Squeaks is here!

It has been two month since we welcomed our little squeaks. This post is way over due. I have been meaning to write it for awhile. But never got around to it. Now as I sit here wide awake it's time. 

Beckett Darrell Phillips was born October 8 at 5:39 pm. He weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz and 19 1/2 inches.

Since I was scheduled for a repeat csection. That day was full of nerves. I really relished in my last day of it just being me and LM. We did a lot of snuggling. When the time came to take him to grandmas I had a very hard time leaving. Because I knew it would no longer just be he and I. But I was so excited for the new adventure we were embarking on. 

I am so glad I got one last picture with him. I will forever cherish the look of excitement. He knew it was time to get a brother.

We arrived at the hospital an hour earlier then we were suppose to. Oops. I'll blame that on pregnancy brain. It gave us time for one last belly shot. Then time to calm my nerves. 

Once they took me back we had about two hours before my appointment time. This gave them time to get me dressed. Get my IV started. Then go over everything with me. My nerves really started to get to me and my blood pressure started to get really high. I started having contractions. Which really started to hurt. So it was a good thing I was at the hospital! They got my all hooked up and then it was just time to wait. They had the anesthesiologist come in and talk with me. I got even more nervous and had a very uncomfortable feeling. More on that later. Then we waited some more. It got to be 4:50 and I still had yet to see my doctor. Which made me nervous. They can't take you back to prep you till your doctor checks on you. But right on cue he walked through the door. I was instantly at peace. I would trust him no matter what was going on. He was an amazing doctor. He spoke with us and then told the nurse it was time.  

 

The hospital underwent a complete remodel since I had LM. So the walk was very quick to the OR. Once inside I was greeted by a rush of cold air. My nerves really started to kick in. This was the moment I had been dreading my whole pregnancy. The spinal. With LM it was quick. First attempt and he was done. This was not the case. After 14 attempts, yes you read that right, I was finally numb. Each attempt he would hit bone. I had amazing nurses who tried to help me through it. They held me as I cried in pain. Reassured me that it was going to be ok. Told me I was doing everything I was asked of. It just wasn't going right. After the sixth attempt my doctor left the room. A half hour after starting I was finally numb. 

This time was different from LM. I felt as if my legs were asleep. Not numb but asleep. Which made me start to panic. Ben was not in the room yet. It was just me and the staff. They put the blue divider up and this is where things went from bad to worse for me. I immediately started to have a panic attack. I have never had one this bad before. I began thrashing on the table. Yelling I was "done". I didn't want to do it. I changed my mind. Finally Ben was able to start to calm me down. But my body was not done. I started to feel like I was going to throw up. Let's just say my body won. Then squeaks was out and I was able to relax. Looking at him for the first time calmed me down enough to get to the end of the surgery. They wrapped him up and handed him to Ben. He looked so much like LM. I was so in love again. Once I was done and moved over to the transport they handed me squeaks. It was amazing to get to hold him so quickly. With LM it was almost two hours before I got to hold him. Squeaks never really left my side. Which is what I needed. 

Once we made it to recovery they told me I would get to do skin to skin. Squeaks had other ideas. He was ready to eat. While I'm recovery her ate on both sides. For almost the entire time. Only stopping when it was time for his bath. Which he hated! I think all babies do. But once he was all cleaned up he was ready for more. 

Then it was time to move me to my room. I swear because of the remodel it took forever. They had to keep using different elevators because there wasn't one in use that went to where my room was. Once in my room it was time to transfer to my bed. I had yet to try and move my legs because with LM it took forever to get feeling back. They asked if I could use my arms to transfer myself to my bed. I felt great, so I said " Of course!". Well to be sure one of the nurses asked if I could move my feet. She had rested her hand on my legs. My legs started to move, so in my mind I thought she moved them. I thought there was no way I could already be able to move. Well I did. She laughed and said " I guess you can." To which I responded " wait that was me? Oh yay!" I completely took her by surprise. I don't think she had ever seen anyone so happy that they moved their legs. We all ended up in a laughing fit. Once we were finished they helped as I moved myself onto my bed. Got me cleaned up and settled. I started to have really bad hot flashes so they had to put cold towels on me to cool me down. Once my nurse felt comfortable that I was ok, LM and my parents were allowed back. 

LM was so excited to see his brother that my parents got to the hospital sooner then expected. But that gave them time to talk with him about everything he was going to see. When the nurse gave the ok they headed up. I heard a knock at the door and LM entered. He instantly looked so big compared to the tiny newborn I was holding. He was so happy to see that I was ok. He then got to see his brother for the first time. He was very unsure, but not scared. Just uncertain. Cue his big brother gift. Before I had squeaks, LM began to really get into super heroes. So I decided to get him a cape. I'm preparation for getting a new brother I told him how he would have to be a super hero and help mommy with brother. So getting the cape just made it all real. He loved running around the room with it on. Then he gently climbed into bed with me so he could hold brother. He was very unsure. He was so gentle. We were able to get a few photos and then he was done. My parents held squeaks and then left. 

Squeaks got his nickname the first night. He would make these adorable little squeaks each time he would stretch. So his nickname was an easy one to come by. My hospital stay was pretty smooth. I was there the full length of time I could be after a c section. I made sure to get a milkshake with almost every meal. Superior dairy ice cream! They were so good. Ben was able to stay with me the entire time. Which was so helpful when I needed to get out of bed. We were able to watch a lot of movies together and just enjoy our little squeaks. LM came to visit at least two times a day. At least once a day he would go walk the halls with just Ben and I. My parents would hold squeaks. I personally thunk that made the transition so much easier for LM. Because from the beginning we made time for just him. We had so many loved ones visit which was nice. Because this time I wanted to talk to people. I so wanted to be social. 

I am so grateful that everything turned out like it did. I am so in love with my squeaks. My heart feels whole with him in my life. Our family feels complete. We all enjoy having him around so much. LM is completely in love with his brother. We are extremely happy.

Be the best mommy you can be.

Little mans 3rd birthday!

A few weeks ago my sweet boy turned 3. So of course it was time for a party. He has been very into Legos. Especially since the Lego movie came out. So we decided on a Lego party. We ran into one slight problem. Even with the huge success of the Lego movie there were no decorations to be found anywhere. So that meant in order to give my LM a Lego party I had to make all of the decorations. Now being almost 34 weeks pregnant I knew I was going not going to be able to do a lot. So we ordered an amazing cake from For Goodness Cakes. Find her on Facebook the cake turned out amazingly. 

Seriously so cute. It was delicious. Plus we had just enough for everyone with just a few extra pieces. 

I made these adorable bean bags. I grabbed 3 pieces of felt in each of the colors. I cut the felt in half width wise. Then I cut those pieces in half. I was able to get 4 bags out of 2 pieces of felt. The 3rd piece I used for the circles. I hot glued the circles on. Then grabbed my sewing machine and stitched up 3 of the sides. Stuffed them with beans and then sewed up the finally size. They were so easy. Then we took boxes and cut holes and covered them in tissue paper. LM had fun throwing the bags in. 

For the food we did and create your own sandwich station. I used the big blocks to make holders for the plates,napkins, and cups. Then we used one of the boxes for the bean bag game to hold cups full of the silver ware. It was such a fun touch.

I made this adorable banner. I used construction paper and a circle punch. I again just cut the paper in half width wise. LM helped me punch out all the circles. I used foam tape to kind of help the circles pop of the paper. It was so fun to do this with my LM.

Finally getting to sing to him. He thought his cake was amazing. He was ready to eat it before the party started. 

 

I love you my LM. It has been amazing to watch you grow. I can't not wait to see you become a brother in just a matter of weeks. You will always be one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Be the best mommy you can be.

Preparations / family pictures.

A few weeks ago we were able to have some maternity pictures done. It was so much fun because we had LM with us this time. It was so nice to get some pictures of the 3 of us before we add another little dude to our family. We have grown so much as a family in the past few months. LM is settling into his role as a big helper very well. He is getting so big I can not believe it. 

The past few weeks I have had a lot of time to reflect about the changes that will shortly be taking place. Mostly because I am so big I am having a hard time moving around. I have reached the stage where I literally have to roll myself out of bed. My love has to help me out of seated positions and sometimes even the car. This stage just means that I am so close to the end. Which means soon this little dude will be snuggling up in my arms. We have just a couple weeks before his arrival. I am so excited.

I think the thing I am most excited about is watching LM with his new brother. He is already so in love with his brother. He asks about him at least once a day. He is so ready to have him here. He loves going to the doctors with me. He calls him baby doctor. He gets so excited when I tell him it's time to go. He literally asks evey couple days to go. When he hears brothers heartbeat he gets so excited. His face absolutely lights up. 

He has been in major get ready mode. He watched a Daniel tiger episode where they got all the baby stuff ready. He wanted to do everything Daniel did. So we officially have the crib put together. We have the bedding on. All brothers clothes are washed and put away. Brothers car seat is all ready. His bassinet is set up in mommy's room. He is ready. He helped with each step and is so proud of himself for all he did. 

Each time we have done something I make sure to explain to him that he once used these things but now he is the big brother. Which has really helped in getting him ready. I'm hoping I am preparing him to not be overly jealous when brother gets here. I have made sure each day to take time to do something special with just him. Even though I may be tired, and uncomfortable I make time for him. I am hoping that because I have been doing this he will understand when brother gets here that there will be times for just him. There will also be times when I need to take care of brother. I have been talking with him about how things will change. I know that it is not going to be smooth sailing. But I am hoping that I can help prepare him just a little bit.

I am so in love with my husband. I have to take a moment to talk about him. He has been amazing. I am so excited to see him with little guy. He is already smitten. 

I am so thankful for both of them. They are my life. My world. My happiness. I can not wait to be surrounded by boys. I will be so loved and protected. I have been blessed to receive two boys. I am tasked with raising incredible men. Incredible priesthood holders. I honestly can not wait.

Who is ready for little guys name reveal??

When I got pregnant we instantly settled on a girl name. But could not settle on a boy name. There were tons I loved there were tons my love loved. But for me I would like something for like a week and then not like it anymore. Finally at 14 weeks I found a name that I absolutely fell in love with. My love has not faded for it. Hearing LM say it to my tummy has just cemented the fact that it is the right name. It fits our family. 

So his name is.......

We can not wait till October to meet him. We are counting down the weeks. We are preparing everyday. We are all ready.

Be the best mommy you can be.

Can I be honest?

* Disclamer: This post is extremely honest. If you do not want to read about my fears please skip this post.  

Tonight my mind is racing. There are so many exciting things that are happening shortly. 

First: My sweet little man (LM) is going to be turning 3. When did he get so big? When did he stop being my sweet little baby? Will he still love to cuddle with me on the couch in the morning? Or will those soon be distant memories? I can't believe it has been 3 years since he was born. He has turned into such a little man. With his likes and dislikes that he is not afraid to share. He has such a sweet personality. 

Second: My little brother is getting married. Thats right married. It is mind blowing that he is old enough. It has been amazing to see him grow. He has found himself a good one. She is such a sweetheart and I look forward to many more years together with her. Marriage is a big step and I am so proud of my little brother. I can not wait to see them all in white.

Third: In all honesty probably the biggest. Baby boy will be here. Am I really in single digits? I have 8 weeks until his due date. But since he will be delivered c-section that number is smaller. Which makes me even more nervous. Shortly we will no longer be a family of 3. But a family of 4. 

Can I be completely honest? That last one is the one that has me up at night. Not only because this one is determined to break a rib. But because I am TERRIFIED! Absolutely terrified. I know we prayed about it and that it is the right time. But I am so worried I am going to fail at being a mother to 2 boys. I know I have made it this far with LM and he has turned out amazing. But can I really be a mom to 2? Do I have what it takes to have a newborn and a toddler? 

Am I going to fail? Am I already failing? 

This pregnancy has taken literally everything out of me. It is all I can do at times to make LM breakfast and lunch before having to lay down. I am always exhausted and totally grouchy at moments I wish I wasn't. I honestly feel like I have already failed him as a mom. Because I have lost my temper over silly things more times then I wish to admit. I was never like this before. Is it because he is at a difficult age? Or is it because I really am not meant to be a great mom to 2 kids? Sure down the road I may look at this post and wonder how I ever thought that. But I am so worried. I love my LM more than anything. I love this little dude more than anything. But I feel as though I have already let them both down. That I have lost some part of the bond LM and I have shared because I have been so hormonal and lost my temper. 

I am so scared. In a way it feels better to get it all out on my blog. Because then it is not just living in my head. But how do I shake this fear? I always start the day feeling that it is going to be better but most times it ends with me feeling the same way. Like I am failing at least one of the 3 boys I love so much. One of them is not even here yet and I feel that way. I don't expect everything to be better over night. I want so desperately to be an amazing mom of 2. 

Am I just hormonal and worried over nothing? In all honesty that is probably what it is. But how do I forget the tears I have caused for no good reason. I am so worried that when this little dude gets here my sweet LM will no longer want me. I love him so much and the past couple of weeks have not been the best. 

I want my boys to have the best relationship they can. Does LM already resent him because of how I have been acting? Is he going to feel like he isn't important anymore once this little dude comes? Is LM really ready for all this? Will he still love me once little dude gets here?

I have been so worried this entire pregnancy that LM would feel less important once little dude got here. So I have been trying to help him see how great he is. That he is an amazing helper. How big he is. How proud of him I am. We have shared some amazing moments over the past couple months. But is all that diminished by the times I have lost my temper. Sure I always go back and make sure I apologize. Because it is not his fault that I have lost my temper. Sometimes I have over reacted. It is not everyday but it has happened enough that it makes me worry. 

I have always wanted to be a mom. Ever since I can remember I would play house. There always had to be babies. I have wanted this since I was little. Am I living up to what my LM needs? Am I doing enough?

I know this will be over shortly but how do I get over the guilt I feel? Do other moms feel like this or is it just me? 

This is the most honest I have ever been on this blog. I hope I do not sound terrible. But this is a huge life change. I needed to get it out. Because maybe I am the only mom who feels this way. Or maybe just maybe another mom has felt this way and can give me words of advice and comfort. Or maybe just maybe a mom may be feeling the same way and this may help her feel like she isn't alone. I don't know the reason but I know I was suppose to write this post. I always feel lead to write about the things that are important to either me or someone else. 

Please remember I am trying my best. Remember I am just human. All things I think I needed to read for myself. Even if I had to share some tough feelings.

Im trying to be the best mommy I can be.

It's ok to pamper yourself.

So this past month I have gone into like super baby prep mode. I am officially in my 3rd trimester. Holy cow am I really almost there. My body definitely feels like it. I can't believe how close we are getting. This time we are much more prepared. I have been busy making nursing covers, getting a bassinet, the crib sheet. We have a nice stock pile of diapers and wipes. I think that this has been the greatest thing I have done this time. Stocking up on diapers. But more on that in another post. 

Today I want to talk about pampering yourself. I have a post about taking time for yourself. But this time I want to specifically talk about doing things to make yourself feel like a women. After I had my son I definitely put myself on the back burner. I mean I took care of myself but not like I used to. I used to always have my nails done. Have my hair colored. Go shopping. Get massages. Have super nice makeup. Well after I had my son I wanted to spend all my extra money on him. Because let's face it there are tons of cute baby stuff. So I started to do less and less for myself. I was more than ok with that. Because me wasting all that money was not worth it. 

A few months ago, I started to realize that I completely lost myself. The woman I once was had completely disappeared. I had a long talk with my love about how I was feeling. How I felt that all that was left of me was the mommy. Now I absolutely love being a mommy. There is nothing I would rather do. But I think it is important to still feel like a woman. So I set out to start to take time to pamper myself. 

First thing on the list: highlights. I have been wanting to change my hair for a while. But I didn't want to cut it because I have been working so hard on growing it out. So highlights were the perfect answer. They are subtle enough that they look natural and it has added some depth to my hair. 

28 weeks! 

 

Second nails: I am the type of girl that loves to have my nails painted all the time. But I hate when I paint them and the next day they are chipped. Then I found my new favorite nail polish. It is Sally Hansen miracle gel. You apply two coats of the color and then one coat of the top coat. There is something in the top coat that makes it cure in natural light. Let me tell you it is amazing. It's been on for almost a week and still looks amazing. You can purchase the set for 14.99. They also have a variety of colors that are 7.99. Totally worth the money for how much I will use it. 

  

Lastly a massage. When my love where first married we went in every month and got massages at massage envy. It was heaven. I have been having a lot of sciatic pain. My left leg starts to hurt so much that I can't put any weight on it and end up skipping on my right leg. Plus pregnancy is hard on your body. So it was suggested that I get a prenatal massage. Let me tell you it was totally worth it. My body felt so much better afterwards. I was also able to fall asleep so much easier. Sleep has been hard this time. So it was worth every pennie.

Each woman feels pampered in different ways. I have talked to moms who say to pamper themselves they buy a new bubble bath or shampoo. However you feel pampered make sure you do it a regular basis. It is amazing how much better about yourself you will feel. Do whatever makes you feel beautiful.  Rememeber you are not just a mommy you are also a beautiful woman! Let it shine! being they best mommy you can be starts with being the best you that you can be.

Be the best mommy you can be.

My feelings on the phrase "We are pregnant."

So I am very addicted to Pinterest. I could absolutely spend every waking moment on it. There are so many things to explore. So many new crafts, or recipes to explore. But there are also times I am on there and I just have to shake my head. I know we are all entitled to our own opinions. We have freedom of speech and I never want to take that away from anyone. But with that said I feel as though there is a lack of sensitivity. That if you don't feel a certain way, you must be crazy. Which honestly drives me absolutely bonkers. 

So why am I writing about this. Well maybe in all honesty I might be a little bit emotional in the way I feel. I mean I am a lot more irritable then normal. But I saw something the other day that just made my heart hurt. I felt the need to write about the way I feel. 

As I was on the kids board on Pinterest the other day I came across a certain pin. It was a link to a blog. My interest was peaked so I decided to take a look. I absoultelt love mommy blogs. Part of why I write my own. So I started to read. This blog was talking all about how she hated the phrase " we are pregnant.". I honestly do not have a problem with this phrase. But she did. A major one. She went on to talk about how terrible it is to say that. Especially when coming from your loved one. Because though they had a part of making this wonderful miracle they did not understand what being pregnant was like. They didn't have to watch their body change. They didn't have to give birth. They didn't have to deal with all the cravings. They didn't have to have blood work done. They didn't have to nurse the newborn.  I started reading it with an open mind. Knowing she probably really needed to vent. But as I continued reading my heart broke. Not for her but for her loved one. 

Pregnancy is not easy for everyone. Believe me I get that. But you are not the only person going through your pregnancy. You and your loved one are. Whether that be a husband or boyfriend. You are both in it together. If you both choose to be. Though they do not have to go through the physical things a woman does they still go through your pregnancy with you. They help you more then you realize at times. Don't take away their excitement by telling them they aren't the one who's pregnant. Because though that is true, they are the one who will be your biggest supporter. Complaining about how you have to go through everything does not make for a good relationship. Actually, it tears your relationship apart. It is a huge life change. No matter if it's you first, second or third child. It is a time to strengthen your relationship. Because you will have so many times throughout the nine months to lean on each other. To be there. To cheer on your loved one. It reality the phrase " we are pregnant" is so very true. Because you are both in for a huge life change. You will never be the same. Because together you have created something so perfect. You will not believe the love you feel for your loved one when you watch him hold your child for the first time.

I remember that moment so clearly. Because of my c-section my husband was the first to hold our son. I remember being wheeled back into my room. I had yet to see little man for more than 10 seconds. I clearly remember my hubby walking over to me and saying how perfect he was. He was glowing with excitement. Tears in his eyes as he told me all about the first things little man had done. How he grabbed on to my loves finger so tightly and wouldn't let go. As I began to wake up more I was allowed to hold little man. Watching my love turn around and bring him to me seemed as though it happened in slow motion. He had a huge smile that stretched from ear to ear. He couldn't take his eyes off of our sweet little man. He we as one proud father. As he handed him to me he was so gentle. Quietly whispering here is your mommy. I was in love with him from that moment. But not only him I was so in love with my husband. Seeing him become a father was one of the greatest moments of my life. Seeing how much he loves our little man melts my heart. 

We both survived being pregnant. I can not even count the amount of time I has him run to 7eleven to pick up hostess goodies. But honestly it was a lot because one of the workers knew us by the end. He didn't have to go through the physical, but he did have to go through a lot. He had to deal with me complaining about how much my body hurt. He had to deal with cravings. He had to deal with crying and yelling. He had to deal with my hating how nothing fit right. How huge I got. He helped with nighttime feelings by changing little mans diaper. He in some way had to deal with every part of my pregnancy. He was my rock. He is my rock. 

Being pregnant a second time brings back all those memories. It also brings a lot of the same things. I still crave things and make him run out. Even if it's 11:30. He still goes. Because we are in this together. I would not want to go through this with anyone else but him. We are pregnant, because together we made the decision to grow our family. 

I can understand that some people may not like the phrase. Hate it or love it. It is your choice. Use it or don't. But never use it as a way to tear down your loved one. Because they are going through this journey with you.

Be the best mommy you can be.

It is ok to ask for help.

I am not one to ask for help. I'm sure we could all say that about ourselves. But I am the queen of not asking for help. I will literally exhaust myself trying to do everything that needs to be done. If you ask my husband he will tell you that we usually have the same conversation over and over. 

"Why didn't you ask for help?"

"I didn't want to. I thought I could handle it."

Now this usually is done in tears. Because I have usually pushed my body to far. I am usually laying in a ball on the floor. Because my body seriously has no strength left. It is a great sight. I'm sure my husband is laughing at me in his head. I know I would be.  I have always been this way. I am terrible at asking for help. But lately I have really been realizing that l need to ask for help. One amazing thing is that little man is at the stage where he wants to help with everything. He will get a pull up, throw it away, put his plate and cup away. He also loves to help me sweep and mop. 

Lately, he has really been in a helping mood. The other day I sat down with a huge basket of laundry to fold. I began folding, when suddenly little man asked if he could help. He started to pull shirts out and shake them. Then try and fold them. I will honestly say the first time he did it I was a little frustrated. It added an extra step and I was trying to hurry. Then I saw the look on his face as he did it. He was so proud of himself. He was helping mommy. He was making things easier for me. As I sat there and watched him I realized just how important help is. It made me realize we all need help. We also all want to help those we care about. 

I have so many around me who are so willing to help in whatever way they can. I am so blessed with amazing friends and family. I am not always the quickest to accept help, but I realize we all need the chance to help those we love. 

Be the best mommy you can be.

It's a boy!

When we went in to find out what gender little man was, we brought my mom along. We were all so excited in the room. Especially my mom, she was so excited to be a part of it. To see her grandson on the ultrasound she was oozing with pride. It was a great moment. This time around we wanted it to be just our small family. But it was the day before my moms birthday so we had a great idea for a reveal. After I little man I knew the next time around I wanted to do a fun reveal. We had lots of ideas. Fun cake reveals, a reveal party, a reveal photoshoot and a fun gift opening. So since it was the day before my moms birthday we wrapped an outfit. My family had no idea we were going in that day. They knew it was going to be soon but we completely surprised them all. 

I started out by making a birthday card for my mom.

Then we went to the appointment and found out. After I went to target and picked out an outfit to wrap.

Then later that night we went to my parents and gave the gift to my mom. Thankfully all my family was there. Then of course we called all the grandparents, and great grandparents. Of course they were all excited.

I can honestly say I am so excited to have two boys. I am most excited to see little man have a brother. It has been so adorable to see him getting excited for baby brother. He has helped pick out outfits. We have talked about how we will get to snuggle him in a couple months.  How soon he will have a brother to play cars and trains with. He is getting more and more excited and loves to talk to my tummy. It is so adorable.

When we went for this ultrasound I totally thought it was a girl. But the second she put the wand on my stomach and saw that it was no girl. The tech was like "oh that's not the cord.". I am so excited. I have done the baby boy thing. We have all the clothes we could need, except for a couple things. But we are a lot more prepared then if it was a girl. I can not wait to snuggle this cute little boy. 

Also, can I just say feeling him move is weird. It's been 2 1/2 years since I was pregnant. It is crazy. Sometimes it catches me off guard. But I love it. It's just weird. 

Remember having a baby is amazing. It is also stressful. Always do what you feel comfortable with. Always. You don't ever want to regret not doing something or doing something. 

Be the best mommy you can be.

Disneyland wrap up

So about a week ago we were in Disneyland. Little man had an absolute blast. He loved every minute. I think I have created a monster. Because in all honestly he would much rather be in Disneyland over any other place he could be. This was our last trip with our annual passes before they expired. Also, our last trip for a while.  So we made sure little man had as much fun as possible. Now I will say having been to Disneyland a million times, ok maybe not a million, but quite a few times I have many different tricks we use. This time being pregnant was so much different. You get tired a lot faster. I sat a lot. Also, you can basically only go on kids rides. Which honestly I was ok with. Because that meant I got to enjoy more time with little man. So as I do a wrap of this trip I am going to throw in a couple little tricks we have always used. 

So fun little tid bit, if you have the Disney rewards visa debit card or credit card there is a picture experience just for you. It is in California adventure. Over by the monsters inc ride. Here you get to take a picture with a character. You also walk away with a free 5x7 of the experience. You can go as many times as you like. They usually have 2 characters that rotate every 30 minutes. It goes from 10:30-1:30.  While we were there it was Minnie and Stich. You can have as many people as you want in the photo. A great free keepsake. I love free.

The train is not only a great way to get around but, it is also a fun ride. It is sure to make any boy happy as you can see from little mans face.

Naptime can be handled one of two ways. Leave and go back to the hotel. Or do what we do. I brought a very lightweight sheet, and our stroller that reclines. When it came time for nap I found a spot I could sit with him. He had been up since 7 so it wasn't much of a fight. Drap the sheet over the stroller and it is now dark enough to keep him asleep.

Mickey and the magical map show. Very worth it.

Also worth it the look on his face when he got what he wanted. 

Buzz light year, he loved it. I loved the snuggles. 

The family couldn't have done it without them helping in carrying and pushing the stroller. 

A happy boy in cars land. 

Tips:

1) Food/snacks. We always pack a ton of snacks. From granola bars, trail mix, fruit snacks, even candy. That way we always have something to hold us over. Food can be pretty expensive so this can help cut down on the price. Because you are always hungry from all the walking and waiting. Snacks are especially helpful if you have a small child. Little man last time we went was so worried about missing out on something that snacks were really the only way he ate. Also, you can and should pack a lunch. I like I said food is expensive. This time we packed pb&js, chips and applesauce. A lot cheaper than 40 bucks for a family of 3 for lunch. Disneyland does not have a problem with you bringing in food. So do it. Even packing just one meal will help save money.

2) Water. You have a couple of options. You can bring your own. You can bring a reusable water bottle they have tons of water fountains. You can also get a free cup of ice water from any restaurant. This is what got me through this time with being pregnant. Whenever we ate even if we got a soda or juice I still asked for a cup of water. The ones they give you are small 8oz ones but you can ask them to give you a bigger one without any trouble. Use this. Because one water bottle from them runs about 3.00. 

3) Get there early. The park when it first opens is pretty slow. Unless of course it is the summer. Usually though by 10 it's start to fill up. By noon it is usually about as busy as it is going to get. So if you have something you are dying to do get there early. 

4) Shows are the way to go. Disneyland is amazing with their parades and shows there is always something to watch. We always show up at least 45 minutes early. For parades about an hour. For fantasmic 2-3 hours. Anything you will be sitting for you should plan on getting there early. It was interesting to see just how quickly the sitting for fantasmic filled up. By about 7:30 there were no sitting spots left. That show doesn't start until 9. So you can see you want to get there early. 

5) Parade and show times are the best time for rides. If you didn't get to the park early these times will be the best time to ride things. Fantasmic, any parade and the fireworks draw big crowds. Meaning the wait times go way down. Do plan on having a hard time getting to the area but once there your wait will be a lot shorter.

We had a blast. It is so important to have good memories. This is a great memory for all of us. Remember to have fun and don't stress. 

Be the best mommy you can be.