This past Sunday, my family took one of our crazy half-day trips to Disneyland. We all got up at 5AM, piled into the van with breakfast and took off for the Land of the Mouse. It was going to be a great day!...Until we got to the gate.
You know those days where none of your kids are truly happy? And isn't it odd how those days coincide with full moons? I'm a teacher, so I can say without a doubt, full moons are no joke. And apparently my own children are not immune to the effects of said full moon. To list off some of the offenses: both babies screamed for the entire 45 minutes we waited between arrival at the gate and opening. My little girl wanted to wander on her own and not stay with us. My little boy was crabby because his sister was annoying him. My older boy was jealous that the twins were getting the attention, so he started wandering and acting up so he could get attention. Things got better as we went on Jungle Cruise, and still better yet after Pirates and Haunted Mansion. And then, my dear little girl decided to have another screaming fit. Yes, another. She screamed so hard she vomited all over me and of course I didn't bring a change of clothes, so I smelled like puke all day. My husband took my older son off to check out Tarzan's Treehouse and I was stuck trying to get to crabby toddlers to take their morning naps. Yeah, that didn't work so well. So, we went out Winnie the Pooh. They were still crabby. This continued on until after lunch, where my normally good eaters who love Mexican food didn't want one bite of their lunch. Add to that that my 15 month old boy fell face first into the ground in Toontown and got the biggest bump ever on his forehead. Yeah...great morning.
Finally, we decided to turn over to California Adventure. We were determined to turn the entire day around. So, we walked through the gates, sunscreened up, and hopped on The Little Mermaid. Then, by some miracle, everyone was happy again! The twins hung out with me and we enjoyed a frozen lemonade together while Daddy and the oldest went on a few rides. We switched off, did a little more, and ultimately left the parks with smiles on our faces.
I share this day because as parents, we all fear the day our kids will all be in miserable moods in a public place. I can't tell you how many times I overheard comments like, "Why would she have brought two little babies to Disneyland?" "They must be crazy." Ect. Ect. But, I also got a few "You're very braves." And "Oh, they're adorable." As a parent of multiples, especially, you tend to draw a lot of attention. I mean, for goodness sake, I've had Korean tourists take selfies with my twins! You kind of get used to being judged more than others. But, it's still hard. The bottom line though? You can do it. You can survive a bad day with your kids. You can still enjoy yourselves on a trip to Disneyland or anywhere else. It's about the attitude you choose to take with you. Is it easy taking twins anywhere, let alone with an older sibling, too? Heck no! But, is it worth it for the memories? Absolutely. In this past trip, I wanted to cry, give up, yell at my kids, and any number of things. But instead, I chose to laugh. While my daughter was having a tantrum so ridiculous that everyone was staring, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I was doing the best I could. For every day I get negative comments, there are so many more days I am complimented for how good they are and how it's unbelievable how well-behaved my kids are. We all have our bad and our good days as parents. Am I crazy for bringing my 15-month-old toddlers to Disneyland? Maybe. But, out of 4 or 5 trips we've taken them on since they turned 1, this is the first bad one we've had. And if we let our twins and the struggles we face daily with multiples dictate our lives, our older son wouldn't get to experience half of the things we think are important for him to do with his family. Don't be afraid to take your kids places. People, especially those with kids, are always the first to judge, but in the end, if you can go in with a positive attitude, anything is possible!
**As a sidenote, only a few more weeks until the 24-hour party! I can't wait to share my experiences on my first solo trip to this great event with all of you!
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