While we were at Disney World recently my mama told me something I will hold onto the rest of my life- she said, 'Miguel does not know what he is missing, you do. He is loving every single second of this and not listing the things he is not getting to do.' This topic was hot off the press as I was drying my tears on Main Street because my birthday boy fell asleep seconds before the parade approached the spot we had been melting in for 35 minutes. I remember feeling so defeated too many time this trip because I, like my mother, live for the big moments. A friend told me once that I love to create moments, it is true. I really, really do - but since becoming a mama I have allowed that to almost rob me of the authentic moments.
I knew on Miguel's birthday we would be giving Mickey Mouse his paci, it was something we have talked about for months - 'Miguel who are you giving your paci to? - Icky Mouse he would say with excitement. Then the time came, we were at Disney on his birthday to celebrate him turning three years old, him becoming a big brother and truthfully any reason to go - we find it. Anyways, we walked into the place on Main Street to meet the mouse. Miguel had his paci in a little gift baggie. He held it the entire 45 minutes that we waited to hand it off. I explained to a cast member what we were going to do - he seemed to understand and said that would be fine (because I would be leaving with the paci, obviously) I just needed the mouse to take it from my three year old who was passing it off willingly. We got inside, Miguels eyes lit up - He was seeing the mouse, his bestie, MICKEY MOUSE. He took the bag and tried four times to hand it to him and the mouse shook his hands - I looked at the cast member confused and upset, but I grabbed the bag shoved it in my pocket and said, "Mickey says thank you, he will get it soon." I smiled with tears in my eyes for the picture and then guess what - we were too close to the mouse and he pushed us away, looked at us and motioned for us to scoot over. The cast member who stood by the new photo box, did not use his words in communicating a single thing other than 1...2....3.... say cheese. Homie, I will NOT be cheesing at this point. I am upset that this moment I dreamt of was taken because nobody paid attention. I walked out, my husband asked my son what he did and with the biggest smile he said, "I gave my paci to Ickey Mouse like a big boy." He did not know any of the awkward things that had just transpired, but boy did I. I took myself over to the wall of ears and ugly cried, my 24 week pregnant self ugly cried in front of the wall of Mickey Mouse ears because we just, 'gave his paci,' to the rudest mouse I'd ever met in my whole life. Y'all I literally messaged customer service on the app - "WHERE DO I COMPLAIN ABOUT A MEETING WITH THE MOUSE?" was the topic. I laugh about it now, but boy did I have to make some jokes to get through that one.
That night we had reservations at Chef Mickey and I refused to get in trouble by a mouse or any of his pals - so I was anxious about standing up to take pictures/interact with the characters. We found out that we could in fact interact with the characters and it was the best thing! My baby boy got to meet all of his pals. He loves Goofy and watching him admire him was the greatest moment.
That's the thing. Chef Mickey was something we booked a week before we got there. It was not something that I had time to butcher with my expectations. It was something that I did not play over and over in my head or worry about getting the perfect picture to remember the moment. It just happened and those are the memories I will carry forever. Obviously, the rude mouse will be something I never forget, but the nice Mickey an hour later will be the bittersweet prefect ending to my baby boy's third birthday. He even got a birthday cake and Donald Duck helped sing Happy Birthday, then Miguel and his cousin Addie went face first in the cake because why not?!
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I didn't get a pictures of him eating a cupcake in front of the castle.
I didn't get a the perfect paci pass off.
I didn't get the ideal weather.
I didn't get to show him the fireworks at Epcot.
I didn't get to take him to Animal Kingdom.
I didn't get him a balloon because he told me he didn't want one.
I didn't get to take him to watch Frozen.
but
We did get to take him to Disney World.
We did give his paci to Mickey Mouse.
We did get to see Tinker Bell fly.
We did ride Buzz Lightyear 5 times.
We did ride Goofy Train (Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railroad) 5 times.
We did get him any toy he asked for (Birthday Disney Giftcards)
We did have dinner with Mickey and his pals.
We did ride the monorail.
He did get to ride his first roller coaster with his daddy.
We did get him a StormTrooper mask.
He did get to ride Little Mermaid with his Mamey.
He did sing, "In Summer," WITH OLAF.
So many fun things. At the end of the day we asked Miguel what his favorite part of the day was and it was one of the things listed above. Then Alejandro and myself would ask each other and it was also something listed above. That's the thing - none of those moments were planned, all authentic moments that I never could have planned.
I love Disney World for this reason, I always have and I always will. Those magical moments happen when we least expect them. So CalPal, needs to loosen up and stop trying to force moments.
