The Latest on the Lowes

We started this blog to share the transformation of our 1926 fixer...but with time and the addition of kids it has become my way of documenting two childhoods...the triumphs, moments of hilarity, lessons learned and everything in between.

Friday, March 01, 2013

The good, the bad and the Disney

Ah, February - you started out so calmly...work wasn't too busy, thing were chuggin' along at home....then I got sick, followed by Chris getting sick, then Matteo got sick...and once everyone was better, I was shipped to Germany for a few days, returned, Matteo got sick again and brought Lily down with him, we rallied (sorta) for a trip to the Magic Kingdom, followed by Lily kicking hoop in the school talent show.  We're now back to our normal routine, everyone is healthy (today, anyway) and I'm looking back at the month thinking "did that *really* all happen?!"  The answer is yes, yes it did.

Germany...I think I can sum it up in numbers: 36 hours of total travel time and 50 hours on the ground.  My childish amusement of "fahrt" signs aside, the highlight was Lily saying her prayers the night before I left, asking God to "please please please with the cheese help mommy speak German in Germany."  I've since had the "it's a long trip for a short meeting" talk with my boss, which he was thankfully receptive to.  


For Lily the Magic Kingdom was just that - pure magic.  The first day there she  took on The Matterhorn and various other rides like a pro, got her "First
Visit" pin and a set of ears and was treated to fireworks over Sleeping Beauty's castle.  Matteo got to the airport ok, melted into a puddle on the plane, cried off and on the whole flight, got too cold at the park and watched the fireworks from a hotel balcony until he decided hitting me and tossing his binky over the railing would be more fun (thankfully some very cute kids ran down and found it, averting no-binky-at-bedtime disaster).  The next day we went to a character breakfast where Lily was delighted to meet Pluto, Mickey, Minnie, Daisy Duck and (a slightly creepy) Stitch.  Matteo was thoroughly unimpressed, but did enjoy the buffet bacon.  Despite the freezing cold, Lily had an absolute blast when Quincy and Nolan arrived - going on a ton of rides and even braving the Haunted Mansion.  Matteo did like going on the train with Daddy, but wound up losing his hat and missing his nap, making for a very grumpy, cold, tired boy.  Day 3 found Lily in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where she got a Pop Princess makeover and a pair of princess shoes which magically made her tall enough to ride Indiana Jones (judge me all you want - she was literally only one centimeter too short).  While she did get a little self conscious about all the looks and compliments
her 'do received, that was minor compared to all the fun she had enjoying the short lines and (finally!) sunshine with Daddy.  Matteo and I hung out at the hotel...where the pool was closed and he still couldn't nap.  The evening was salvaged, though, by Uncle Timmy coming down for dinner (YAY!!) followed by Lily and I going on the Cars ride and squeezing in two trips on Splash Mountain before closing.  Lily's ears bugged her a little on the trip home, Matteo squirmed and screamed bloody murder the whole flight.  No exaggeration.  So, net/net - awesome and magical for Lily, sleepless torture for Matteo with intermittent train delight.  Magic Kingdom, we will be seeing you in again in *maybe* 3 - 4 years.   


Post note: Lily had a lemonade in New Orleans Square that came with a little light-up Tinkerbell clip.  Since coming home, Chris has periodically clipped it to her light fixture or canopy, always very stealthily and when is brushing her teeth, looking for a bedtime book, etc.  What I love about age 6 is that she truly believes Tinkerbelle is moving on her own - after all she magically appeared elsewhere and Daddy plausibly denied any involvement.  Tinkerbelle is now clipped to a belt on her dresser, ostensibly weighing her down and thwarting any additional escape attempts. 

And what's this about hooping?  As I've mentioned, Lily is a hula phenom and when she learned there would be a school talent show, she jumped at the chance to show off her skills.  After making the audition cut we were asked to shorten her routine to :45, so when we got back from Disneyland on Thursday, we had her show us her routine and practice it through twice that night and twice again Friday morning - the thinking being if she got nervous, muscle memory would kick in and save the day.  The next day was the show so off she went to school, excited to tell her friends about her Disney adventure and perform her routine.  I'll admit I was really nervous - I've always hated public speaking and anything involving performing in front of a crowd.  Lily clearly doesn't share this - she went out there and performed her routine perfectly.  The only snag is that the sound guy didn't know we'd shortened it to :45 as requested, so her song went on for another minute...but Lily rolled with it and just kept on performing her tricks and hooping her little heart out.  I was so proud I thought I'd bust...admittedly I did cry a little when I heard her friends boast that THEY knew her.  

Meanwhile, Matteo hasn't mastered the hula hoop, but he has mastered all
things Paco.  I doubt there has ever been a boy who loves his dog more than Matteo loves Mr. P.  At Disneyland he would light up when we mentioned him and was incredibly excited to see him when we got home, collapsing with his arms around Paco's neck, face buried in his fur.  He still hasn't mastered who is who, often inter-mingling mama and dada, but he always, ALWAYS gets Paco right when we go round-robin asking what our names are.  I'm not sure the feeling is mutual, but Paco does see the benefit in the form toddler meals that Matteo generously shares with him.

In other developmental advances, Lily has mastered the laugh-snort.  Not sure how I feel about this - it makes her seem older than her years and I'm not quite ready for that.  On his side, Matteo continues his deep love of books, although his favorites continue to be Tanka Tanka Skunk and Goodnight Gorilla.  You know it's bad when Lily has them memorized and recites along from the other side of the room.

And of course there are the quotes of the month....


  • Lily: Mama guess what? We had orphans for snack Me: Orphans?  Can you describe them? Lily: You know, they have papers inside.  Me: OH!  You mean FORTUNES!
  • Lily after Splash Mountain: "Can we get second turns?" LOVE my adventurous girl!
  • Lily, Disney day 1, before we'd even entered the park: "I'm so happy to be here!"
  • Chris, after Lily shows him her partially-chewed food: I see seafood Me: are kids are such charmers Lily: what means charmers? Me: it means you win people over with your sparkling personalities  Lily: (insert pig noises followed by a burp)
  • Matteo: whispering "yeah-yeah" when we ask him if he wants milk, snack, etc.  Not sure why affirmations are double-whispered, but it's very cute
  • Mama, guess what? People make mistakes, even grown ups!
  • Lily, after watching a teacher on Glee break into an elaborate song-and-dance routine: Well, that took up their time. 
  • And one that is from a friend of Lily's, but too cute to pass up.  Lyla joined us for sushi the night before I went to Germany (note to all parents: you haven't experienced unbridled enthusiasm until you've taken 6-year-old pals to conveyor belt sushi).  During the meal, Lily pointed out that I was flying out on Sunday, which is a weekend not a work day.  Lyla then leaned forward, put her little chin in her small hand, looked at me intently and said "Yes, explain yourself." 
Busy month, lessons learned, miles gained, hulas hooped, memories made.