EV Turns the BIG 0-4...The Celebrating Birthday's During the Pandemic Edition

We are lucky in that one, EV just loves being in Disney to the point that she doesn't recognize the difference between being in the park and being at the resort. She just enjoys being able to soak in the Disney goodness no matter how it's done. Two, she has just as good a time in the hotel or walking around the Boardwalk as she would if we were in the actual parks. Lets be honest, if we set up all the water activities at home for her, she would have had just as good a time there. Hubs and I have really gone out of the way during this pandemic to spend our time making magical memories for the kids, so even if going to Orlando was not on our radar, we would have been just as fine being home and celebrating her.

Oh my sweet girl...we have come along way...check that out HERE

We were VERY lucky with the weather in Orlando as we were tracking it from home and pretty much up until two days before we left, we were prepared for what was going to look like an entire day of rain on EV's birthday and a smattering of showers the day we would arrive. It ended up being gorgeous our entire stay with absolutely no rain and cool evenings that were perfect for letting the kids run out all of their energy. As discussed HERE, the start to EV's birthday gala was extremely busy and filled with lots of activities so we just let EV have a lazy start to her morning (hullo bedhead), complete with Mickey waffles we scooped up from Fuel (Mickey waffles are ALWAYS a must and contactless are even better) and let her take in her Elena of Avalor decorated room, which was a HUGE hit mind you (taps myself on back).

My daughter has Strabismus which is the medical term for a lazy-eye (hence the glasses)

EV went through about a year into Commodore's life (which is not saying much since he is only 1.5) of where she basically just acted like he was a really nice ottoman (like acknowledging the ottoman, but not really interacting with said ottoman or recognizing its usefulness), so capturing moments like this and in matching ::cough cough:: Grogu jammies to boot, is everything! She literally will NOT go anywhere without him now

I have taken photos of EV on a Disney hotel couch for the last 3 years with a birthday chalkboard (I bought ours at the Target Bullseye spot eons ago and it literally was the last thing that I packed and almost forgot). Even though EV is a peanut, I still can't believe the changes...how is my rainbow baby even four....excuse me while I curl into a ball and cry for a bit...

If you are not buying ForeverDreamDesign's Ears for your Toddler and/or Baby, what are you doing with your life?! I set my notifications for every time her shop opens and without fail, I am buying at least two pairs of ears. They are the ONLY ears that EV will wear for long periods of time. The four year old ones below were not Jocelyn's (I actually bought 2 year old ones for Commodore for this year) as she opened up her shop within a window that I could not guarantee they would be delivered in time and she was only offering up until the number 2 so I felt weird asking her to modify for 4 although I am pretty sure she would as she is absolutely wonderful in regards to VERY small tweaks when you reach out to her. Anyway, I bought THESE (second picture) below for EV on Etsy (I did like that they came in a variety of colors and styles and for the price, the quality was excellent). EV, seemed to be comfortable with them and they were light, but when she could take them off, she did.

Anywhooo I digress...

Then...toting her amazing ForeverDreamDesign ears....

Now...

I hadn't even looked at the previous photo and laughed at how many of similarities there were between last year's sign and this year's....

Saying we have a photographer sounds strange, but we basically have a photographer friend (who is more like family than anything else) and he has been taking all the big moment pictures in our life since our wedding. If you do not have a VMPphoto in your life, you are totally missing out. Greg, his wife Maria and their perfect little kiddos are truly the most fantastic family and he has this amazing gift of getting the most out of a photoshoot where it doesn't even feel like a shoot, but rather a day with a friend that results in the most perfect pictures you didn't think were possible or remember taking. Photos are the most important thing when it comes to any event (more so than food and THAT is saying a lot) for me (this should come to no surprise), so when we were planning to drive into Orlando, I reached out to Greg to see if he was available (he lives in the area as well) and luckily he was. I figured that since we had just planned a leisurely day that a fun family (but still safe and socially distanced) a photo shoot was just what was needed to commemorate us being out of the house for pretty much the first time in almost a year, EV's big day, and the fact that we only seem to take photos during holidays so having updated family photos not taken by a tripod or having a holiday theme were just what we needed. Okay me, it was just what I needed (#dontjudgeme), but the family had a good time too so it should count for something.

I have two kids who are like goldfish (like mother, like kiddos) and distract easily so it is so interesting that through the smiling you are wondering if both kids are looking at the camera, are they distracted by passerbys, are their fingers in their mouth, are they even smiling and then you look at a preview like this....

and all you think is....Greg is a genius! He is the only person that can get pictures like this out of two kiddos who haven't been out of the house in a year, are not used to being around people or new things and still have the incredible ability to capture photos like this out of them...

I am beyond blessed to call this amazing talent framily!

He also WORE HER OUT!!! As we were walking him back towards the front of the Boardwalk where his car was parked she loudly announced that she was sleepy...crawled into the stroller and promptly fell asleep...all within a span of maybe two minutes...it was incredible.

The great part about this was that an early nap meant that she would wake up refreshed and ready to enjoy the rest of her day...also, early nap meant that Hubs and I could nap too....win/win.

Having a Brother-in-Law who is working on his house in Orlando and has done nothing else means that EV got to spend her birthday with her Uncle and that in and of itself was magical as she did not know we were meeting up with him. Again, when we socially distance, we plan EVERYTHING including things like this. We hadn't told EV that we were meeting up with the BIL just in case he was unable to socially distance and had to run errands or anything and we did not want to add any added pressure to him in doing so, so we left it open. Obviously they were super excited to look out the window and see their favorite (and let's be honest mine too) person...

Although we were not keeping our restaurant reservations at Riviera Resort, we did decide to still venture over by Skyliner. As you might have read in the previous post...it was an interesting ride...

Prior to the Skyliner, EV announced once again that she was famished. Obviously we were now pro's at the mobile ordering thing so we ordered pizza for EV on the Boardwalk...may we all have someone look at us the way EV adoringly looks at pizza.

I was probably the most excited to go to Riviera Resort as I had yet to have been and I was really excited to check out the mosaics that I had seen so many Instagrammers take pictures of. They were every bit as beautiful in person.

Have you ever seen anyone with so much swag as my BIL and a stroller?!

Commodore actually looks like the one who had a rough trip on the Skyliner in this pic.

Because this resort is slightly more popular, it was also slightly more busy. Strangely it became increasingly more busy within thirty minutes of when we arrived. I am guessing that the parks had started to close by the time we were getting there so everyone was returning. Plus, the area with food was slightly close to the pool area and as stated it was quite busy in the pools. We were able to find an empty area with a table and swing though. A swing that after EV's terrifying Skyliner encounter, she wanted no part of...

When we got there, we immediately ordered and due to it being EV's birthday we had taken her into the gift shop for a treat (plus it was kind of deserved after the harrowing experience she just survived)! I love that Riviera Resort has their own specialty Fab Five merch (ears, characters, etc). She came back down and proudly showed her Minnie purchase. She looks a little disheveled because #skylinerfiasco2021

She was also quick to tell me that the rest of her Clubhouse friends were "still up there" and when I looked at Hubs, he didn't even skip a beat when he responded with "I am going back up there aren't I?" I will say we only emerged with Daisy, but she was thrilled. I was actually surprised she didn't choose Daisy to begin with as Daisy is her favorite character to visit even when in the parks. Why is it that they never seem to make enough Daisy merch?!

I mean look at their relationship...how I miss this....

We tried to eat and leave as quickly as possible as the table that was close to us became infiltrated by a large family albeit very respectful and who tried to keep their distance, but there was also several kiddos in their family as well and it was difficult. Luckily there was a huge hub of grass next to both of our tables, so there was a lot of space for running around and we tried to give one another as much berthing room as possible.

How EV gives space....with an interpretive dance....

and a lot of waving and saying hi to passerbys because she has not seen people other than immediate family in FOREVER!

We also knew the quickest and less complicated way back to the Dolphin was the Skyliner, but after EV's exorcist episode on the first run, we wanted to give her time for the food to settle and to not let her nerves kick up knowing we were getting back on it. Instead, we decided to go another route and walk to the Caribbean Beach. It was a beautiful walk, the weather was perfect, it wasn't very far, and luckily although there were pockets of people, on the walk itself we did not feel crowded. Plus, by the time we got close to the Skyliner, I had already given EV my phone with Elena of Avalor on the ready and it was so dark that she didn't even know what was happening until the stroller was on the Skyliner (she REALLY gets into Elena). I think getting onto something she wasn't ready for freaked her out more than anything, but we just had her focus on the phone and that was that...she did great!

Trust me when I tell you that if there was ANY easier way that would not have had us spending an hour trying to get back or having to fold up the stroller, we would have taken it, so take the judgement somewhere else if you have any!

The night was beautiful so we took the long way around the Boardwalk and spent the rest of the evening enjoying Epcot at night with EV's new friends (while I looked up once more at Gusteau's adoringly and only slightly bitter).

EV even announced that it was her "best birthday ever!" Although her birthday looked so different than so many of her birthdays before, it was wonderful still being able to create something magical for her!

There is something incredible about having a kid who is just as happy having a few stuffed friends and her family rather then needing to be surrounded by a bunch people and needing a large party, which we wouldn't have been able to do. I was always the same way, so its always interesting to watch my little nuances emerge in my mini-me.

Anyone else's kiddos this way?!