Disney Part One: Three Meltdowns and Two of Them Were Mine.

I cried twice today, so far.  I am visiting the so-called 'happiest place on earth' and I have cried twice! Happiest place on earth?  Maybe if you are the kind of person that wants to get engaged, married, honeymoon and pop out your first born here.  For the rest of us, it is a slightly worse version of what you might expect.  Don't get me wrong, most of our time here we are happy and smiling and spending all of our hard-saved money on the souvenirs you can buy at my next garage sale, but there are moments that test me.  Like, the moment at Seaworld today when Kate decided to attack my face because the "Shamu Show" had music that was far too loud for her little ears.  As I took her out of the show, she slapped me over and over until I pleaded with her stop and then she split my head open with her 'Dolphin-Trainer Barbie."  Relax, it was minor.  So minor that I can't find the cut, anymore.  But, I cried. I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes and watched her dad whisk her off and I cried.  

Next, things got fun, and Disneyish when we made use of the disability pass (more on that later) and "virtually waited" two hours to go on the 'Antarctica' ride.  Both of our girls absolutely loved it and that made me beam.  I got a taste of what the advertisements promised!

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After we made it through the park we decided to head home.  Kidding, Kate demanded that we leave immediately, and we know better than to argue.  Grace was happy to go home with the promise of a swim at our resort.  We arrived home, with Alex's expert driving (I swear he could drive anywhere with ease) and headed for the pool.  Soon into the swim, Kate told me to "Shhhhhh", and for Kate that is code for:  "I am pooping right now so get away from me!"  I immediately grabbed her out of the pool and ran for our room because if you are a parent you know how well swim diapers manage poop.  She screamed and clawed and spit the whole way.  She was pissed and she wanted the entire resort to know it.  When I finally got her back to the hotel room I painfully placed her into the beautiful jacuzzi tub built for two that sits in the bedroom of our condo and rinsed her off before a nice warm bath.  She screamed until she was changed and swaddled in a blanket and then I cried one more time.  

I really don't want you to think that I am unhappy or ungrateful for the luxury of spending a week at Disney with my children.  I just want to give you a true picture of how this week will go for a little girl with autism and her family.

At the moment, both of our little girls are snuggled in the bed beside me sleeping peacefully and dreaming about a better day tomorrow.

Alex is watching football and I am murdering a bottle of wine.  As it should be.