As we prepare for our next trip to Walt Disney World, I thought I would post scenes of the first time we took Eliza Grace. She was four and a half and Will, 10 months old, stayed home with Grandmommy. This was the first time Scott and I'd ever been to Disney with a child. We knew Disney as Cast Members and we knew Disney as adult guests, but it's a different experience to see Disney through your child's eyes. We spent our first day at Sea World. I absolutely LOVE Sea World. EG strikes a Shamu pose.
Can you believe I got Scott to get up on that thing for a picture?
In the Magic Kingdom and chillin' out on what used to be called the WED-WAY people mover.
Sitting in Minnie Mouse's living room. This was recently demoed as part of Magic Kingdom renovations.
Arthur, Schmarthur, I can pull this thing out.
Hugs with Brer Fox
Yo ho, yo ho...
Thank goodness for Daddy's arms after a long day at the parks.
Scott is saying, "I crush you castle. Crush, crush, crush." (Kids in the Hall anyone? Anyone? Scott and I used to watch that ALL the time.)
We stayed in the Wilderness Lodge. So very nice!
Character lunch with Little Einsteins.
Eliza Grace got all dolled up for breakfast with the Princesses in Cinderella's Castle. But she became terribly shy when it was her turn to see Cinderella, thus the skeptical look on her face.
Belle!
Jasmine!
Chip, Dale and Minnie
Eliza Grace showing that she can trust Bruce and "just keep swimming..."
Everyone loves Eeyore. Thanks for noticin'.
It's a Bug Life in the Tree of Life
Getting ready to head home after a fabulous week. She is just too adorable!
Despite my recent post to the contrary, Eliza Grace still leans towards the negative, especially in the morning as we head out the door for school.
"I don't want to go to school."
"It is always boring."
"I never have any fun."
This morning was no exception.
As Eliza Grace began to espouse all the things about school she did not like, I predictably responded with the realities of life.
"Life is not only about having fun."
"You do enjoy lots of things about school, beyond just recess and lunch."
"There are people all over this planet who would do just about anything to have the educational experiences that you have."
"You don't have a choice, sweetie, you have to go to school so why only focus on the negative. Let's focus on the positive!"
Her negativity tends to seep into my and Will's psyche, so I was trying hard to keep us all upbeat.
Unfortunately, the conversation is a circular trap and she continued to complain about how she never has fun and is always bored, while I kept pushing for her to see the upside.
As we entered the car pool lane, I inevitably pulled out the standard "you shouldn't use the words 'always' and 'never' because it is just not true.
To which she immediately responded, "Well what about talking pigs? It's true when I can say pigs will "never" talk. And I am telling the truth when I say that monkeys will "never" fly out of my butt."
Well, she's got me there, Ed.
I couldn't control my bark of appalled laughter, which thankfully broke all the negative energy.
Of course when she gets home we will have a nice talk about certain phrases that I never want to hear her repeat.
Back in early 2005 I uttered the following words to Scott in a fit of parental frustration: "Why would anyone who has ever had a three year old willingly have another child?!"
I think God took that as a dare. A few weeks later I realized that we were expecting baby number two.
Scott was a bit obtuse when I tried to tell him.
I was cooking dinner - Eliza Grace underfoot - and he asked me why I did not sell the toddler push car yet. I kept saying, "I'll tell you later." He kept asking, "Why can't you tell me now?" I told him, " We might need it." "For what?!" he asked. I told him, "I'm barefoot...I'm in the kitchen...."
He just stared at me.
"Oohhhhh." Yea, that finally got through to him.
32 weeks later Will arrived with the support of a lovely epidural, thank you Lord Jesus.
I was nervous about being a mother to a son. Why I have no idea. He is our silly, adorable, sensitive, crazy, smart, funny, sweet little man and we all just love him so.
Wouldn't be long now.I was low and large.
Eliza Grace wanted to hug the baby.
Did I mention I was large?
November 23, 2005: William Foster Hughes
8 lbs, 8oz, 22 inches... and a slightly broken collar bone
First visit with Grandmommy
Getting ready to head home
"I pity the fool!" (Because he has that Mr. T look...
except he doesn't have a mohawk... and he's a baby...and he's white. But other than that....)
Man, I love my little boy. I especially love that he is not yet at the age where he gets shy or embarrassed about giving me kisses, hugs and/or telling me he loves me when in public.
His daily goodbyes at the bus stop are a great example of this. The other parents get a kick out of his long and repetitive farewell as he boards the bus each day. Sometimes he tells me to "have fun at work" but I especially love that he tells me to "make good choices, Mommy" - the same advice I give him each day. It is a good reminder for both of us!
Not to be outdone, Eliza Grace has on occasion chimed in with, "Don't get fired, Mom." Gee, thanks sweetie.
I love this little ritual so much that I captured today's on video, which was actually a little shorter than usual:
Will finally got to have his long awaited play date with his best buddy Gabe. We'd planned to go to the neighborhood pool, but a storm came along as we were heading out the door.
No worries, though, they burned off energy just the same:
Back in 1999, Scott and I and another couple bought a house on Little Grandfather Mountain in Laurel Springs, NC.
Laurel Springs is in Alleghany County, the upper most Western corner of North Carolina, where NC, Virginia and Tennessee meet. The house was two miles from the famed Blue Ridge Parkway and 10 minutes from the New River.
It was one of a handful dwellings near the top of Little Grandfather Mountain. A brisk 10 minute walk up the rest of the road brought you to the top and to Church's Christmas tree farm and their family hunting camp. Our little house - and half of the mountain - had been owned by the Church family. The elder Mr. Church would come calling every now and then - sometimes with a pie to share- to sit and chat with whomever was at the cabin at the time.
Built in the 1940's, the interior was all wood. The whole interior: floors, walls, ceilings. It was little, wooden and adorable!
Our property bordered the Thurmond Chatham Game Land and Black Bear sanctuary. This meant there would never be any development near our little house. It also meant that not only were there bears in the area, they were encouraged to be there! Needless-to-say, we were very careful and never left any trash outside.
Except for January and February, we we up there nearly every other weekend for 3 years.
We loved it. Lucy, our dog, loved it. Our friends and family loved it (I'm looking at you, Kris!)
But, alas, we learned a hard lesson of buying something with another family. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately, we felt like our only option was to sell our half to our partner's ex-wife and so we had to say goodbye to our little place in the woods. It was really hard to do. But trust me when I say it really was the only option.
Man, do we miss it. I miss how relaxed Scott was when we were up there. We miss the peace and comfort of our own little getaway. And so do our friends - still looking at you, Kris! We keep thinking one day we will find another perfect little place in the perfect location...hopefully one day we will!
The living area looking toward the back deck.
The living area looking toward the front door.
The galley kitchen with its open shelves
The master bedroom
The hall and the bathroom
Sunset from the back deck From the top of the mountain looking into Tennessee Looking into Virginia
