California Vacation: Two Turns 6

Today (April 24th) was Dumpling's 6th birthday. Instead of cake, she got cotton candy. If you ask her, "What did you do for your birthday, Dumpling?" She would answer, "I went to Disneyland!" It sounded great in the planning stages, but in reality it makes for a strange celebration. Too many choices. Too many people. Too much waiting in line. But, in the end, I hope she will remember it as a nice time.

On the car ride home she could be heard in the back seat talking to Fifi who had just expressed her disinterest in ever working at Disneyland because, "It must just seem like the day goes on and on forever, watching people do the same thing day after day!"

Dumpling replied, "I'm going to work at Disneyland. I'm going to be a princess!"

"Well, princesses don't (accidentally) spit in their sister's face when they talk to them," politely scolded Fifi.

"Well, princesses don't have sisters," retorted Dumpling. She went on from there to make big plans about which princess she will be, and what kind of a dye job she will have to endure to get there.

I am disappointed that even meeting the princesses and other characters has become such a commercial enterprise. Disneyland now sells autograph books and there are lines as long as those for the rides, to get a moment with the "princess" for a signing and a picture. We asked the girls if they wanted to wait for a picture or ride the attractions and the vote was unanimous that we should skip the autographs. However, we did discover that we could have our picture taken with the princesses with digital technology -- we just didn't have to wait for her permission! Pathetic? Maybe. Practical? Absolutely! Done and done.

Today was exhausting! Truthfully, I can't believe we've committed ourselves to a 3-day pass! Ugh. There are a lot of people here; we waited at least 45 minutes to ride Dumbo! It is definitely not the almost-empty park we enjoyed the week before Thanksgiving in 2004.

We did make a good move in skipping the evening parade to get on the Autopia cars instead. Exuberant Dumpling was steering the car while I pressed the gas pedal. Not 100 bumpy yards into the ride, she threw up her hands dramatically, exclaimed, "I just know we're going to die!" and insisted that I drove the rest of the way. By contrast, her 3 year old sister was behind us scaring her Daddy half to death that she was going to jump the track and stall the whole Autopia ride. Cuddlebug was not willing to give up the wheel! "No Daddy! I want to do it! Go Daddy!" (He had control of the gas pedal.) She was more than content to bump and thump her way around the length of the course, shouting, "oops!" everytime she hit the guide track, and commenting that, "They need a new road," when she came to a short stretch that was supposed to be like an unpaved country road. I wish I had been there to hear the whole exchange first hand -- it sounds like one of those moments that Husband will remember forever.

Tomorrow, we do it all again.