Spring Family Vay-Cay!

We were all geared up for sun and fun in Florida last week.  What we actually got was lots of rain... painful, dumping, drenching, relentless rain...and some fun.  We did enjoy celebrating Sophia's birthday with family, and we managed to catch one sunny day at Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park where we took in Harry Potter's magical world and sampled some of the Three Broomsticks' Butterbeer.  (Curious friends, it was much like a caramely, vanilla-ish, frothy cream soda.  Tasty, sweet and a little sticky.)

Pictured above is Hogwarts and the ride which required nearly an hour long wait.  Since we were in good company and had sunshine, it was worth it.

Traveling and "theme parking" with a toddler was no picnic, but I did very much enjoy seeing things from her diminutive perspective.  The aquariums at Sea World elicited such squeals of excitement from her, that we all spent more time watching her than we did observing the aquatic life.  At Universal we were surrounded  by larger than life, noisy attractions and Lili paused to observe a tiny lizard...

...and stopped to sit and regard a pot of chrysanthemums.

And that is why traveling with a toddler is magical.  The magic makes up for the stubborn strops and  out-of-control tantrums.  Even when we got caught in that blinding, drenching, unrelenting rain at Sea World, Lili laughed all the way to the car as I held her in my arms and ran for all I was worth.  Her innocent and naive laughter was highly contagious.  By the time we all got back to the car, we were soaked and utterly cracked up.

In spite of all of our weather woes and conniption fits, this little girl had a brilliant birthday...

"Pleas'd to look forward, pleas'd to look behind,

And count each birthday with a grateful mind."

- Alexander Pope