Family Vacation:)

I am so happy that we were able to take a family vacation just after Ewan's birthday. Although Alan and I have both been off work more this year with the arrival of Isla, it was a much needed getaway! We decided to make this vacation all about Ewan since he has had to adjust to so much with the his baby sister. And so without a doubt, meeting Mickey Mouse would most certainly make his dreams come true! We left for Florida just after Mother's Day and spent a fantastic week just steps from the Magic Kingdom where we could see Mickey each and every day.


Although the trip was a lot of fun and it was incredible seeing Ewan's face when he met Mickey and all of the other characters, it was also a very exhausting trip. In fact, it took all of last week for all of us to recover! Three years old was a magical time for Ewan to meet his beloved Mickey, but it was also very overwhelming for him. And the tantrums he had were bigger than anything I've seen! We learned very quickly to shorten our trips to the theme parks and to spend either the morning or the afternoon relaxing by the pool and splash pad.

By far the best part of the trip was that we had planned a character meal each day - so one of our meals would be hosted by a group of characters which meant we could sit and eat while the character went from table to table to meet the kids and take pictures with them. So much better than waiting in line to meet them! Besides meeting the characters, Ewan also loved seeing the Mickey Mouse clubhouse show live at Hollywood Studio's as well as the Lion King theatre show at Animal Kingdom.

And how did we manage with an infant - just fine! Isla was quite comfortable in her sling or stroller and woke and napped as she pleased. It was an ideal time to go before she starts wanting to be put down and move around on her own. And Disney caters to all ages, so she was welcome on any of the rides that Ewan was able to enjoy.

It was really a great trip and we made so many wonderful memories. Here are a few of my favourites:)

Happy 3rd Birthday Ewan

A letter to my Ewan,

Happy 3rd Birthday Ewan! You are a smart, well spoken little guy with quite the sense of humour. You love being the centre of attention -whether you are dancing, singing or playing an instrument or simply telling a story. You exude confidence and sadly, for me anyway, have no problems leaving your mommy as you participate in your independent activities, such as gymnastics and swimming. You have an incredible memory and you love 'reading' stories to everyone. You are very big into music as well as letters and rhyming words. You also love your electronics and have begun a new passion for photography. Your favourite way to pass the time is definitely outside with your dog - exploring the yard, working in your garden and collecting rocks - and chasing the dog with your lawn mower. Your second favourite activity is playing chase with your friends, you absolutely love playing with friends. You are still such a cuddly boy and we still snuggle in bed as you fall asleep each night. You can never give enough kisses to everyone and will always fill the silence with an I Love You to bits and bites and pieces.

It has been such an incredible year with many changes and you have taken them all in stride. The biggest change being that you have become a big brother and you love this role so much. You are so kind and gentle (most of the time) and simply love watching your sister and teaching her things. She has an amazing smile that I am sure she got from you.

We love you so much and are so proud of the little boy that you are growing into. We cannot wait to see what this year hold's for you and to see your personality continue to unfold and grow.