Birthday Celebration

This morning (June 8th), we woke Emily and Everett up and told them that we had to get moving for a sale on couches.  Emily was very upset that we woke her up for something that wasn't a great surprise.  Several times during the drive, she mentioned that it was the direction of Disneyland but I kept assuring her that we would get a great sale on a couch for the new house and everyone would be happy.  Then we exited at our normal Disney exit and Emily was VERY quick to point out that it was the Disneyland exit...

and she got very excited.

The truth is, we were driving to the Disneyland Hotel to drop off our bags since we were staying there that night!  As Daddy unloaded the luggage, Emily snuggled her babies that happened to be along for the ride that day.

Then Emily zipped up Everett's fleece,

they posed with Mickey and Minnie,

and then we went in to the very cool lobby!

We wanted to check in at the hotel so early because as hotel guests, we would receive "magic hour" passes into the park.  Those are the BEST because there are A LOT of things that can be done in an hour with a mostly empty park! 

After a wait at the security checkpoint and another at the front gates, we made it down Main Street where we had one more place to wait.  We were right in the front!  This is our view in front...

and this is our view behind.  (Lots of people arrived after us.)

We raced around the park that morning then throughout the day, doing some of our favorite things...

and even added in a few new ones!

One big new thing was Everett riding the Mickey Coaster!!

What a big shot!!

By about 4 o'clock, we were ready to board the monorail.

Everett was sufficiently tired and we pulled out his binky and lovey for a little snuggle time on the ride.

(Those double BOBs aren't necessarily the easiest things to get on the monorail, but it works!)

The monorail dropped us off in Downtown Disney where we took a look around...

and grabbed some dinner.  We were sure to toast to Emily's 5th birthday...

and several "family meetings" were conducted under the pizza stand.

As if being in Downtown Disney wasn't enough, we also had a balloon artist visit our table...

and Emily got a birthday dessert...

before we found our room...

where Emily found a special surprise waiting for her!

As expected, it was a beautiful and magical room...

fit for a princess.

(The fireworks and stars on the headboard lit up and "a dream is a wish your heart makes..." from Cinderella played when a button on the lamp was pushed.)

After a few pictures, we raced down to the pools.  The air wasn't very warm that evening, so we weren't very warm.  BUT, Emily didn't care and she rode slide after slide after slide while Everett swam around.

Then we finally were in for the night and the girls just HAD to snuggle up in our Disneyland Hotel robes!

This time around, we had decided that Emily would take the fold out couch.  And wouldn't you know it, Disney has ones made exclusively for them that are unlike any others I have seen.  It was perfect.  Not a lump, bump, or wrinkle.

Which was JUST FINE by Emily.