No we can't call the baby Cinderella - A Trip Report - Day 1 Updated Page 2

[Zeebs]

Cast:

Kirsten - 35 (for a little bit longer anyway) A New Zealander who moved to the UK for a 2 year working holiday back in 2002, 8 years on, 1 husband, 2 kids and another on the way I am still here. I love the UK it is a hive of culture and history and so easy to travel from. I miss New Zealand a lot mainly family and friends and the much bigger houses But one of the benefits of living here is that we can visit New Zealand and stop off somewhere on the way. Like for instance on our last trip in April this year we stopped off in Hong Kong on the way there and LA on the way home so got two trips to a Disney park.

Me with Asian Captian Jack at Hong Kong Disneyland



Doug - 45 (old begger) My brilliant hubby, the Brit I stayed in the UK for. Not quite sure he gets Disney as much as I do but he knows that we enjoy it and the kids enjoy it and it makes for a pretty easy holiday. In fact, it was he that suggested we do this trip.

Doug with boys and Lightening McQueen at WDW

Cullen - Will turn 4 at the end of February this trip is to celebrate his birthday, this will be his 5th trip to a Disney park. He was 11 months on his first visit to Disneyland California since then he has visited, WDW, Disneyland Hong Kong, Disneyland California and soon to be Disneyland Paris. He loves pretty much all the characters and has done since his first trip. He especially likes Mickey Mouse.

Cullen and the big Cheese at Chef Mickeys in WDW

Seth - 2, Seth is 1 trip behind Cullen obviously missing out on the first one. He did not like the characters but we are hoping that as he really warmed to Father Christmas this year enough to go right up to him we might be lucky with a giant rodent. He is also a big copy cat and anything his brother is doing he would like to do. He knows his own mind and it can take a miracle of epic proportions to get him to change it, but we are working on this. His favourite thing is Cake.

[

Waiting to dig into his birthday cake

After his birthday cake


Bump - 23 weeks old. We recently found out that bump (formally know as Cletus the Foetus) is probably a wee girl so we are most excited about that. Obviously being the Mum of three boys would have been fantastic but this does just put the icing on the cake. Unfortunately there are a few indicators that push the Downs risk up higher than we would like. Not really high but not low enough really just sat in the middle which makes it harder to deal with as I feel we are in limbo. We have another scan on Monday with a specialist who I am hoping can give me some better news to ease the worry. If bump had been a boy he most likely would have been called Lawson, absolutely no idea what to call a girl, hence title of report and let me just say Cinderella is one of the best options offered up by the kids.

Bumps latest picture

So that is the cast and crew of this trip.

A pic of the family at Hong Kong Disneyland minus bump

More as and when I can.

Kirsten

 

[mommy2ash]

i hope you have a lovely trip. wow are your kids lucky having visited so many parks. i really hope the scan goes well and it will ease your mind. either way not long from now you will have a beautiful baby girl!!

 

[Zeebs]

Dates 4th Feb to 7th Feb Thursday to Sunday

Transport - Train from Hertford to Kings Cross and then the Eurostar.

Price - Eurostar 2 adults and 2 children = £379.00, I know you can travel with kids under 4 for free but we couldn't have them sat on my lap for the 2.5 hours of the trip.

On the way home we upgraded to Leisure Select because it only cost another £10.00

We were going to go at the end of February and be there for Cullen's actual birthday staying at the Cheyenne Hotel. Then I discovered if we moved the trip forward a couple of weeks we could stay at the New York Hotel for the same price.

So that is what we did.

We didn't realise until we went to book that this also included the free dining option. So that was quite exciting.

So now I am reading up all about Disneyland Paris, planning where we should eat. I am also making some luggage tags for the kids and putting a letter together from their favourite characters to welcome them to DLP.

Kirsten

 

[Zeebs]

i hope you have a lovely trip. wow are your kids lucky having visited so many parks. i really hope the scan goes well and it will ease your mind. either way not long from now you will have a beautiful baby girl!!

Thank you, I know they are very lucky, I hope they grow up knowing that. I am feeling much more positive about the scan on Monday. Someone has said that one of the markers of Downs is lack of a nose and the scan pic i have of bubs has a nice pointy wee nose. So I have decided just to wait and see what specialist tells me, no point worrying until I know what we are dealing with.

Kirsten

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

First of all CONGRATULATIONS.. scan pictures always make me tearful!
all the best of luck to your family and your bump.x

i will be there the week after you, hope you have a brilliant time!

 

[scampbunny]

lovely pics!!!! sounds like it shud be a fab trip!!!

re ur scans etc - feel free to email me, as had alot of experience of scans and probs, as had probs with both my boys, and i might be able to help or give u some pointers!!!

enjoy ur trip tho - and love ur boys names..... no ideas on girls apart from gaelic type names!!

 

[Disneyfanswicklow]

I think you will really enjoy the HNY - we are just back and loved it the staff are fantastic very warm and inviting, the rooms are spacious and nicely decorated and the food is just yum. Be sure to visit the Parkside diner for dinner - the buffet is brilliant lots of choice and very nice food especially if you are a seafood fan!

Just love how inclusive you are with the photos - including bump - hope all goes well with your scan do let us know.

 

[Booknut]

Am loving this pre-TR already You have a beautiful family

I will pray for your little bump, hope everything is ok

Baby names is one of my favourite topics!!! Can I throw in a few suggestions?!

I don't know your surname so i'm picking names I think will go well with Cullen and Seth. I love Regan, Cadence and Phoebe. My husband vetoed these for us the first time He loves traditional names which I do too but being Canadian I also like more modern names. What are your faves at the moment?

 

[Zeebs]

First of all CONGRATULATIONS.. scan pictures always make me tearful!
all the best of luck to your family and your bump.x

i will be there the week after you, hope you have a brilliant time!

I hope your planning is going well and the house move as well. Thanks for the congratulations.

lovely pics!!!! sounds like it shud be a fab trip!!!

re ur scans etc - feel free to email me, as had alot of experience of scans and probs, as had probs with both my boys, and i might be able to help or give u some pointers!!!

enjoy ur trip tho - and love ur boys names..... no ideas on girls apart from gaelic type names!!

Thank you very much for your offer, will see how we get on tomorrow and I might be back with some questions. One of the good things is that one of my close friends is a doctor so anything I don't understand she explains to me, so that has been a lifesaver. With regards to names, hubby has just wiped off all my gaelic names from the list. LOL.

I think you will really enjoy the HNY - we are just back and loved it the staff are fantastic very warm and inviting, the rooms are spacious and nicely decorated and the food is just yum. Be sure to visit the Parkside diner for dinner - the buffet is brilliant lots of choice and very nice food especially if you are a seafood fan!

Just love how inclusive you are with the photos - including bump - hope all goes well with your scan do let us know.

I have been reading about your trip to the HNY and I am really looking forward to it. Your pics make it look really nice. We weren't going to eat at the Parkside Diner but we decided today that we should on our first night as the kids are likely to be very tired from a long day. Plus I love seafood.

Am loving this pre-TR already You have a beautiful family

I will pray for your little bump, hope everything is ok

Baby names is one of my favourite topics!!! Can I throw in a few suggestions?!

I don't know your surname so i'm picking names I think will go well with Cullen and Seth. I love Regan, Cadence and Phoebe. My husband vetoed these for us the first time He loves traditional names which I do too but being Canadian I also like more modern names. What are your faves at the moment?

Thanks for the good thoughts and the names, we like names that aren't too common but also aren't too hard pronnounce. Cullen is a problem though as with my accent everyone thinks I say Callum or Colin. Top of our list at the moment is Ariana. But we will wait to see what the baby looks like as Cullen was suppose to be called James Henry until we looked at him and we just knew that wasn't his name and had to find him a new one. Cullen Josh he became. He looks like a Cullen.

Kirsten

 

[Zeebs]

Well I have been working on the kids luggage tags and have come up with the following.

I also have done a letter each from the kids to leave with a little present on the day we leave. I picked up a Cars wallet each after Christmas in the Disney store sale and today at Asda got them a Disney activity book each. So I will package them up for the trip.

I think if I get time over the next week will do them one more letter each from Mickey who will leave them a wee gift on their bed while we are there.

The kids are also collecting Mickey Tokens worth 1 Euro each so that can use them to purchase themselves a little treat (I say little as they aren't earning too many and in fact I took one off Cullen yesterday as he was being quite naughty)

I also found some Disney Lollipops, you know the ones those big round ones, that we bought them in Disneyland California that they were going to be given for Christmas I am tempted to take them with us for a treat, but I am also thinking about how sticky that could be.

Kirsten

 

[Zeebs]

I had a scan with the specialist today and he had a very good look at baby. He did confirm bubs was a girl which was good.

He also said you can't rule out Downs with a scan but he saw nothing that concerned him.

So on that information Doug and I have decided to stop worrying and wait in anticipation for our daughter.

Ironicallly, I went out yesterday to get her something, as when we found out we were having the boys we went and bought them something new. (I know some people don't like to do this as they fear it will jinx them but I was feeling like I might be jinxing the other way by waiting until after the scan.) So whenever, I go out I see all sorts of lovely clothes for the girls and boring ones for the boys. Yesterday, heaps of cool clothes for the boys I saw and nothing I really liked for bubs.

Typical, in the end I bought 2 lovely little cotton knitted bonnet/hats. There was a lovely wee outfit that went with them, but it had buttons instead of poppers. (third time Mum you can't trick me with lovely clothes, they have to be easy to use as well )

Now back to the DLP planning.

Kirsten

 

[scampbunny]

kirsten - thats fab to hear re the scan!!!!!!!!!!!
usually, if a nasal bone is seen, u know ur doing ok!! our markers that we had were indicators of chromosonal probs (worse on ds1 than ds2 - ds2 has dx of autism now ) but my blood results were awful each time too.... i just dont do pregnancies, and i wud so have loved a girl...........

so - to offer a couple of names - merryn (cornish - wave of the sea) and dara (gaelic, but forgotten the meaning) lol

and love the hats - very sensible (i bought my 2 a soft toy after scans - unfortunately ds2 has hidden his sumplace good!!!)

anyhow - enjoy trip planning now, relax, and think of the pink shopping u can do at disney - they do have some lovely stuff in sum of the shops!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Zeebs]

Worked on another letter this evening as Hubby was late home from work, stupid trains......

I had a nice quiet morning today, both my boys were at nursery, Seth has only just started and he was sick all last week so didn't go. Today was his first day back.

The house was very quiet, but I managed to some tidying up done.

Kirsten

 

[deepblue]

What lucky boys yours are to have a mum like you! I have a little tear in my eye looking at all the effort and thought you've put into making their trip even more magical.
Congrats on your little girl and scan results too!

 

[eeyorefanuk]

So enjoying your updates ........... love your luggage tags and letters etc, the boys will love them.

I am so glad the scan went well and you have a little daughter to spoil in the future

 

[kizzabel]

congrats on baby number 3, you have handbags, nail painting and cute dresses ahead of you (also a reason to buy princess dresses and go to Auberge for lunch!)
hope all turns out well, its so nerve wracking to be playing the waiting game inbetween scans, i had 2 threats of miscarriage on DD (whos now 4, the picture of health and trouble)
not long now until ye are off, hope you have a fab, great trip

oooh and where did you find the letters? they are great, love the mouse tokens too, will be implementing on our next trip

 

[Zeebs]

What lucky boys yours are to have a mum like you! I have a little tear in my eye looking at all the effort and thought you've put into making their trip even more magical.
Congrats on your little girl and scan results too!

Thank you very much that is very kind. You know I enjoy it as much as they do.

So enjoying your updates ........... love your luggage tags and letters etc, the boys will love them.

I am so glad the scan went well and you have a little daughter to spoil in the future

Someone said to me the other day everyone deserves a daughter. (for pay back on how you treated your mum when you were a teenager) I had to laugh as I was not a nice teenager, very moody.... but she will be a wonderful addition to the family, and a chance to see how different boys and girls are.

congrats on baby number 3, you have handbags, nail painting and cute dresses ahead of you (also a reason to buy princess dresses and go to Auberge for lunch!)
hope all turns out well, its so nerve wracking to be playing the waiting game inbetween scans, i had 2 threats of miscarriage on DD (whos now 4, the picture of health and trouble)
not long now until ye are off, hope you have a fab, great trip

oooh and where did you find the letters? they are great, love the mouse tokens too, will be implementing on our next trip

We have 7 neices so I have been able to buy girly things, but as I joined the family later many of them were past the princess dress stage so I am looking forward to that.

I made the letters and tags etc on photoshop, so if you would like any let me know and I will do some for you.

Kirsten

 

[B2B-2008]

I can't wait to hear how you get on at DLP being pregnant. When we go I will be 33 weeks gone. We booked it for my 30th birthday trip before I knew I was pregnant, I was a little slow on the up-take lol.

I'm glad your scan went well. Love the little bits you got. I also love what you have done for you boys with the letters and tags.

(We are having our first baby, its a boy)

 

[Zeebs]

I can't wait to hear how you get on at DLP being pregnant. When we go I will be 33 weeks gone. We booked it for my 30th birthday trip before I knew I was pregnant, I was a little slow on the up-take lol.

I'm glad your scan went well. Love the little bits you got. I also love what you have done for you boys with the letters and tags.

(We are having our first baby, its a boy)

Boys are great, noisy, messy, dirty but great.

Will let you know how I get on pregnant, although I wouldn't know I am pregnant this time, with my last two I was huge from pretty much day one and shattered all the time, not this time.

Kirsten

 

[Zeebs]

eeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkk

2 days to go.

I have packed most of the clothes, we wanted to limit bags as they are just a hassle to travel with, hubby things we can do it with one suitcase I am thinking NO WAY. Which is unusal for me as I usually think we can pack nice and light.

I think the problem is that we need so many warm clothes.

Boys are at nursery this morning, so I am going to vacuum the house, wash the kitchen floor and finish off the packing so we will soon see if it all fits.

Kids have earnt a few more Mickey Tokens so they will have some to spend when we get there.

Cullen asks each day is today the day we go to DLP so it will be good when he does on Thursday and I can say YES.

Kirsten