Annada Marie Vergo

Today Annada and I left home around 3 pm for WDW’s boardwalk. The parking guard waved us through then glanced back at Annada and stopped us. “Can I get her some stickers?” she asked.

Armed with Mickey Mouse stickers we parked and started walking. We had 3 hours to make it to dinner and I was excited to go the whole way at Annada’s pace.

It paid off right away. We stopped to admire a bush and a family of white birds walked out. They were beautiful and Annada was in awe. A couple of yards later we checked out a spider’s web. And then the reeds in the water. It was the way Annada has always wanted to do WDW, but we normally don’t have the time.

Then we caught a boat and took it the long way around to the Swan and Dolphin resort. Annada and I spent the 20 minutes chatting about everything she saw. She is in full “why” mode and she had a zillion questions about the lighthouse, the flower sculptures, the people, the boats…

When we got to the resort, we went to the Dolphin side first. Again, we checked out everything on the way: the dead worm, ants, different leaves… It was sublime to walk with her with absolutely nothing to hurry for. We threw pennies in the fountain and rode the escalator until she wanted to stop.

Then we went to a self-serve restaurant and got drinks (it was 99 degrees!). Since it was a special day I let Annada get chocolate milk. I want to treasure these days – when I can be a hero for a $1 carton of milk.

Then we went to the game room. We had just walked in and were standing in the entrance while Annada took it all in when a mom came rushing in behind us. “We have to go now,” she firmly told a boy and picked up his pile of coins.

“Here, we are leaving,” she said as she dumped them in my hands.

So Annada ran around picking out cars to drive together. We aren’t very good at car racing games, but we had a lot of fun.

Then we headed to the Swan side and played kitty, doggy and tag by a fountain in a garden.

It was time for dinner, so Annada I headed to the bathroom and she dressed up in her princess dress. As soon as it went on she started singing “10 Minutes Ago” and dancing. Everywhere we walked we heard the buzz about how adorable she looked. One little boy stopped in amazement, “Mom, there is a princess here!” he yelled.

We walked to the restaurant and a man at the door bowed low and said, “Welcome, your majesty.” Annada and I were both beaming.

Annada didn’t eat much because she was too in awe of the characters (although she loved my lobster). Chip and Dale were there and she spent most of the hour watching their every move. When they got close she would suddenly grab her fork and start focusing on her food, causing them to give her space. I knew something was off so I tried to figure it out. “Do you want to feed the chipmunks, Annada?” “Yes, I do,” she seriously replied.

Fortunately, Dale overheard her and came back. Annada “fed” him some mac n cheese. This is so classic Annada, she loves to feed people and animals! She gets upset if she thinks someone or something is hungry.

Star struck

After dinner we went to the playground on the resort beach. It was shaped like a boat and Annada directed us on grand adventures to new lands (one with a pretend carousel). Then she “cooked” soup for me in the sand.

Finally I scooped her up and we started walking home. “Did you have a good day?” I asked her as she rode on my shoulders. “I did!” she replied.

(As a bonus, Groupon plus WDW knowledge = $11.12 for the evening including chocolate milk.)

On the way home, she came up with other ideas of things we could do. “I don’t want to go to bed!” she cried. “There is lots and lots to do!”

A little after 10 pm I rocked and sang to her as I always do before bed. She was asleep before the first song was ended, so I sat there and rocked a few minutes longer and thanked God. This is a day I dreamed about when having a daughter seemed like an impossibility. And it is even sweeter than I hoped.

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