a favorite day

because we didn't have enough fun a month ago... :)

I really wanted to take Henry to Disneyland for the day, just he and I.
He's at an age that seemed more manageable (to handle by myself in such a setting) and fun and I really want to have special times and trips and one on one activities with each of my kids. My sister was taking her two older girls down to meet up with some friends for the day and it just worked out perfect to car pool together.

Coming off of such a great trip last month I had to really check myself before we got there, this was not about riding the most rides, or taking the best pictures, or doing x, y or z, it was about Henry. And what he wanted to do. It was about us. Our adventure together.

It was hot and so much more crowded than I've been used to.





We managed to ride autopia and then boarded the train.
Perfect I thought, a nice calm ride around the park.




I loved his little hand on my leg. His slight trepidation of the coming dinosaurs, and needing the knowledge that mommy, was in fact, there. Love.




Then he wanted to take a pictures of mommy. Hi there Lorie, how many chins do you have now a days?!



Henry wanted to get off after the first stop. But we had left the stroller WAY on the other side of the park. I forced him to ride two more stops before he said he wanted to get off to ride Small World. We stood in line for less than a minute when I saw all the tell-tale signs of a melt down on the horizon. I dragged him across the park, back to the stroller and then all the way back to the teacups. Right around then I really second guessed my ability to hack this park by myself with him. (Not that there was any undoing my decision, but I was getting a tad nervous that it could be a monumental disaster of a day.)

We rode the teacups which we both LOVE. Like really. Really really love the teacups. I could ride them all day. I might be one of the few adults in my family that could spin all day.




But as soon as the ride was over the melt down started up again. The heat was kicking our butts. And we were approaching nap time, which is never a guarantee at the happiest place on earth. But Henry was requesting ice cream (pleading, whining, moaning for it was more like it) and as hot as I was, ice cream seemed perfect. Until we walked up to the ice cream parlor on mainstreet and the line was all the way down mainstreet. I hoofed us out of the park and over to California park, hoping and succeeding in finding a shorter ice cream line. And what do you know, but I finally get up to the register and somebody is completely passed out in the stroller. I found a nice shaded spot below the waterfall (eh hem PERFECT white noise for napping) and Henry slept AN HOUR. Oh the joy.

The afternoon shaped up better.

We met back up with our cousins and friends at the Disney Junior show.





we shopped.



we scored guns. and an ice cream (Cause you know, he slept through the first one ;)






rode every ride in bugs world







and then came my favorite part of the day.

It might seem strange for some that THIS particular memory would be my favorite, after all we were at DISNEYLAND for petes sake, but it was just soooo Henry.

Seeing as it was hot I suggested he might want to run through the water (but had no faith he actually would). But not my Henry. Always surprising me. But not surprising me in that he does in fact SURPRISE me. (does that make sense?)



He carefully observed all the kids.



Observed where the water was coming from. Where it was going.



always with his hands behind his back. LOVE.



Then I saw it. That glimmer of momentum. I could see him work up his nerve. He looked again at me, his eyes full of "do I dare" question marks. I smile and nodded him on. And he took off towards the water. I held my breath, so proud. Only for him to stop short of the water. Right beyond it's reach.



Testing his limits. Making final calculations. Still unsure.



Once more to mama,



before taking the plunge,







only then to run back and forth and back and forth



in freedom.





I could have sat there forever, celebrating his victory. His bravery. Reveling in his accomplishment, that to some would seem insignificant. But it was a decision he made on his own. I didn't have to bribe/convince/force him to do. I allowed him the freedom and the encouragement to make his own choice. And he did. And we both celebrated the result.

If only I could learn and cling to that lesson in every aspect of parenting him. ;)

My mommy heart was full right then. So so full. And grateful.