Despite bringing steroids along "just in case" (and in an effort to side with Murphy to avoid illness altogether this trip), Emmersyn had a fever the previous night and was now starting with goopy eyes (not pink eye, just other junk), wheezing, etc. She would go on to need breathing treatments throughout the rest of the trip, but her mood was still ok this particular morning. For a few minutes.
We left for the Studios early knowing we'd have just few hours there (for a good reason, coming up!), but it seems everything in the universe was opposed to that idea. The girls had perpetual meltdowns (specifically Hartley, who slept great and wasn't sick), there were parking issues and a million other stupid little things working against us. We got in after 9am which - if you've been in the last few years - meant no Toy Story Mania for us. By the time we got in (at just 9:10 or so, mind you) the standby line was already 45 minutes and fastpasses were for after dinner - which wasn't going to work with our plans for the day. Oh, well! Another reason we'll just have to make it back!
We thought we'd try to make the best of it, but it seems that was just going to be difficult. We needed to leave by lunchtime at the latest to work in a nap before visiting family that was in town, and for a variety of equally crazy reasons, nothing was happening that day until about lunchtime. I had been a bit bitter about my 27th birthday before it started, but knew it would be fine because I'd be spending it in my favorite place with my favorite people, but that morning I was having a bit of a pity party - all of that "favorite" stuff was letting me down in the most unexpected and incessant ways. Just take my word for it, I'm not getting into details here!
The girls continued to be absolutely horrendous, and at some point Zach ordered me to the Animation Academy to salvage the one thing I had wanted to do on my birthday at the Studios. Nevermind that I had already done it this trip, it was on the original plan and it was going to happen. He was right, I needed it :) He took the girls to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area - to get them out of everyone's hair - but it was a bit crowded. As was everything.
Oh yeah, we did do TWO things together that morning. We ate my favorite cupcake for the least nutritious breakfast in the history of mankind... and we saw Buzz and Woody. The girls couldn't have cared less despite being obsessed, because it was just that kind of day. And because they were probably exhausted from acting out the entire length of the line.
Lunch was a Backlot Express, and by then we were running late to boot. I think maybe we shouldn't have left the hotel that morning!
The afternoon, though not part of our first plan, definitely made up for the morning. Eventually. The plan was to visit with family from around the country (and the world!) that we rarely get to see. We had originally intended to have birthday cake for my day and a couple of cousins with November birthdays, but you know that didn't happen as planned. We spent the afternoon dealing with girls who wouldn't nap and Emmersyn waking up very quickly, screaming like we've never seen about her ears hurting. We swore her eardrums were somehow both rupturing simultaneously, she was so incredibly beside herself. We found ourselves again dealing with getting prescriptions called in to an out of town pharmacy, praying Tylenol would at least provide enough relief for her to rest (or quiet down a bit, for everyone's sake), etc. (Don't worry, she'd be fine - but is MUCH better now, after a course of medicine after our return!)
Instead of cake we had a makeshift snack of Zebra Domes and Cupcakes from the Mara, but that worked out just fine. We all enjoyed looking at the animals at Jambo House, sitting in a lovely, secluded sitting area and talking, and just hanging out for a few hours. It was a wonderful gift, though I miss them more now!
Dinner, after planning way too late and having to change hotel and dining reservations repeatedly for this trip (so strange for us), was at Wolfgang Puck's. We had eaten here before and enjoyed it, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed we weren't going to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner. At that point though, if the girls would just get through it without making me (even more) crazy, I wouldn't care.
And then, it turns out it IS one of my favorite restaurants. While we were there, we talked about the menu and how everything we'd ever eaten was so good it made decision-making nearly impossible. The service was great, and we had a really, really nice dinner. Busting out Tinker Bell lights (which served a similar purpose last year) didn't hurt. ;)
Of course, after dinner the facade would end and everything would go back to its insane state. The girls lost their minds over something (or things?) we
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