This past weekend we packed up and took off, ignoring all the upcoming deadlines and competitions this week brings. We just needed to get away, just the three of us, for some relaxing family time, and it was so incredibly worth it. In fact, I found Marco upstairs at his desk this morning just watching the videos we took over and over again. Those few seconds before he noticed I was there were pure sweetness as he smiled at his phone screen when Daniela’s little voice sang out above the waves she was surfing. His love for her is palpable.

We left Saturday morning and took the ferry into Disney’s Magic Kingdom. It had been some time since we’d been to that particular park and we were looking forward to Daniela’s first ride on Space Mountain. Disney is not usually my idea of a relaxing day. It usually feels like more work than a regular day because though the rides are full of laughter and squeals, the rides are only minutes long at best. The rest of the day is spent walking in hot sun, waiting in obnoxiously long lines, and neutralizing sugar-highed little ones. Relaxation is a cruel joke, but we do if for the kid.

Saturday was different, though. It was a mite cooler than normal, the breeze was cool and invigorating, and the lines weren’t half bad. It was quite pleasant!

One of these days I will remember to bring the expensive camera I just had to have… 

We got our fast passes for Space Mountain straight away but wouldn’t be riding until late afternoon. Daniela was a little ball of nerves, playing with her fingers and doing the shifty-eye glances whenever we brought it up, but she was placing her trust in me. She trusts me because I hate roller coasters with a vengeance normally reserved for pedophiles and puppy kickers. My dad forced me on those same rides when I was a kid and though I’ve tried them since, I still panic and nearly pass out during the drops. And not in a good way. She knows that if I ride it, it can’t be that bad.

Our time for Space Mountain finally came and Daniela oscillated between extreme hyper chattiness and silent hand holding during our short line to the front. Because Space Mountain only seats one person per seat, Daniela wanted me to sit in front of her and Marco to sit behind her. I assured her that I could reach my hands behind me to hold hers. Bad idea. Without hands to brace myself,  I was at the mercy of each and every high speed jerk. It was godawful. Daniela was eerily silent in the darkness behind me except for one fearful squeal during a minor drop. “Please God, let her like this ride!” bounced around my brain as my elbows and hips found every sharp angle to slam me into. Excruciating.

As soon as we slowed into the light, I twisted my body around to see my baby girl. Her face was ashen and her eyes were oddly dilated considering we just went from utter darkness to forced daylight. I bombarded her with questions and fake smiles but she just stared at me, wanting to smile so I knew she was ok, but not sure how to go about it. Once she found her words, she still wasn’t sure how she felt about the ride, but was glad that she had conquered it. An hour later she said she would ride it again next time, but instead of holding my hands, she would hold the safety bar so she could better brace herself too. Apparently I wasn’t the only one being jerked around every 45 degree loop :)

All in all, it was exactly what we set out for; a fun family day. Daniela was proud of herself for riding a roller coaster and I got to squeeze the most out of my favorite part of Disney: the light show on the castle directly preceding the fireworks. There is just something sacred about holding your baby (no matter how old!) and watching clips of the fairytales projected onto Cinderella’s castle while Star Light, Star Bright plays over the speakers.Together, you silently slip into the world of make believe and all your dreams really come true. Ever since she was 3 years old, I’ve always held her on my hip – her rosy, pinched cheek resting on mine – with Marco’s arms encircling us both while Tinkerbell flew across the sky and Disney worked it’s magic spell over us. Even at 10 years old, she was still in my arms, cheek to cheek. Those moments are especially sacred to me because I know how soon they will come to an end. We will always share those significant times, side by side, but there is just something about holding her in my arms that brings sentiment to my eyes. Pure, unaltered joy. It was exactly what we needed in this chaotic month.

We crashed in Orlando that night and set off bright and early for Cocoa Beach the next morning. Now that’s my idea of a relaxing day. As parents, Marco and I both have those little things that we love to watch the other do with Daniela. For Marco, it’s when Dani and I bake together. He doesn’t want to participate, but he does want to watch, and he enjoys that watching as much we enjoy the baking. For me, it’s watching Marco and Dani surf. Their routine getting the board ready, their jogs up and down the beach, their wading out into the water and waves. They are wholeheartedly a duo with an inexplicable bond. They take my breath away. Unfortunately for me, the day wasn’t nearly as relaxing as I was anticipating. The sand fleas were swarming by the hundreds and once I aggressively swatted one off my arm, I could feel them all over me. They weren’t actually there, but I could feel them. Gives me shivers even now. The weather didn’t exactly cooperate either, and we we left after only 2 hours, but it was just as well. Daniela had homework, Marco had work, and I had deadlines that needed to be met. It was break we all needed and one we were all grateful for. Plus there is something so intoxicating about coming home to comfy tye-dyed yoga pants after a day on the salty beach ;)