So you thought we canceled? (A Sept. PTR) About This Page:

[Jessie092408]

I don't have the energy to respond to each individual reply right now, but I promise I will come back later to do it. I just wanted to get a general "THANK YOU SO MUCH" out there for all of your wonderful tips and suggestions for the plane, the parks, and even the hotel.

Anyway, I wanted to just do a quick update before I head to bed.

We're all set to make our FINAL DISNEY PAYMENT on Thursday when David gets paid. Only $150 stands between us and being PIF! Woot! This girl is pretty proud of herself, considering five weeks ago we weren't even sure we could afford it!

Yesterday I started purchasing clothes for Briana for the trip. I found a couple cute little things for pretty cheap at Walmart. (Add in David's discount, and you have my reason for checking there first!)



I have the first three days of touring plans done, and have taken your advice about not so much reducing/changing them as being prepared to go with the flow. I actually pretty much kept them the same, except that I allowed for more time for things like getting ready in the morning, and left some space open for time when we might need to head back to the hotel or the baby center for some quiet time. I love having all of you to talk to and ask questions!

I read the other day about all of the resort fridges being taken out due to a possible defect, and I don't know why, but I completely panicked (as my Facebook friends can attest to, as I tagged all of them in a Facebook post, lol). I think it was a knee-jerk reaction, because as soon as I started reading people's responses, I was slapping my forehead going "Oh, duh!" So I am going to call the hotel and request a fridge, but be prepared with a soft sided cooler and plenty of ziploc bags just in case, so that either way we will be able to keep Briana's baby food cold.

The only thing I am still a little worried about (and you can laugh if you want, I won't be offended) is that the nursery water we use to mix her formula is supposed to be refrigerated after opening. For those more experienced moms than myself out there, should I just use bottled water? Would that be bad? Or does it really matter if the nursery water is refrigerated? Anyway, moving past my new mom stupid questions...

David and I also decided to take cold cereal off of our Garden Grocer order, as, without the "sure thing" fridge, he won't be able to eat it, because as far as I know, Pop Century doesn't sell lactose free milk. I could still eat it, since they sell milk in the food court, but I would feel bad eating it when David didn't have the option. So we'll go with stuff like breakfast bars and such for breakfast. It's quicker anyway.

Anyway, this post is getting longer than I meant it to, I just wanted to update all of you on where we were preparation-wise. Since Thursday marks our 45 DAYS UNTIL DISNEY Day, I am sure my posts will be coming more frequently.

Two side notes:

1: My nephew had been out of ICU following his surgery and doing well, but is now back in ICU with fluid on his lungs and problems breathing properly. Please send lots of pixies!

2: Briana is going to have her first trip to the zoo on Saturday. We're going to take her to see the lion cubs that are only three days younger than she is...and probably several times larger than her, by now! I'll try to post the pictures, if you guys want to see them!

[Colexis Mom]

More pixies for your nephew!

Congrats on almost being PIF! Great stuff for Briana! I used bottled water for the formula for the kids. They survived!

[dutchdisneyfamily]

Congrats on almost being PIF! How exciting! It sounds like you are adjusting to the no fridge option. I can't help answer your questions since it's been ten years since I've had to think about baby stuff and I've forgotten so much!

[stardust190]

Congrats on PIF (or almost anyways)! The stuff you got for Bri is so cute! Do you have a Once Upon a Child near you (or any baby consignment shop)? That's where I've been getting Mallory's Disney clothes. That and garage sales. I've been able to nab quite a few Disney (mostly Tink and Minnie Mouse) outfits for really cheap!

Good thing you planned extra time in the morning to get ready. I forgot to mention that, but it is the one thing that I wasn't really thinking about when we took Cameron along. It took us what seemed like forever to get out the door with him in tow. Either he'd be causing trouble or interrupting our attempts to get ready. Or being so darn cute it was too hard to rush him out the door. He loved to just run around the room and open the dresser drawers. It was so funny that every morning we watched him do that and giggle. We only made park opening once the whole trip!

Don't worry about the fridge freakout. Us Facebook people are happy to help. As for the nursery water... I've never used it with either of my kids. I talked to the Dr about it and he said that it really isn't necessary unless you have well water at home or are worried about fluoride content of the water. He actually recommended I just use tap water as we have city water. When we're out and about and I'm not sure about the water I just use bottled. Sometimes I'll buy a jug of distilled water, but I've never worried about refrigerating it. Actually I had no idea you were supposed to refrigerated nursery water. I've used it a few times, but never kept it cold. Briana will survive without it. I'd maybe worry more if she were younger, but she'll be close to a year in September (cue the mommy tears on that thought - I know I'm not ready for it). By this point their digestive systems are a lot more developed and can handle a difference in things like water without problem. Of course if it really worries you check with her Dr. I don't know her medical history so all I can really say is my kids survived without it.

for Toby. I have a few friends with kids that needed heart surgery shortly after birth. Not sure if it's the same type that Toby had, but those kids are now healthy 4 and 6 year olds.

[chezp]

Continued for your nephew. I love the outfits for Bri!

[Cam22]

More on the way for your nephew.

Love all the little outfits for Brianna!

[JKnott17]

Here's more pixies for your nephew

I love all of the new outfits for Brianna, they are so cute! And, congrats on being PIF, doesn't that feel so good??!!

As for the nursery water, I wouldn't worry about it much. We actually never used that for our girls' formula. When we were out and about, I just used regular bottled water. Like someone else said, they survived

[KMB733]

The clothes for Bri are really cute!! Congrats on being PIF (on Thursday)

Continued pixies for your nephew

[mommapants]

lots more for toby!


what is the deal with the fridges? I didn't hear anything about that - I'm not in facebook.

[Jessie092408]

Originally Posted by chezp

Love your mousekeeping envelopes! I'm with you - I also love calling Disney and speaking to such happy and enthusiastic Cast Members!

They just make your day a bit brighter, don't they?

Originally Posted by lauriep

What a great Disney phone call. I agree, there's no way really to predict how much you'll be able to do on this trip, but my guess is that it won't frustrate you much because you'll be so caught up in watching Briana's reactions to everything.

I am guessing you're probably right about that.

Originally Posted by roaminggnome

Sounds like some pretty good plans!

The only tip I have for you and traveling w/ the ADORABLE Briana is initially set your regular pace and then go w/ the flow. You will have to gauge how she handles everything. Always make sure to have a small light weight blanket (receiving blanket worked best for us) available for us it was a life saver. It is somewhere to hide under if things get scary, it is shade without being overly heavy, wipes down tears if needed and it smells like home. When I first traveled w/ my DS at 11 mths we never went back to the hotel for naps or taking a break. Our lifestyle is such that we were always on the move so he could nap anywhere and he did. That being said do what works for you and your family.

Thank you for your tips! I am going to bring some receiving blankets. She likes snuggling with those in her carseat on long trips.

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

Congrats on almost being PIF! Love the envelope!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by KMB733

That's really exciting to have Bri first haircut at the Harmony Barber shop! Love the mousekeeping envelopes!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by JKnott17

I love it when you call Disney about an upcoming trip and the CMs on the phone seem so genuinely excited for you I hope you have a great time at the Barbershop, take lots of pictures for us! Good luck getting your touring plans done!

Thanks! I'm getting there.

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

So I am trying to remember all my tips from bringing a 9 month old...who is now 9 years old.

So, here we go...

- Bring a small umbrella type stroller that somewhat reclines with a tray. Attach a few small toys via shoelace to stroller -short enough she can't hurt herself, but long enough that she can "play". If she drops a toy...you don't lose it! This helped out BIG time. It gave her a tray for snacks and she could play with her little toys anytime she chose.

- When riding in the plane, have a bottle ready for her to drink during take off and landing to help with her ears. The sucking motion is the same as chewing gum. Have some small toys and snacks for her.

- I agree you can't predict how Bri is going to handle touring. I have known people who stick to a tight, slow paced schedule including nap times and bed times when they brought their babies or kids, but others more easily adapt. You kind of have to go with the flow and let her be your guide. My DD was on the easy side of the scale. She was content to play with her toys and look at things, she loved the rides we took her on, if she was tired she went to sleep in her stroller. We stayed in the parks all day and a good part of the evening most days. There were a couple where we had to go back early and rest up, bc we were all tired...not just bc of her. But for the most part we did everything we wanted, as long as we wanted and she was fine.

Boy this is hard, this is all I can think of for now, but if/when I come up with more I will come back.

Thanks for the tips, Sparkle Toes. Don't think too hard. Just kidding, if you think of anything else, I'd love for you to tell me, but I know it's been awhile!

Originally Posted by Cam22

figuring out your touring plan! I love the Mousekeeping envelope design.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by ilovedisney247

Good luck planning with the little one! I know that you guys can go with the flow--it's the easiest way to plan! I would definitely think about early mornings and mid day naps!

At this point Bri takes two naps, but I think she is phasing out of the morning one, and will just need one in the afternoon, at least while home. We'll see how all this goes down in Florida!

Originally Posted by stardust190

Congrats on being so close to the trip! And scheduling Bri's haircut. How far in advance can you book the haircuts? I've got to make Mallory's appointment. I know my ADRs are early August, but I'm not sure about the barbershop.

As for traveling with a 10 month old... I have never flown with a 10 month old as Cameron was 18 months when we flew, but I have taken several longish car rides with the kids (3-4 hours). What I have found works well is to bring lots of little snacks. For some reason my kids do very well if you just constantly feed them. Mallory will happily munch on Cheerio's for an hour or so. Of course the flight crew might not appreciate all the dropped snacks, but it helps keep my kids from screaming.

Is your flight close to nap time at all? I would say try to get her to sleep on the plane. I personally would rather deal with a tired crabby baby before getting onto the plane than a rambunctious well rested baby on a plane. So delay nap time a bit if you need to. The hum of the plane put Cameron right out and he never slept in new places very well.

At 10 months old things like portable electronics probably won't work well. I know that even at 18 months the DVD player only kept Cam's interest for a short amount of time. And he couldn't really play games on the iPhone or anything. We did bring a few little Duplos and helped him build towers with them. I think we had like 10 total and we just kept taking them apart and putting them back together. Mallory likes to play with the Duplos even now so I'm probably going to bring them for her in Jan.

In the car we mostly sing songs and stuff to keep the kids calm. Snacks, songs and naps. In the car we can stop and take little breaks. On the plane not so much. I will say that I fought taking Cameron out of the seat on the plane, but when I finally did give in we were all much happier. He ended up getting cranky and tried to escape (which I'm assuming your diaper change escape artist would also do) so I took him to the bathroom for a diaper change and then walked down the aisle of the plane once and sat back down. It really helped him calm down a bit. I think maybe it gave him a little bit of reassurance that the containment wouldn't last forever.

I will say let her drink during takeoff and landing. And note that the air pressure changes in the cabin so if you have bottles that are full (or sippies for that matter) they will leak! We had that happen with Cameron's straw sippies last trip. Right now we have 9 ounce bottles, but Mallory only eats 6 oz at a time so I think we'd be ok filling those as the water has room to expand, but if you have bottles that you fill completely you might have issues.

As for touring I don't believe you can ever know what to expect with a small child. The strangest things can set them off and cause the crabbies to come out. I would make sure she gets a nap (or 2) each day. I know we stressed about Cameron taking a nap as he was all off his schedule and didn't take naps when we tried to put him down. I think he was so excited. The first part of the trip I was so stressed that he was refusing to take a nap. By the end of the trip I took the approach that he will nap when tired and it was so much easier. He conked out in the stroller when he needed to rest and I quit stressing about it. We were all happier. I had thought we would need to slow down a TON, but we really didn't on park days. We did add a rest day that we've never done before. I will make sure to do this with kids because I think it's important for them to have a recharge day, but as for days we went to the park I found I was able to keep up with about what I had done on past trips. As long as you make sure Bri is fed and changed her tagging along might not slow you down as much as you think. At that age she won't really be able to pull you off track by begging to look at something or buy something or go on a ride one more time. She just joins you so as fast as you're able to go she'll go.

Thanks for all the great advice! I'll definitely use some of this.

Originally Posted by OhToodles!

I'm so happy you booked the haircut!!! It's a great experience! (Which Missy you can do180 days in advance too - just like ADRs.)

The boys both went when they were a year and we brought lots of snacks, a blanket (or whatever comfort item she has) for the plane ride, little toys or things they were playing with at the time.
As far as in the parks when they were that young we didn't go back and have scheduled nap times - they just fell asleep when thy were tired. I would bring a clip on fan (or get a Mickey one at the parks) for the stroller to help keep her cool and bring pj's for evening - so when they fall asleep on the way back all you have to do is lay them down. I did bring my own pack n play sheet for the room as well. They did have then, but I felt better about them laying on theirs.

I never would have thought to bring my own sheet for the pack n play, but I had been a little concerned about cleanliness and was considering just keeping her in bed with us. Thanks so much for the helpful tip!

Originally Posted by poohlover

This will be such a precious visit for all of you! I have photos of my children from age 2 weeks (I know...but my DH had a seminar, the company offered to pay for ALL of us, and the hotel was onsite, so it worked!) - I truly believe that the memories you will make will be shared with Bri, and they become hers..it's just the Disney magic at work
A bit ago you asked about getting a window/aquarium-side seat at Coral Reef. You simply have to ask when you check in. It CAN take a little longer to get those, but I HIGHLY recommend doing it. As a mom of 4, I can attest to the fact that being "near" the window is not nearly as perfect as being actually NEXT TO the window. We met many brand new friends when we had to chase squiggly children down to the aquarium when we were on the second tier!
I always tried to find a little out of the way place in our airport, and let them wander a bit. Since she may not be walking yet (?), I would put a blanket down, but I tend to be anal about cleanliness...the more she can explore and move around freely BEFORE you get on the plane, the easier it will be to help her relax and even possibly sleep once you board. If she stays awake, be sure to bring a bottle with her favorite drink...the last thing you want to do is have her refuse to sip because she isn't overly fond of your selection It's vacation, so you can let her have a special treat (apple juice, perhaps?)!
On the plane, we had a window seat , so I took little vinyl characters, and we happily stuck those on and peeled those off for a LONG time I brought cheerios and Kix, and also several small containers. Another fun game was "Put the Cheerios in the box, and then take them out...repeat...for what might seem like forever We also played with bristle blocks...they stick no matter what angle they are put together in, and they tend to not fall apart when they are dropped. They also feel really nice on little gums if any new teeth might be making an appearance
Finally, I took a small ice chest with me as one of my carry ons, with frozen sponges in them. They feel so good in little mouths, they are perfect if you get a bump, and my kids loved to gnaw on them, and suck the water as they thawed. Plus, once we got to Disney, it was nice to have small sponges that I could carry with me into the park for the expected little messes that occur Double Duty!

For inside the parks, you KNOW what works for Bri. If she is a little person who has to have silence when she sleeps, you have two choices...get back to the resort, OR USE THOSE BABY CARE CENTERS!!! You can go in, sit in air conditioning, bundle her up in a blankie, and give her a bottle, in a private cubicle, or just in a corner of the playroom. Once she falls asleep, she might do fine in her stroller unless she is easily startled. If so, find one of those little out of the way gems, and take a break yourself. Then you and David can switch off and one of you would like to peek in a shop, or grab a quick ride on Buzz Lightyear. Bri will set your pace, and you just go with that . The fewer expectations you have, the better. Children always change up the plans, in a good way, so just be prepared to grab every little tiny Disney miracle that occurs (even if it is just wiggling toes in cool grass in England
Remember, the best memories are not necessarily the ones that involve a character, ride or parade. They can involve a dandelion or a duck, too

Have a truly magical time, and RELAX!!! It's all going to be wonderful!!

So many wonderful tips! Thank you so much.

Originally Posted by Wolfy6688

Awww I'm so excited you're going! We had a "we need this trip and deserve it" Disney trip a few years ago and it's soooo worth it.

I've always had luck requesting a tank side table at the podium.

Also, at "like a boss". I'm the only one of my friends who uses that so I love it.

You made me laugh out loud! My roommate says it a lot, and for a few weeks there it had seeped into my vocabulary. It just seemed appropriate. I DID crunch numbers LIKE A BOSS! Lol! Thanks for making me smile.

Originally Posted by Russi01

love the Mousekeeping envelope design!!

Thank you! It was actually one of my favorites last year, but we went with the Lilo and Stich design in honor of our first time eating at O'hana.

Originally Posted by mommapants

I have to agree with almost all the comments that Bri won’t change your plans TOO much. Yes you will need to take more breaks but she will nap in the stroller and won't be pulling you in a million directions. For the plane , drinks and lots of little toys for a distraction (books, blocks, rattles) and a few snacks. Keep her occupied and she will do fine.

For touring the parks, a small clip on fan and be sure to bring extra diapers/wipes and outfits. If she normally goes thru 2 outfits a day pack 3. Nothing ruins the plans faster than having to go back to the hotel or buy a new outfit. I usually just threw a complete change of clothes and diaper into a ziplock bag and just left it in a pocket of the stroller as a backup.

Don’t stress about it. I'm sure you know her well enough to read her signs and just go with the flow.

I am glad you said to pack extra outfits. She is mostly at the point now where she only needs one outfit a day, but we were planning on having three available for any given day, and I was worried that I was being excessive.

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

Agree completely! An extra outfit is good for any reason. Even if it's damp or she is playing in the water fountains and what not, good to have a fresh dry change of clothes...besides the obvious diaper blow out that sometimes happens.

Oh, I hope we have no blowouts down there! Yuck! lol

Originally Posted by scdisneyfan

love the mousekeeping ideas so cute! Sadly I have no tips on traveling with babies but I'm sure you will get plenty of good tips and ideas on here I'm actually trying to think of how to do my own countdown this year and I usually try to copy some of the good ideas I see on here. I think the barbershop is such a perfect idea and I agree calling disney always makes me smile because they do get so exicted for you and its that disney service that always keeps me going back!

I always admire other peoples crafty countdowns. Alas, I'm usually too busy telling myself mine would never be as cute to do it myself. I am working on upping my confidence in myself. I've been considering doing a cake decorating class or taking a craft class of some kind...maybe scrapbooking!

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

More pixies for your nephew!

Congrats on almost being PIF! Great stuff for Briana! I used bottled water for the formula for the kids. They survived!

Thank you for the pixies, and for the knowledge. Makes me feel better!

Originally Posted by dutchdisneyfamily

Congrats on almost being PIF! How exciting! It sounds like you are adjusting to the no fridge option. I can't help answer your questions since it's been ten years since I've had to think about baby stuff and I've forgotten so much!

I think we've got it covered now. I just panicked initially!

Originally Posted by stardust190

Congrats on PIF (or almost anyways)! The stuff you got for Bri is so cute! Do you have a Once Upon a Child near you (or any baby consignment shop)? That's where I've been getting Mallory's Disney clothes. That and garage sales. I've been able to nab quite a few Disney (mostly Tink and Minnie Mouse) outfits for really cheap!

Good thing you planned extra time in the morning to get ready. I forgot to mention that, but it is the one thing that I wasn't really thinking about when we took Cameron along. It took us what seemed like forever to get out the door with him in tow. Either he'd be causing trouble or interrupting our attempts to get ready. Or being so darn cute it was too hard to rush him out the door. He loved to just run around the room and open the dresser drawers. It was so funny that every morning we watched him do that and giggle. We only made park opening once the whole trip!

Don't worry about the fridge freakout. Us Facebook people are happy to help. As for the nursery water... I've never used it with either of my kids. I talked to the Dr about it and he said that it really isn't necessary unless you have well water at home or are worried about fluoride content of the water. He actually recommended I just use tap water as we have city water. When we're out and about and I'm not sure about the water I just use bottled. Sometimes I'll buy a jug of distilled water, but I've never worried about refrigerating it. Actually I had no idea you were supposed to refrigerated nursery water. I've used it a few times, but never kept it cold. Briana will survive without it. I'd maybe worry more if she were younger, but she'll be close to a year in September (cue the mommy tears on that thought - I know I'm not ready for it). By this point their digestive systems are a lot more developed and can handle a difference in things like water without problem. Of course if it really worries you check with her Dr. I don't know her medical history so all I can really say is my kids survived without it.

for Toby. I have a few friends with kids that needed heart surgery shortly after birth. Not sure if it's the same type that Toby had, but those kids are now healthy 4 and 6 year olds.

Thank you for the advice, the pixies, and the encouraging fact that other kids have been through heart surgery and been fine. We're really worried about him, but we know he's in the best hands possible right now.

Originally Posted by chezp

Continued for your nephew. I love the outfits for Bri!

Thanks! I think my favorite items so far are the little plaid shorts. I'm going to have a great time finding matching shirts for those, they're so cute!

Originally Posted by Cam22

More on the way for your nephew.

Love all the little outfits for Brianna!

Thank you for the pixies.

Originally Posted by JKnott17

Here's more pixies for your nephew

I love all of the new outfits for Brianna, they are so cute! And, congrats on being PIF, doesn't that feel so good??!!

As for the nursery water, I wouldn't worry about it much. We actually never used that for our girls' formula. When we were out and about, I just used regular bottled water. Like someone else said, they survived

Thank you for the pixies. I think I'll just make it with bottled water then. I won't have to worry about toting a huge gallon jug to the hotel and everything. I'll just label one water bottle with her name so we know not to drink out of it.

Originally Posted by KMB733

The clothes for Bri are really cute!! Congrats on being PIF (on Thursday)

Continued pixies for your nephew

Thank you so much for the pixies!

Originally Posted by mommapants

lots more for toby!


what is the deal with the fridges? I didn't hear anything about that - I'm not in facebook.

I guess there was some of the fridges that had a defect that Disney was informed of, like possibly a recall or something? Anyway, they're replacing/checking every single fridge, so for now they're basically telling people not to expect to have one if you're going to be there in the next three or four months.

[OneLittleSpark]

When you pack the extra outfit for Bri while at the park...bring everything including socks....if she is using them (I know it can be hot at that time). You never know what could irritate a baby, something as easy as a wet sock for some reason. Lastly, pack that outfit in a zip lock bag. Keeps them dry and if you have to use it, you have a bag to zip in the old outfits wetness in.

Love all Bri's new outfits! As far as nursery water, honestly I have no idea what that is. Maybe it wasn't around 9 years ago, Idk. I used tap at home and bottled out of town.

[Jessie092408]

Originally Posted by OneLittleSpark

When you pack the extra outfit for Bri while at the park...bring everything including socks....if she is using them (I know it can be hot at that time). You never know what could irritate a baby, something as easy as a wet sock for some reason. Lastly, pack that outfit in a zip lock bag. Keeps them dry and if you have to use it, you have a bag to zip in the old outfits wetness in.

Love all Bri's new outfits! As far as nursery water, honestly I have no idea what that is. Maybe it wasn't around 9 years ago, Idk. I used tap at home and bottled out of town.

Nursery water is basically distilled water. It costs a buck at Walmart, and I've been using it to make her formula. Gerber has their own "Mixing Water" as they call it for formula. I'll use bottled water while we're down there. And I'm going to talk to her doctor about using tap water when I take her in for her 9 month check up on the 5th of August. I had kind of just assumed we should use it, but so many people on here have said they didn't, that if I can just use regular tap water, I will. I mean, we have a Brita filter, so that should be good.

[Jessie092408]

We are

PAID

IN

FULL!!!



Happy dance time!

And 45 days out, too!

Just goes to show, you can do anything you set your mind to, even if it seems impossible. Six weeks ago I wasn't sure we could afford this trip. Five weeks ago I decided to MAKE IT HAPPEN. And here we are, going to Disney World. I love my life.

[Carla33]

Originally Posted by Jessie092408

We are

PAID

IN

FULL!!!



Happy dance time!

And 45 days out, too!

Just goes to show, you can do anything you set your mind to, even if it seems impossible. Six weeks ago I wasn't sure we could afford this trip. Five weeks ago I decided to MAKE IT HAPPEN. And here we are, going to Disney World. I love my life.

That is great! I hope you guys have fun. The feeling of being played in full is amazing. It just makes the trip a little more real.

[Colexis Mom]

Congrats!