The Littlest Hunter: A Magical Surprise

This was the weekend we had been waiting for and couldn't talk about for some time now. Greg's dad, Big Poppa, arranged the surprise of the year for Grammy Flash's birthday by inviting Greg, Kennedy and me plus Ross, Jennifer and the girls to surprise her in Orlando. We all got in very late - I will save you the travel play-by-play but Kennedy did fantastic and it was the wee hours of the morning before we were to the resort. The surprise was planned for Friday at breakfast - and it couldn't have gone any better. With my glue gun still hot from the UT craft project, I even made Kennedy a Minnie Mouse bow to wear for the occasion. (Our friend Lizzy loaned us a similar bow, but it was huge on her teeny head.) We staggered our entrances and Greg and I got to watch his mom scream with excitement when she saw Ross, Jennifer and the girls before making our presence known. After some delicious Mickey waffles we all headed to the Magic Kingdom. I think Grammy Flash was pretty much in shock all through breakfast!

We weren't sure how going to Disneyworld with a newborn was going to work out, but it was such a good time. Disney, obviously catering to families, had Baby Care stations where we could escape the heat, change her diaper, relax in a quiet indoor space and they even provided private nursing rooms. Greg and I got to go on a couple rides and we really had fun getting to spend time with his whole family. Saturday night we all went to the Micky Halloween Party and watched a great parade.

On Sunday we all said our good-byes and Greg and I went to walk around Downtown Disney before our afternoon flight. We picked up some mouse ears for Kennedy and took the ferry back to the resort. We were then transported to the exact opposite of the Happiest Place on Earth, the baggage check line at the Orlando airport. It was an easy flight back to Dallas and we returned to a lovely crisp and cool evening.

Greg and I cannot wait to bring Kennedy back to Disneyworld someday when she is old enough to get excited about everything there. Watching Julia and Natalie take it all in was so cute. Julia is at the perfect age to enjoy Disney because to her, this is all real. Those are the real princesses, that is the real castle, and this is where they all live.

A handful of the many, many pictures we took: