Handy CJ

CJ came to sleep with us last night around 1. It was one of those situations where had we been at "home" and he'd been in his own room we would have let him cry it out...but being in a hotel and not wanting to disturb the entire floor, we just went and got him and all went back to sleep.

We started out this morning at California Adventure. (For those of y'all that haven't ever been to Disneyland...it is a lot smaller than Disney World. At World there are 4 separate parks that are spread out, here at Land the entrances to the two parks-as well as Downtown Disney, are all within spitting distance from each other-like maybe 100 yards? So it makes it easy to go from one park to another. But overall, if you have a choice, World is the way to go!) Anyhow, we walked to the back to try to do Toy Story Mania, but the wait was way too ridiculous to even fathom doing with a toddler...so we just put him in a box. Ha ha! He was beating on the clear part like a drum, smiling and loving it!! :)

As we were walking to our next attraction, we saw Tow Mater & Lightning McQueen, and HAD to stop!! They are building a new cars area in the park that will open in 2012...hopefully our little Cars obsessed boy will still like them then! :)

Saying "hi" to Mater.

And he couldn't forget Lightning McQueen!!
Please imagine to yourself as you look at each picture, that we basically have to put CJ's shoes back on in between each picture because he will. not. keep. them. on!!!! The parks have a rule, that even if we are holding him, in order for him to go on a ride or meet a character, he has to have his shoes on. I understand, I really do...but it is a pain in the rear for JT and me!!
Anyhow, the next thing we decided to try was "Disney Junior" live show. Since the main TV shows that CJ watches are on Disney Junior (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse & Handy Manny) we were hopeful that he would really like it! The most challenging part was that he didn't understand why he had to stay sitting...he wanted to be up running around, and probably running up on stage. Ha!
Look at that face...looks like he is thinking "wow".
He got SUPER EXCITED when Handy Manny and his tools came out on stage!!
Manny was able to magically fix the bubble machine for all the kids!! Phew, thank goodness...I was getting kinda worried for a sec... ;)
This is a funny story: Handy Manny was the first character to join Mickey and his friends (followed by Little Einsteins, then Jake & the Neverland Pirates), and after Manny was gone, CJ kept saying "Mam-Me, Mam-Me" (how he says Manny). Ha ha!! As we exited the theater, CJ found "Mam-me"!!
Next we stopped for a little snack. CJ drinking his special treat of Apple Juice (he normally only gets milk & water) with his Marcus Gunn Jaw Wink eye (will do another post on that another time).
Then we got to meet Goofy!!
CJ was too busy staring at Goof to pose for the picture!
Then we really needed to head back to the hotel for nap-time. We tried (VERY unsuccessfully) to get CJ to take a nap in the stroller (he will only nap in a bed/pack 'n play or riding in his car seat). There were a couple of times when he was almost asleep...but he just kept fighting!! We felt really bad because we clearly pushed him too hard this time, and he was rubbing his eyes so much he rubbed the sunscreen in them and they were all red! :( So sorry, sweet boy!!

He took a 2 hour nap, Mama took a small nap too & Dada enjoyed some quiet time watching some TV. We all felt a lot better, so we headed back to Disneyland for a little bit. Can you believe that wearing THIS outfit, my BOY was mistaken for a girl, not once, but TWICE today?! Before we got his haircut it used to happen all the time. The only thing I could think was with the heat/humidity? his hair had some curls/waves today, which makes him look "prettier"?!

We rode the Jungle Cruise. Which was yet another "vroom vroom" boat. Right here CJ is waving and yelling "hi" to the elephants! It was hilarious!! He was doing it so loudly/emphatically that even the guy "driving" the boat heard him and said "yes, hi elephants!" :)
The last ride we did was Winnie the Pooh. CJ was amazed by all the bright colors!
Apparently I was too. HA HA. Like Mama, like son.
Our family enjoying our "vroom vroom" in a honeypot.
Okay, in the photo below CJ is playing with one of those light-up necklaces that we bought him. Unfortunately, there is a story that accompanies the purchase of the necklace. Dada is busy & has his arms full of a water, a soda, the backpack. I decide that we need to buy CJ one of these necklaces. So I take my eyes off of him for 2 seconds while I grab one of the necklaces from the back of the rack (so the batteries wouldn't be completely dead). Communication failure that I do not tell JT that I have removed my eyes momentarily from Busy Boy CJ. When I turn back around with the necklace in hand, I see CJ holding TWO SNOWGLOBES. One in each hand. AHHHH. So, of course I do what any good Mom would do, I tell him "no!" But that wasn't the right thing to do...and I should have known better considering his track record for what he does when he is told "no". Instead of just setting the snowglobes back down (like 1 cm, because his little hands are still over the shelf) he THROWS them both down on the tile floor. Of course, breaking them both in a million wet sparkly glass pieces everywhere. I was SOO embarrassed, and I felt really bad. So as the employee comes over to start cleaning up, I glance at the price tags and pray really hard as I say "I am really sorry, we will pay for those!" Thankfully, they told us "not to worry about it" (probably just thinking get your kid out of this store asap!) So JT went to buy the necklace, as I hurry CJ out of the store with my head down, because after the "snowglobe incident" it was really the least we could do.
As we were leaving the parks for the evening...JT made me take the next two pictures. Apparently I didn't realize that I was making him carry everything...here is JT with the backpack, the baby in the stroller, the popcorn, the fruit for CJ's breakfast tomorrow, as well as our to-go dinner for the night.
And here I am holding my cell phone and CJ's snack cup. Whoops. Sorry honey!
When we got back to the hotel tonight, CJ played with his Cars a little bit to help him unwind!
And he found a "Bay Bay" in the mirror!!
The "twins" playing with "their" cars! :)
At least he enjoys sharing...with himself! HA HA!!!
Tomorrow we are headed up to visit JT's cousin and his family in Merced, CA. I am really looking forward to it because they have a little girl who is a couple of months younger than CJ, and I think it will be so cute to see them "play" together. Also, JT's Aunt who lives on Maui-one the last relatives that hasn't met CJ yet will be there too and I just adore her!! JT and I haven't seen her since 2008, so we can't wait!