Shiny happy people holding hands, Shiny happy people laughing

Saturday I was packed and ready to go by noon, so waiting was just killing me. Our flight didn't leave until 8:45, but I left Moses about 2:45 thinking I would stop and maybe do some shopping in Seattle...I just knew I had to get out of there, plus it was time for Q to nap, so it was perfect timing. I had just hit Quincy when Jared called to say that they were ready and leaving too. Perfect! I could make a quick stop at target in Factoria and Jared and I would hit the parking garage about the same time.....I should have known better...I ended up spending about an hour and half hanging out in the seats by the ticket counter, trying to entertain Q, while I waited for jared and the crew to get there. The good news is, I was able to see The All American Rejects walk by and I would have said hi but Q was busy licking the floor (yeah gross right?), and I didn't want that image in their head.
The flight went good, Q travels well, and after about 30 minutes of pushing buttons on the tv screen she was out like a light, so I tried to nap as well. We got into LAX a little after 11, and apparently there was a major party going on down in luggage, and nobody wanted to work cause it took forever to get our luggage, and I didn't even leave the airport until midnight. I thought that would be the worst of it...but then I hit the rental car establishment. They had two workers at the front desk, a line of about 25 people, and NO CARS! yep, it was awesome (hear the sarcasm?) Luckily Q was a trooper and just sat in her stroller, as I shoved banana puffs in her mouth while we waited and waited. It finally just became a free for all on vehicles and they let you take whatever was available. so at about 1:50am I left Alamo rental with a sweet mini-van at an economy car rental price. I would have been more excited had I not been extremely tired. I then proceeded to get lost in inglewood (getting lost is rare for me, so I was super frustrated, and trying to follow directions that had streets that did not exist)...and finally hit my pillow at the hotel about 3:00am!! Poor Q was so tired, but didn't cry once, I can't say the same thing for her mother.

The next morning we were up at 6:30am

and at the Disneyland gates by 8:30! I was tired, but so freakin' excited I couldn't stand it!

We saw some characters right away, which just added to the awesome experience and put me into the disney mood.
Q didn't quite warm up to the characters, and was a little cautious of getting too close, but I couldn't resist getting a few shots to document our disney adventure.



Q was constantly looking around, bobbing her head to the music, and smiling (unfortunately most of these smiles were not captured on film, and instead a dead stare is frozen in time)
We hit up FantasyLand first and the Peter Pan ride.
Just was completely fascinated with everything she saw, and cried when the ride was over and we had to get out.

But we hit up the carousel, and everything was okay

The carousel was definitely one of the favorite rides for all the little girls, so we hit it up quite often. One time I dared to get on the horse with Q....she wasn't a fan of that...I should know my place.

Of course we had to hit up the dumbo ride!

I love this ride...I really do. I don't know why, it's targeted towards kids...oh wait, maybe that's why!

when i went with Kaiya we had to make sure we got the pink dumbo...very stressful!

One of my top two favorite rides at Disneyland is "Small world" (thundermountain being the other one). I love small world. I love the lights, the music, figuring out the countries...everything. And now they have added even more to it, with a new "america" section---farmers, cowboys, and indians (let's just say not the most exciting part of the ride), and disney characters thrown into the different countries as well. Love love love it.
And i am happy to say that Q loves it too.

We went on it soooooo many times, but it was a great ride to escape the heat (75% humidity...hello!), and she was completely entertained.

just look at the face of joy on her....hahaha, this what i mean by blank stare at the camera.


Q was great on all the rides, and I think she thoroughly enjoyed herself. She didn't get scared on anything, and just sat still and looked around.

or in some cases, completely fell asleep...apparently this ride wasn't exciting enough for her.

The only part of the ride process that wasn't my favorite was having to ditch the stroller and hold her for the remaining part of the line. The weather was hot...and muggy..and any amount of time holding her led to increased sweating. I was sure she would slip out of my wet arms at one point, but i was able to hold on.

now this is the smile she had on most of the time...

We also managed to watch a few parades, saw the disney playhouse show, and listened to some over-the-top karaoke style singer while we ate...all of which Q just stared at and danced in her stroller. she loved it all...well, except the "pixar" parade at california adventure that featured water shooting out of things into the crowd...and hitting babies in strollers...which prompted this look from Q


Our first night there we watched the amazing fireworks show and it was awesome. What wasn't awesome was the people around us, who refused to move even an inch so that our family could stand by each other along with our strollers. This one gentlemen was definitely more concerned that my stroller kept hitting his white shoes...yes, we had words.
Q was so worn out from the day's festivities that she completely slept through the fireworks..seriously, she didn't even move at all.
so why the other kids were catching streamers that fell magically from the sky

my child looked like this


besides Disneyland, Qiana also got to have her first beach adventure. Now I am not the biggest SAND fan, and in fact my whole two years in Hawaii I can probably count on two hands the times I hung out at the beach instead of by the pool at the turtle bay resort, so dealing with a baby on the beach was a completely nerve-wracking experience at first. But Q LOVED the sand. At times, she was even just throwing it on herself...I think she knew she was torturing me. I just had to get to a point of Zen, and let it happen...although, I WAS on "eating sand" patrol...cause that's just gross.


The beach was so fun though. I sat in a comfy chair, ate snacks, watched the boys in the water, talked with family, and got to cuddle with a sleeping baby when the sand wore her out.

Although I should have put more sunblock on besides my SPF 8, cause man my legs, scalp, and left side of my face (don't ask me how that happened) got some serious sun...and I am currently feeling like a leper as my skin is peeling.

One of my favorite things about the trip was watching all the cousins giving major love to Q.

We had a connecting room with Elsie and every morning and every night she would come in to see her Gigi and her Fauna (how Elsie pronounces Qiana). We would share snacks, watch tv, and play. It was great.

Both carson and Kaiya were constantly entertaining Q in her stroller, and carson came on a couple rides with us to be with Q. and after carson got to sit by us on the flight down, Kaiya called the seat next to us on the way home, and presented Q with one of the "best friends" disney princess necklaces. So cute!

The week was so fun. I lived off of dole pineapple whips, frozen apple juice, churros, lots of water, some cheesecake factory, and mcdonalds..and my body doesn't feel the least bit guilty for it!
I wish I could just move into Sleeping beauty's castle...