We had been talking about going to Disneyland for the last year, but wanted to wait until Mia was old enough to be able to enjoy it. Dylan asked if he could go for this fourth birthday, so we granted the wish a little early...two months early. In February we traveled down with Grandma and Grandpa for four days at Disney and three days in San Diego @ Legoland and the zoo. It was perfect family vacation! 
The trip started off priceless. We kept the vacation a secret. We wanted it to be a surprise, but we also knew that Dylan would never had gotten a good night sleep (all week) if he knew we were going to Disneyland. On the day we departed, Dylan woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He took one look at the suitcases and inquired where we were going. One guess and he knew were were headed to the happiest place on earth. He was overwhelmingly excited!
The second priceless moment was seeing Dylan and Mia's amazement when we stepped foot in Disneyland. The wonder and excitement took us back to our own childhood experiences - but it was more fun to see Disney through their eyes.
We learned a few things on the trip.
1) Offseaon. Disney in February is perfect. The crowds weren't overwhelming, so the lines were short and Mia could stretch her legs without getting pushed around.
2) Thrill seeker. Mia loved rides - more than Dylan - so much so that she learned the word "ride". She would wake up every morning, hop in her stroller while still in her PJs and impatiently wait to get to the park. 3) Vacations are redefined when you have kids. Farewell to sleeping-in and staying out late. That said, I loved the pace at Disneyland when you are in company of young kids...a leisure stroll.
4) Don't mess with Mia's nap time and especially mealtime or grouchy pants Mia comes out.
5) Pay a little more. Convenience and comfort of staying at the Grand California hotel was worth the extra $. Quick access to the parks (key if kids are still in napping), food availability, service, etc.
6) Germs be gone. I'm becoming a germaphobe and went through packs of anti-bacteria wipes.
7) Vacation. Need to take more time away from work to invest in what really matters - family. With my tenure at MS, I receive 4 weeks of vacation every year and usually roll over quite a bit to the following year. No more of that behavior allowed!
Here are the kiddos ready to take on Disneyland...in their Mickey shirts. I'll post more photos later.
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