Florida Vacation Part 1

Since our summer will be a bit out of the norm with the new babe coming, my parents suggested that we meet for a family vacation in the spring.  And, it worked out that we were all able to meet together in Florida!  It was our first trip with all the kids on an airplane (funny, thinking now that I was stressed about plane rides, but seem to think throwing the kids in the car for day long car trips much more normal).  My usual plan-everything-out-make-lots-of-lists routine was gone as our little Kermit had his last week right before we left.  I'm so glad that we were able to spend that week with him, and that he didn't pass while we were out of town.  And, it was a great diversion for the kids (and us) to have something else to think about for a week.  The night before was crazy with getting everything packed (I always laugh to myself that the smallest person in the family is always the most difficult to pack for!), but we made it.

There are bazillions of pictures, and I'll probably post way too many.

Leaving super early worked well for us.  Would definitely do it again.

 Tayler is very independent, and has no hesitation to show it.  I had really low expectations for her on the airplane.  When she cheered at take off, and actually snuggled in for a nap, it was like a pleasant surprise!

We captured Tayler's nickname for Max during our Chicago layover.  She named him "Manny" some time ago, and while she can say "Max" prefers her nickname for him instead.  It's so cute.  She still calls Alexis "Santa" but now has variations - "Sasa" and will even call her "jinj" and "jinjer" too.

My sister has a tradition of sending the kids St. Paterick's Day shirts every year.  This year we were actually in the same place for them to all wear them together!

Headed for lunch in Downtown Disney at the T-Rex Cafe.  My kids love going to the one in Kansas City, so it was fun for them to show everyone the cool place.  Had we gone a day later, we would have lucked out with an exploding fish tank…Love that my parents packed rain ponchos for everyone and forgot to put them in the car.  Our one wet day became a lot wetter as the afternoon went on!  But, we really lucked out the rest of the week - it was beautiful!

These girls had a sweet aunt and grandma that brought them new Cinderella dresses.  They were so surprised and excited.

 We spent two days at the Disney parks and broke the rest of our trip up with other activities.  It was plenty for the ages of our kids.  We went to the Hollywood one first.  Everyone jumped on the tower of terror while Tay and I waited for them.  Surprisingly, Alexis went right with everyone and had the courage to go on the ride with them.  For it being her first ride ever, I was proud of her for sticking with it, and laughed when I saw the claw marks on Mike's arm!

 The morning was filled with a lot of the rides that a prego lady and 2 year old just couldn't go on.  And while I tried to keep her entertained with some of the other things, she was so frustrated that everyone kept leaving her.  On one of her tantrums, I figured I may as well just sit down, take a video and picture and look like "that lady" at the park.

Her day (and mine) perked up when my mom and I took the girls to see Beauty and the Beast.  They loved it!  

The next day we went to Gatorland.  My parents took my sister and I to Florida when I was in college, and on a whim, we went to this place that we kept driving past.  It was a funny, southern, small-town kind of feel, and a good non-full-day-adventure.

Max and Alexis LOVED it.  They still talk about it as much as the Disney parks.  Feeding the alligators, watching them in their show, holding birds in an aviary, and of course, petting all kinds of reptiles was awesome for them.

  Highlights were sitting on the alligator, and when Max was picked out of the audience to participate in one of the reptile shows.  I thought his eyes were going to fall out of his head when he had the chance to hold this snake!