Happy Mother's Day to me.....
- Bear woke up at 6:15
- With a poop in his diaper...and down his leg
- Hubbie worked last night - so he is asleep now
Thank goodness my Bear is so worth it.
Happy Mother's Day to my mom...who is likely amused at my troubles.
Is a lot of work. I wonder what would happen if I talked about Bear on my Marketing blog. Do you think anyone would mind? Or, perhaps I could talk about Marketing on this blog...would you, my readers, be bored? Perhaps your Eyes Would Glaze Over?
I should simply find the time...but with a "almost" three year old, and work, and reading, and shopping...how can I possibly write two blogs?
And, then I think. Well this one should be more important - after all it is a tribute to the most important person in my life - my Baby Bear. Then the devil on my shoulder says - but you are passionate about marketing, social media, SEO and all that good stuff - don't you deserve that outlet.
So I guess I continue to write two blogs.
I have been away from blogging on both blogs for about two weeks now. One week due to a holiday to Florida, and the second week due to computer exhaustion as I had over 230 emails to read at work alone.
My first blog post after my break is going to be shared between Okbabybear and MEGO due to the subject being about our vacation with Bear and about the incredible Disney experience!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
When I was a child my family went to Florida almost every year, so by age 13 I had been to Disney 8 or 9 times. This year we decided to make the trip south with Bear and his grandparents. I was both excited and nervous about the trip. Excited to see my little boys face when the Disney magic touches him, and nervous in case what I remembered wasn't real.
I didn't have any reason to be worried. We arrived at the gates just after they opened and by 11 o'clock I had my money's worth! Disney is simply a brand that gets "it". From the ticket takers, to the cleaning crew and the photographers to the characters - each Imagineer at Disney is a representative of the brand. Everything that is done, even the little things, are done to perpetuate the brand message.
Park a stroller in "stroller parking" - chances are when you return from the ride that the "parking" lot will be arranged in straight lines making it easy for you to get your stroller out. Exit the Pirates of the Caribbean and you might just run into Jack Sparrow himself putting on a show. Or as part of the "Year of a Million Dreams" you could meet an Imagineer who hands you a "Fast Pass" that gets you into the short line for the most popular rides.
The highlight of the day for my son, and therefore for the rest of us, was visiting Mickey's Toon Town where Bear met his favourite Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters. We arrived at the area 10 minutes before they opened. Instead of a person coming out to open the gate - they sent Pluto and Donald. In this area the kids can visit Mickey & Minnie at the Judge's Tent, and Donald, Pluto and Goofy in another building. We started with Mickey & Minnie, who were just arriving as we were. My son screams out "Hi!" and Mickey turns and waves as all the adults laugh at my adorable little Bear. When we get our turn with Mickey & Minnie, my son, nervously leans over hands between his knees, and says to Mickey " I...I..have a suitcase!" We
ll actually he has a Mickey Mouse back-pack...but close enough. Magically, my son's favourite show comes to life. Disney photographers take pictures of the moment, but instead of not allowing you to take photos, forcing you to purchase over priced images in order to savour the moment - they let you take your own pictures. Of course, they give you a card with a PhotoPass number so that IF you want to purchase the images - YOU CAN. And, I likely will...sucker that I am. But I feel rather warm and fuzzy about not HAVING TO...since I already have some cute shots of Mickey & Minnie with Bear.
Despite line-ups at rides and beverage carts, and crowds around characters and parade routes - not once did I hear an angry customer or a snide remark between park goers. It seems that everyone was touched by the magic of Disney.
 |  |  |
When Owen was four or five months he stopped sleeping through the night. Not that he ever slept "completely" through the night. The first two months he woke up frequently to nurse, and then for the following two months he would sleep for four or five hour stints. So when at four or five months he started waking up every hour or two, we were distraught. This horrible sleep pattern lasted until a week before I went back to work when Owen was 10 months old.
Now, (knock on wood) he sleeps through the night 98% of nights. On some nights just getting him to stay in bed is the problem!
Last night, I waited for the sound of little feet upstairs, for doors opening and closing, for the call - "mom!" Nothing came. Woohoo I thought. Turns out I just didn't hear the footsteps over the sound of the dishwasher. I went upstairs at 9:30 and found my son fast asleep in MY bed, with his How to Catch A Star book, and my book - God Delusion - beside him. It seems he fell asleep reading!
I quietly moved him over, and crawled in beside him. I didn't have the heart to move him to his own bed.
Apparently residents of Toronto got into Earth Hour. Check out these Pictures courtesy of WWF on Flickr (Creative Commons license):
 |  |
 |  |
We made the mistake of telling Owen we were going to see Mickey - back in December or January and because of that his little two year old brain thinks that every day is THE DAY!
