I am self aware enough to know when I am being bratty and selfish. I fully admit that I boarded the Disney Magic with less than a good attitude. More like a sullen teenager than an abundantly blessed grown up whose whole family was being TREATED to a vacation of a lifetime. So I come humbly to admit my wrongs and give a glimpse into my twisted mind to see where they came from.
1. It has never been a dream of mine to go on a cruise. Perhaps I watched Titanic too many times in my formative years. Yes, I know that the route to Mexico has no Glaciers (in fact it was BURNING HOT every day, and we all know that heat + me = intense complaining) and this isn't the early 1900's
2. I am insanely claustrophobic. Like a crazy person. Seriously, watch out. You really don't want to be around me if I am feeling crowded. I scarred my dear friend Amy for life on a flight home from Australia. I wonder how she even still talks to me. I watched the Disney Cruise line special on the Travel Channel and they showed a stateroom with a balcony. I started to panic right there on my couch. Our stateroom had no balcony. No window.
3. I get seasick. Bad. I am already getting my guts kicked out by this growing baby. There is not enough Zofran in the world to keep food in me these days.
4. I am an admitted control freak when it comes to my girls' nap and bedtimes. A total and complete freak. I knew that every day there would be a conflict. I don't deal well with conflicts.
But then we walked on to the boat...
The staff clapped and cheered.
You know what I did?
I cried.
Buckets of really, really happy, joyful tears.
I am actually crying as I type this, and I am so not a crier.
All of my worries, my issues, my insanity disappeared.
The wonder on my girls faces trumped my craziness.
I was wrong.
So very, very, very wrong.
I have never been so happy to be wrong.
The boat was gorgeous. The service and staff were above and beyond. So friendly, caring, attentive. Everything was geared with families in mind. Lots of costumes were worn. Lots of characters were met. Meals were delicious. Every aspect was taken care of. No cooking, cleaning, laundry, driving, to-do lists. No feeling guilty about cranking up the air conditioning. Just happy times with my happy family.
Lucy's buns behaved beautifully. Not a single rash. The vat of Butt Paste remained unopened. I relished in the sheer joy of being able to roll up the diapers and throw them away. Poop has never been so delightful!
When I got panicky all I had to do was go up to the deck and breathe. You can't feel trapped when all you see is calm water around you.
We ate dinner early each night so we could go see the top-notch Broadway type shows. Every minute was truly magical. Through their eyes the princesses and characters are REAL. We found ourselves watching them watch the shows more than the actual shows themselves. The girls didn't miss a single nap, and only missed one bedtime (the pirate party fiasco... more on that another post). I stayed in the room while they slept and got tons of rest myself, as well as reading a huge pile of magazines as well as a great book.
But the best of all....
I didn't throw up once. For the first time in four months.
I didn't want to come home.
If only I could go back.
In five years when the boat comes back to the West Coast you better bet that we will be on board. I am counting down the days.....
Care to join me?
We went to Disneyland today for the re-opening of Small World and to see the holiday magic.
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