost 3 hours all by myself with two small children and no food we got the clearance to go home.  Just as we were about to leave, I noticed Tate's reaction flaring up again.  They gave him a shot with the EpiPen and he cleared up completely within 15-20 minutes.  We were in the ER for a total of 4 hours.  I wish I had taken the doctors advice and given Tate the EpiPen when we first got there instead of some other 'lower risk' shot.  I am so glad he was OK.  He is too little to be diagnosed with a peanut allergy but things aren't looking too good after this incident.  Sure hoping he won't have to deal with a peanut allergy his whole life.

Tate: 6 Months

Height:  25" (5-10th percentile)

Weight:  15.5 (25th percentile)

Everywhere I go with Tate people tell me he is the happiest/smiliest baby they've ever seen.  The ladies mention he's a flirt.  I believe it.  Tate is seriously the sweetest, happiest little baby boy.  I love him to pieces.

He loves to nurse and won't have anything to do with a bottle.  He has seemed really interested in food the last month or so and always tries to grab our food but won't have anything to do with baby food.  So far I've tried oatmeal, rice cereal, peas, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, and beans.  He makes the most disgusted face when I try to feed him baby food.  Flares the nostrils, tilts his head back, sticks his tongue out, and spits it out.  I guess I'll just keep trying, but for now he will only nurse!

He's started making his voice heard more.  He'll cry if you take a toy away or sometimes when I walk out of the room and he can't see me.