Audrey Took One for the Team

Theme Parks with small children:

Quick showers with mom or dad instead of baths.

Hyrum had an eczema outbreak on his belly. He had a big sore that we finally treated a day before we came home. Audrey's neck rolls got chaffed and sore.

She also got a little sunburn on the first day, so the next days we re-applied sunscreen every couple of hours. Kudos to us for actually being able to do that!

Bedtime after 9pm instead of at 7pm...never a full nights sleep. Hyrum was usually on the verge of a melt down.

Disrupted naps when possible in the stroller, forget the usual two hour naps.

Diaper changes here and there. Both babies had diaper rash.

There was a lot of driving, and a lot of crying.

Lots of playing with cousins: fun but dangerous. Hyrum's the little guy, and he got pushed around a bit.

All of this must have worn down their immune systems because Audrey came home with a cold and Hyrum has a cough.

Not to mention that Audrey cut her first two teeth while we were gone.(And started saying Da Da!)

Sometimes we wondered if it was worth it.
At least, The Baby Center in Disneyland was as wonderful as everyone says and was a real lifesaver.

Hyrum loved the shows and parades. It was so fun to see him get so excited when he saw the Incredibles, or Mater and Lightning. He liked the rides too, but I think he would have had just as much fun at a carnival. He loved the animals at Sea World. He really liked the ice cream too. I hope his magical moments outweighed the bad.

I was stressed out a lot of the time, worrying about sleeping, teething, changing, feeding. But I had a few moments that made it all worth it for me. 1) Walking into Disneyland as the gates first open, with the music, and the fun...I started to cry! 2) I'm not even a Star Wars fan, but one of my favorite things was the Jedi Training. It was so much fun! Really magical! Again, I almost started to cry when the Jedi Knights walked out to their famous music. 3) Ammon and I were able to have lunch by ourselves at the Blue Bayou, the restaurant on the Pirates ride. It was very yummy and nice and I had the best company! 4) The Jurassic Park ride can't be beat.

Of course Ammon thought it was worth it.

Audrey's needs were somewhat neglected; and although she liked the Electrical Parade, I think she would have preferred to be at home with an attentive mommy. Thanks Audrey, for taking one for the team. We'll try to make it up to you!