Shhhhh who can keep a secret???

debbildog · 05-30-2009, 09:36 PM

A little backstory first...

I'm having some difficulty with the idea of Annie growing up so fast. I've been a member of a playgroup board since I was pregnant with her 10 years ago, and someone on the board mentioned (and this might be TMI for some) that her daughter was going to need a training bra soon... I panicked. I'm so not ready for her to grow up. Last year Annie had some growth issues - as in, she wan't... at all. She fell off her "growth curve" where she was a steady 50th percentile her entire life and dropped off the charts completely. So I guess her beginning to grow up didn't really occur to me. Fast forward to this year - Annie shot up almost 5 inches in less than 6 months and is starting to look more like a pre-teen than the little girl I figured she'd always be (silly me).

My brother and I were discussing how much fun it will be when it comes time to take his son to Disney like I took Annie last year. And it hit me. By the time we take Casey, Annie will be at least 15! She'll be too cool to hang out with her family! If I wait that long to take her to Disney again I won't get to see that look of absolute wonder that she got when I took her last year. The next few years are going to be crazy for us- I've enrolled in school to get my RN (I'm currently a non-practicing LPN), I recently purchased 15 acres of land (to *eventually* build an animal sanctuary) and will be working on building our second home there, my parents are retiring... essentially life will be crazy.

So get this... I booked her a SURPRISE Disney dream vacation. 5 days/4 nights at a Disney resort. We leave on August 5th and are flying to Jacksonville to visit my best friend (whose daughter is ANNIE'S best friend), but then SURPRISE I'm waking both girls up at 6am on the morning of Annie's 9th birthday (august 7th) and taking them both to Disney for the week.

OMG I'm sooooo incredibly excited! I hope she doesn't miss having a birthday party this year!

But SSSHHHHH don't tell! I'm not even letting my family in on the secret for fear of someone ruining the surprise! But I had to tell someone! Annie reads my playgroup board so I couldn't even post it there!

This is one of my favorite pictures from our 3 day trip last year...

And just so you can see the difference a year makes, this is the last portrait I did of Annie a few weeks ago...

Can you see why I panicked and booked a spur of the moment trip? I know the point of having kids is allowing them to grow, but its happening too fast all of the sudden!!

**MaxandMe** · 05-30-2009, 10:08 PM

Quote:

OMG I'm sooooo incredibly excited! I hope she doesn't miss having a birthday party this year!

But SSSHHHHH don't tell! I'm not even letting my family in on the secret for fear of someone ruining the surprise! But I had to tell someone! Annie reads my playgroup board so I couldn't even post it there!

ANNIE is going to be sooooooooooo happy and surprised!!
((((((((kristin))))))))))))))))) wow!!! that is sooooo neat!!!
and yes they do grow up so fast!!

ANNIE is beautiful............now i can't wait to see pics down the line of the shock on her face at her surprise!!
totally awesome!

Elmo the Bear · 05-31-2009, 04:57 AM

I agree that Annie looks a lovely girl... but don't kid yourself, you're only booking the Disney trip cos you wanna go

..... don't worry, we all do it !!!

**lindamarie** · 05-31-2009, 12:36 PM

Oh Kristin!! You are so right to do these things NOW! I can't even believe how fast things go by, and suddenly.......they're GONE!! I just KNOW I made you feel better! Sorry...........
I am so excited for you!

...........and I won't tell a SOUL!!

OMGOSH! Annie is so BEAUTIFUL!! She is model PERFECT!

tuffystar · 05-31-2009, 01:58 PM

What a wonderful thing to do! She is beautiful!

Raleighsmom · 05-31-2009, 02:25 PM

What a fun, secretive AWESOME present Kristen!!! You've even got ME excited! Annie has grown into a beautiful young lady...enjoy your suprise!!!

Jac · 05-31-2009, 05:22 PM

What a perfectly cool mom you are!!! Wow!
And Annie is a gorgeous young woman!
Your secret is safe with us!

So long as you keep us up on the event!

doodledash · 05-31-2009, 05:51 PM

Fantastic and what a little sweet heart Annie is too.
Hope you all have a super time.
Wish we could come too.
We went to Disney in Florida for our Honeymoon it was smashing.

fudgepuddle · 06-01-2009, 06:53 AM

you lucky lucky thing!

what a brilliant surprise - we just love disney, and get over every other year for our 'fix'

(and we don't have any kids, so no excuse!!!)

which hotel are you staying in?

CharlieBear's Mom · 06-01-2009, 02:10 PM

How exciting and what a beautiful little girl you have -- the time goes by so quick doesn't it? I am sure you will all make some wonderful memories on your trip!

Lora · 06-01-2009, 04:27 PM

OMG, what a wonderful surprise. I know how you feel, my niece was a flower girl in my wedding (she was 3 at the time) and now she's 15 with a whole lot of curves. It seems just like yesterday that she was zipping through my place naked as a jay bird singing songs and just being silly!

The last time I saw her I couldn't believe my eyes - she's taller than me with gorgeous long curly locks.... AND, she was texting some "guy." They grow so fast!!!

I might add, I am "so cool" according to my nieces.

cindy456 · 06-03-2009, 09:10 PM

How wonderful of you to do this for her and you!!! She is such a lovely little girl. I teach 6th graders and it amazes me how young they are and the things they like to do. Disney is a great trip, I grew up in Orlando and lived there when it was built, fond memories of going there. Loved it as a teen, and adult. Have a great trip!!! They do grow up so fast, mine is 30 and I still think he should be 3.

debbildog · 08-18-2009, 11:22 AM

No more secret! Annie and I got back from Disney a week ago.... it was AMAZING! We had so much fun and it barely rained, which was incredible! I didn't even have to open up the ponchos I bought!

I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked - its much more difficult wrangling 2 kids instead of just my 1. But here are a few and a link to the album. OH and the video of Mark & I trying to wake Annie up to go - please excuse her destroyed bedroom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI9heAkLN30

Arriving in the lobby at the Port Orleans-Riverside

Starting new pin trading collections

At the Grand Floridian for her birthday dinner

And the day we left, with all their souvenirs....

And Annie got picked at the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor... I wish I had the video running the whole time, the beginning where they asked her name was ADORABLE. I also can't figure out how to upload better quality videos from my cell phone... I guess I should have figured that out before we went, huh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ16F0qrzjY

Oh, and one of my sweet little nephew wearing the mickey mouse ears we got him...

Jac · 08-18-2009, 01:20 PM

Kristen! What a perfect time you all had! Oh, she is so happy! You have given her the most precious memories...what a great mom you are! Congtatulations on keeping the secret...and making her birthday such a grand success!

tuffystar · 08-18-2009, 07:33 PM

Looks like such a good time! I am glad you had fun!!!

05-30-2009, 09:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
debbildog Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cape Cod, MA Posts: 1,153	Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? A little backstory first... I'm having some difficulty with the idea of Annie growing up so fast. I've been a member of a playgroup board since I was pregnant with her 10 years ago, and someone on the board mentioned (and this might be TMI for some) that her daughter was going to need a training bra soon... I panicked. I'm so not ready for her to grow up. Last year Annie had some growth issues - as in, she wan't... at all. She fell off her "growth curve" where she was a steady 50th percentile her entire life and dropped off the charts completely. So I guess her beginning to grow up didn't really occur to me. Fast forward to this year - Annie shot up almost 5 inches in less than 6 months and is starting to look more like a pre-teen than the little girl I figured she'd always be (silly me). My brother and I were discussing how much fun it will be when it comes time to take his son to Disney like I took Annie last year. And it hit me. By the time we take Casey, Annie will be at least 15! She'll be too cool to hang out with her family! If I wait that long to take her to Disney again I won't get to see that look of absolute wonder that she got when I took her last year. The next few years are going to be crazy for us- I've enrolled in school to get my RN (I'm currently a non-practicing LPN), I recently purchased 15 acres of land (to eventually build an animal sanctuary) and will be working on building our second home there, my parents are retiring... essentially life will be crazy. So get this... I booked her a SURPRISE Disney dream vacation. 5 days/4 nights at a Disney resort. We leave on August 5th and are flying to Jacksonville to visit my best friend (whose daughter is ANNIE'S best friend), but then SURPRISE I'm waking both girls up at 6am on the morning of Annie's 9th birthday (august 7th) and taking them both to Disney for the week. OMG I'm sooooo incredibly excited! I hope she doesn't miss having a birthday party this year! But SSSHHHHH don't tell! I'm not even letting my family in on the secret for fear of someone ruining the surprise! But I had to tell someone! Annie reads my playgroup board so I couldn't even post it there! This is one of my favorite pictures from our 3 day trip last year... And just so you can see the difference a year makes, this is the last portrait I did of Annie a few weeks ago... Can you see why I panicked and booked a spur of the moment trip? I know the point of having kids is allowing them to grow, but its happening too fast all of the sudden!! __________________ Kristin & dd Annie with our crazy doodle crew - Sandy, Iris, and Maggie We are officially outnumbered by the dogs!

05-31-2009, 04:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
Elmo the Bear Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Portsmouth UK - FA Cup Winners 2008 Posts: 188	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? I agree that Annie looks a lovely girl... but don't kid yourself, you're only booking the Disney trip cos you wanna go ..... don't worry, we all do it !!! __________________ Elmo the Bear lives here http://www.elmobear.co.uk http://www.doodlemania.co.uk

05-31-2009, 12:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
lindamarie Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Birmingham, Michigan Posts: 6,172	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? Oh Kristin!! You are so right to do these things NOW! I can't even believe how fast things go by, and suddenly.......they're GONE!! I just KNOW I made you feel better! Sorry........... I am so excited for you! ...........and I won't tell a SOUL!! OMGOSH! Annie is so BEAUTIFUL!! She is model PERFECT! __________________ Linda & Bogart Dogs=Unconditional love "We have it all! Just like Bogie & Bacall!"

05-31-2009, 01:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
tuffystar Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 2,292	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? What a wonderful thing to do! She is beautiful!

05-31-2009, 02:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
Raleighsmom Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Windsor,Ct Posts: 4,617	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? What a fun, secretive AWESOME present Kristen!!! You've even got ME excited! Annie has grown into a beautiful young lady...enjoy your suprise!!! __________________ Kathie,Raleigh & Molly! "Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!" ~ Theophile Gautier

05-31-2009, 05:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jac Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: northern California Posts: 9,243	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? What a perfectly cool mom you are!!! Wow! And Annie is a gorgeous young woman! Your secret is safe with us! So long as you keep us up on the event!

05-31-2009, 05:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
doodledash Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 513	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? Fantastic and what a little sweet heart Annie is too. Hope you all have a super time. Wish we could come too. We went to Disney in Florida for our Honeymoon it was smashing.

06-01-2009, 06:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
fudgepuddle Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: The New Forest, England Posts: 39	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? you lucky lucky thing! what a brilliant surprise - we just love disney, and get over every other year for our 'fix' (and we don't have any kids, so no excuse!!!) which hotel are you staying in? __________________ Mia, Fudgey & Scrumpy New Forest, England www.labradoodletrust.com The UKs welfare, rehoming, and rescue organisation for Labradoodles and Goldendoodles

06-01-2009, 02:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
CharlieBear's Mom Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 147	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? How exciting and what a beautiful little girl you have -- the time goes by so quick doesn't it? I am sure you will all make some wonderful memories on your trip! __________________ Karen and Charliebear

06-01-2009, 04:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
Lora Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 523	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? OMG, what a wonderful surprise. I know how you feel, my niece was a flower girl in my wedding (she was 3 at the time) and now she's 15 with a whole lot of curves. It seems just like yesterday that she was zipping through my place naked as a jay bird singing songs and just being silly! The last time I saw her I couldn't believe my eyes - she's taller than me with gorgeous long curly locks.... AND, she was texting some "guy." They grow so fast!!! I might add, I am "so cool" according to my nieces. __________________ Lora and Boyd

06-03-2009, 09:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
cindy456 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 469	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? How wonderful of you to do this for her and you!!! She is such a lovely little girl. I teach 6th graders and it amazes me how young they are and the things they like to do. Disney is a great trip, I grew up in Orlando and lived there when it was built, fond memories of going there. Loved it as a teen, and adult. Have a great trip!!! They do grow up so fast, mine is 30 and I still think he should be 3. __________________ Cindy and Mandy

08-18-2009, 11:22 AM	#13 (permalink)
debbildog Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cape Cod, MA Posts: 1,153	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? No more secret! Annie and I got back from Disney a week ago.... it was AMAZING! We had so much fun and it barely rained, which was incredible! I didn't even have to open up the ponchos I bought! I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked - its much more difficult wrangling 2 kids instead of just my 1. But here are a few and a link to the album. OH and the video of Mark & I trying to wake Annie up to go - please excuse her destroyed bedroom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI9heAkLN30 Arriving in the lobby at the Port Orleans-Riverside Starting new pin trading collections At the Grand Floridian for her birthday dinner And the day we left, with all their souvenirs.... And Annie got picked at the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor... I wish I had the video running the whole time, the beginning where they asked her name was ADORABLE. I also can't figure out how to upload better quality videos from my cell phone... I guess I should have figured that out before we went, huh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ16F0qrzjY Oh, and one of my sweet little nephew wearing the mickey mouse ears we got him... __________________ Kristin & dd Annie with our crazy doodle crew - Sandy, Iris, and Maggie We are officially outnumbered by the dogs!

08-18-2009, 01:20 PM	#14 (permalink)
Jac Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: northern California Posts: 9,243	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? Kristen! What a perfect time you all had! Oh, she is so happy! You have given her the most precious memories...what a great mom you are! Congtatulations on keeping the secret...and making her birthday such a grand success!

08-18-2009, 07:33 PM	#15 (permalink)
tuffystar Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 2,292	Re: Shhhhh who can keep a secret??? Looks like such a good time! I am glad you had fun!!!

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