Haylee (Daughter)

We’ve entered the phase of toddlerhood where our days are filled with singing, dancing, and, of course, Disney princesses. 

Growing up in Southern California in the 90s, I guess I consider myself a Disney kid. My grandma had a literal wall of VHS Disney movies, and I spent a good portion of my time at her house, so it was inevitable. I remember going to Disneyland several times when I was younger and even more as a young adult when I became an Annual Passholder. A part of me definitely hoped she’d love it all just as much as I did, as I do.

She turned two this year, and the plan was always to take her to Disneyland for her second birthday. Unfortunately, as many of you know, that opportunity was taken from us. We spent her second birthday away from her, stuck in a hospital room, hoping and praying that we would be reunited soon. It would be a few months later that we would finally be able to celebrate, and even though it wasn’t the plan we initially had, we were extremely grateful to be able to do so. 

The hope now is to be able to take her for her 3rd birthday. 

Now sure, there are a lot of factors that we need to take into account. Will I be healthy enough? Will I be done with surgeries and doctors appointments? Will my body allow me to make this experience “magical” for her? The reality is, I don’t know. What I do know is that this little girl is everything I hoped, dreamed, and prayed for, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure this happens. 

When I found out I was having a little girl, I imagined dress-up and baby dolls, doing her hair and painting her nails, taking her shopping and going on “coffee” dates. I imagined taking her to Disneyland for the very first time, introducing her to the wonder and whimsy that is “The Happiest Place on Earth”, and sharing moments with her she’ll remember her entire life – like I do with my mom. 

We have a little ways to go before she turns 3, so we’ve got plenty of time to plan and dream. 

In the meantime, we’ll continue to take it one day at a time. We’ll continue to rotate through her favorites – Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Tangled. We’ll continue to play their respective soundtracks while cooking in the kitchen or while driving into town. We’ll continue to dance and sing (Daddy included), and we’ll continue to give our “princesses” the most “magical” childhood we can.