This last week we decided to throw caution to the wind - to live by the seat of our pants - to exhibit an almost cavalier disregard for decency in all its forms.

 

We decided to go to Disneyland with a 2 year old.

 

But that’s getting ahead of ourselves.  First we hopped in the car and drove to California, a last minute vacation that was sorely needed.  While hanging out at the beach we met another family with a 3 year old, who reminded us that kids that young get in free.  We considered it, and one shady drug-deal style ticket exchange later (thank you Ebay) we went for it.

 

First things first, one must realize that Disneyland is a place designed to both delight and horrify young children, often in equal doses.  Maebe fell squarely in the latter category.  Seeing a large mickey character to us seems like a harmless treat - to Maebe it was a cartoon serial killer who had skinned Goofy and was wearing him like a suit, his blank, unmoving eyes the dark voids into a living nightmare.

 

The rides were even better.  What would start as a harmless Winnie the Pooh romp would suddenly darken and transform into a psychedelic Heffalump & Woozles drug trip, complete with Weasle jack-in-the-boxes springing toward the cart.  There was finding Nemo with the accurate shaking and flashing of a simulated mine field explosion.  There was the spraying, thrashing piranhas of the Jungle Cruise.

 

We didn’t even dare go on Pinnochio.

 

What did Maebe like?  Stairs (going up and down them), Steering Wheels (there are many hundreds of them throughout the park), and slides.  Oh, and her CinderBlahBlah doll.

But don’t be mistaken - we had a great time seeing disneyland through the eyes of a child...even if those eyes were wild with terror during It’s A Small World.

 

The rest of our trip was a relaxing, enjoyable time hanging out with Papa and Gramma - Maebe loves seeing them (and so do we) - for a more detailed account of our vacation, head to the picture gallery.  See you there!