OUR LIFE IN 3D

Jamaica: FDR IV…Waiting for the pumpkin…

Well I guess you know by now about long-awaited, too-short, overdue summer vacation we took this fall.  I talked about the highlights in License to Chill. Tried to illustrate Dylan’s great time she had in the water, both in the sea and on land as well as tease you with the clear waters of the Caribbean ocean in …No Boundaries. We even found a bit of fun in the airports as they tried to make us stay for the weekend. But I would have you know….it wasn’t all fun and games.

You see Skylar actually caught a little stomach bug our last day there. Dylan picked it up the next day. Yes the girls got a little ill. Hey, it wouldn’t be ‘vacation’ without it!

Skylar picked up the bug on our last day. She wasn’t herself and then threw up that afternoon. It kinda put the damper on our ‘Last Meal in Jamaica’ dinner we had planned for that night. She wasn’t up for that so Mom (capital ‘M”) stayed with her while Dylan and I went down to eat. Being our last night, Dylan took it seriously and got all dressed up, wearing a dress-up outfit that a popular Grandmother (capital ‘G’) gave her last Christmas. She was my impromptu date in paradise. We had a great time!

We had a wonderful candlelit dinner, located right on the railing beside the sea. ~I hope that doesn’t sound too weird. It was a great location and Dylan was feeling very special.

Many of you remark on the cute or amazing things that leave this child’s mouth in the ‘DYLANisms’. I may be the most amazed sometimes. Are lots of kids like this? But one thing you don’t get reading DYLANisms is the innocent or enthusiastic way she says these things, making them that much more adorable. Take a look as she talked about the vacation, wishing upon the stars with her sister and finally being treated like Royalty by the staff when dinner arrives. She felt super special all dressed up like the Princess she thought she was that evening:

The evening ended as she spotted a three year old boy, Sebastian,  that just happened to celebrate his third birthday that day. Earlier that day Dylan saw the birthday party his Canadian parents threw for him on the beach that afternoon. Dylan was riding Big Blue, surprise, at the time.

Dylan knew him as one of her other international friends that played in the swimming pools all week. Since she wasn’t at the party this girl still wanted to wish Sebastian a Happy Birthday. So as we finished up she took me by the hand and asked if we could go over to his table and say “Happy Birthday”. It wasn’t my idea. It came from her heart as she was quite determined to do this by asking several times. Lots of you have noticed in the DYLANisms how smart she is on how she knows what is really important at her young age. Here was just another example.

The Heart of a Disney Princess

We feel lucky to be blessed with two great daughters with great dispositions, smarts, and great senses of humor. I keep waiting for the clock to strike midnight and see this fairy tale turn back into a pumpkin.

BONUS POST:

TIP: Want to clear customs, immigration, and airport check-ins in a hurry in your travels? Take along a sick kid!

Like I mentioned, Dylan picked up the stomach bug on the day we were leaving to go back home. In fact, she let everyone know in the middle of the Jamaican airport! Yes she put breakfast on the floor almost as soon as we entered the bustling Jamaican airport. Mommy watched Skylar and our bags while I went to clean her up. Before I left the restroom I had someone from the airport checking on her, asking if she needed anything else.

We found mommy and the bags and the airport was already on the mess we made. We went over to have our bags checked at check-in and another airport personnel was checking to see if Dylan needed to see a nurse or medicines. We assured the staff we brought and she took some since the incident.

We made it to the scanners when I saw the opportunity. Being a salesperson in previous lives I immediately ceased the opportunity. I picked her up, told her to put on her sad face then walked up to the inspectors, letting them know I was holding a sick child. Maybe they had heard of the incident?

Well we ere rushed through the scanners and hurried on to the next obstacle to boarding the plane, Customs. Again, picked her up, sad face, cough a little, flash a Passport, sign here and we were off.

Next was airport security to board the terminals. Skylar was chiming into the act by now and we barely broke our stride gliding past the ticket checkers. Success!

We had enough time to catch some lunch in Finland, browse some souvies, restroom checks and we were off.

“What??? What do you mean the flight is being delayed? My kid is sick here!”