to all who come to this happy place: welcome

there's no denying that violet's first trip to disneyland was for me (and not for her, and certainly not for her crowd-hating but nonetheless game dada), but i have to say, she knew she was someplace special. i thought i'd be writing this post with some funny-in-retrospect anecdotes about mishaps and meltdowns, but to all of our surprise, violet was in a good mood all day despite a seriously compromised nap schedule. there were a few times where the sensory overload seemed to overwhelm her (not pictured: comfort nursing behind the harbour galley in critter country), but the rest of the time she was either solemnly wide-eyed or cheerfully having a ball.

the event was well attended by the grown-up set:







we approached the day with a relaxed attitude about getting stuff done. our only "must-dos" were riding it's a small world and the haunted mansion, but even those were negotiable depending on baby whims. happily we accomplished both and much more, even though violet's first ride didn't happen until almost noon, after a catnap in the car and a visit to the impressive baby care center on main street (complete with helpful mary poppins-like attendants), among other errands.

i'd never been on the toddler friendly winnie the pooh ride, but it was a hit with violet, who was especially taken with pooh's psychedelic nightmare about the theft of his honey. heffalumps and woozles, heffalumps and woozles! seriously, what are heffalumps and woozles? (if you know the answer, i'll know that those candy dots you're eating AREN'T CANDY DOTS.)



my biggest fears for the day were: 1) diaper blowouts; 2) squirmy wormy on rides; and 3) meltdowns while trapped in line. thankfully all were avoided while in the park (violet saved her fantasmic poopsplosion for the car ride home following a binge-y day of cheese and cheese puffs). at first i was pretty hesitant about long lines for reasons 1 and 3, but i lightened up as the day went on when i realized that violet in tired form was tending toward loopy instead of melty. waiting in line even had its memorable moments, like playing dipsies with dada en route to pirates of the caribbean.





i think violet really "got" the simpler rides like the carousel.



and it's nice that scary skeletons and the like don't mean anything to her yet, so we were able to ride the dressed-up haunted mansion with all of its incredible "a nightmare before christmas" additions.



on every ride violet just sat still as could be in our laps, and most of the time, her face looked like this.



hey stoner baby, were you hanging out with riff raff in the tom sawyer's island caves? but i mean seriously, what must small world on holiday steroids



look like to a baby? (awesomeness, you suggest? you'd be right.)

arguably violet's favorite ride is featured here:



there it is! proof that this stroller-resisting baby was working the rental wheels! don't worry, she didn't let auntie courtney get too tired.



another highlight was our visit to reindeer ranch, which is just big thunder ranch set up for christmas... with real reindeer!



they had really cute coloring stations set up at the picnic tables.



and then violet experienced what was arguably the pinnacle of her day. i thought she'd be scared of the characters, but it was the opposite with pluto. she LOVED him.





best friendz 4-eva!!

in fact i'd say only two other things could possibly compete as her disneyland favorites.





so awesome.

another big thank you to auntie courtney for violet's official induction into the club:



we'll be back, disneyland.