black eyes in disneyland
We’re on vacation! In Disneyland! With my parents! And it is SO warm and sunny, such a nice break from the wind and rain up in the Pacific Northwest. We only arrived yesterday, but already much has happened. Including black eyes, visits to the ER, and brush fires. Woo-hoo!
The plane ride down was pretty uneventful, which is such an amazing thing to say when you’re flying with kids. When we arrived at our hotel however, things got a little more interesting. When we got out of the car, we could smell something burning, and we noticed ash falling out of the sky, dusting everything with little snow-like flakes. It turns out there is a huge fire a few miles away. The wind changed today, so there is less ash, but you can see an enormous cloud of smoke billowing up out of the distance, blowing a thick brown line across the sky.
We spent today trying to recover from last night. Last night, Zibbit woke up with a painful barking cough and trouble breathing- textbook croup symptoms. She has had it before, so we knew that if she didn’t start to improve soon, we would have to take her to the doctor for the oral steroid medicine that would control the swelling in her throat. She wasn’t able to go back to sleep, and her breathing was getting worse, so we decided to run her to the children’s hospital nearby. As we were looking up the directions, we heard a loud thump from the next room. Babs started screaming, and we ran to her room to find her crumpled on the floor. She had fallen out of bed, and hit her eye on the corner of the wooden nightstand next to her bed. Bruised and bloody, Babs was crying so hard that she could barely breathe. When she did inhale, we could hear the telltale rasping sounds of croup coming from her too. We packed them both up, and headed off to the ER. Babs was better by the time we saw the doctor, so only Zibbit got the medicine. We came back to the hotel, and crashed out until the kids woke up at 8:00 this morning. And here, folks, is the benefit of traveling with your parents: they watched the kids for another two hours so Ammon and I could sleep.
When we finally dragged ourselves out of bed at 10:00, the kids were raring to go, so we got everyone dressed and went to Disneyland. Babs and Zibbit enjoyed the rides, especially the flying Dumbos! But the highlight of the day was meeting the princesses, who blew us all away with their amazing interactions with the kids. Not only did they look and talk exactly (freakishly) like the princess they were playing, but they really connected with each child they spoke to, making them feel so special and loved.
Babs even got a kiss from Ariel next to her black eye.
I’ll be scarce all this week, we won’t be returning until Saturday. Hopefully the rest of the week will be illness and injury free!
Wow! Glad everyone is ok! What a magical visit to Disneyland! I’m so excited for Babs getting to meet her beloved princesses.
Comment by Karen — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 8:02 am
I’m so glad everyone’s okay! Enjoy the rest of the trip!!
Comment by Chris — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 12:15 pm
Hope the rest of your trip is less eventful, at least as far as bad events go! Wonder if the smoke and ash had anything to do with the coughs…
Comment by Sugarmama — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Zoikes, that cloud of smoke is crazy! Looks like fun, I wanna go!!!
Comment by Linsey — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Horray for Princess Kisses! They make everything better! Instantly!
Comment by Queen Beth — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 2:14 pm
That picture of her eye looks AWFUL! Just look on the bright side. At least you’re not a princess who has to re-apply her lipstick 900 times each day.
Comment by Kathryn, the DYM — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Some of my favorite childhood memories are of trips to Disneyland. I’m sure the girls will love it.
And–when they are older and they tell the story, the fire and the black eye and the trip to the ER will be the highlights. You know it’s true.
Comment by Susan — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 6:52 pm
what a rough night! glad your day at disney wasn’t marred by exhaustion!
Comment by Alissa — February 8, 2006 @ February 8, 2006 at 8:31 pm
So glad they were alright in the end, and so glad you’re having fun anyway. Come home soon.
Comment by Heather — February 9, 2006 @ February 9, 2006 at 8:23 am
That picture of the kissed black eye is amazing! The lipstick mark is so perfect looking I imagine she must have been kissed by a living cartoon!!
Comment by Mama D — February 9, 2006 @ February 9, 2006 at 8:52 am
Wow, what a morning! Glad everyone is okay! Impressive that the Disney Princesses were so nice. I never found out if they were nice the last time we were there because there were SO FRIGGIN MANY PEOPLE around them. Oh well, next time.
Comment by emlouisa — February 9, 2006 @ February 9, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Don’t be frustrated by the inability to “help.” Each thought, each wish for healing is a help. Just reaching out to those who are hurting, and to me, personally, is a blessing and a help. Thank you.
Comment by jenette — February 11, 2006 @ February 11, 2006 at 9:06 am
Don’t be frustrated by the inability to “help.” Each thought, each wish for healing is a help. Just reaching out to those who are hurting, and to me, personally, is a blessing and a help. Thank you.
Comment by jenette — February 11, 2006 @ February 11, 2006 at 9:06 am
OMG I am so jealous! Not only because I loove Disneyland but because youre in sunnyville and we’re getting 8-12 inches of snow tonight.
Have fun!
Comment by Kestrel — February 11, 2006 @ February 11, 2006 at 12:40 pm
I live very close to Disneyland. I have never known it to be this warm in February, never.
Wasn’t the smoke and ash awful. I couldn’t breath for two days.
Sorry about the black eye and croup. I am glad you had a magical time at Disneyland.
Comment by cee — February 12, 2006 @ February 12, 2006 at 8:30 pm
As the mom of a former Disneyland Princess, thank you for the compliment!
Sorry for the heat and fires while you were here… we really didn’t plan it! There was ash all over the place, our cars, our yard… everything.
Glad you had a nice time. Please come back again!
Comment by The Necklace Lady — February 13, 2006 @ February 13, 2006 at 7:34 pm