Flying Long Haul With Children! TIPS

Oh Hai, 

If you follow me on instagram (if you don't, what? why?), you'll know that I recently took Darcy out to Disney World in Orlando and that obviously, it involved a long haul flight. 

I've had a few messages and comments asking how I find this or if I have any special tricks for getting through it all so I thought a blog post might be apt. 

We're really lucky and have had to opportunity to travel long haul quite a few times. In fact, in her five years, Darcy has been on ten foreign adventures, so that's twenty flights, eighteen of which have been long haul across the Atlantic to either Orlando or Seattle (both over 8 hours away). 

I've picked up a few little tips and techniques but what I will say is that every child is different and you know best how to care for your own. Just because something works for one mother, doesn't necessarily mean it will work well for another. 

We first started flying when Darcy was 2 years old. My whole family flew out to Orlando on a virgin flight sat in economy. It was really cool to have three rows of people I knew and loved and also meant that Darcy had plenty of people to play with and cuddle, so that definitely helped. I took a lot of small toys on that trip, a really really lot. I think I had about three sandwich bags full of little toys for her to play with. I bought them all new so that she'd be super interested in them and spend a bit longer with each one- that's your goal here- occupy as long as possible! 

On subsequent flights I've taken the toys and added things in like stickers (children live for stickers, any stickers, all the stickers), crayons (although I've found she's bored of these now and would rather feel a bit more superior and use a biro) and, at the grand old age of five, her all time love, the iPad. I know we're all for lowering screen time and letting littles have golden experiences like milking cows and running freely through meadows of blooms but let's face it, a bit of screen time on a flight isn't going to give them brain rot but it is going to give you your sanity. We have a Leap Frog tablet with loads of non wifi needing games loaded onto it but you could always download a few apps to your iPad or phone before you fly. 

(Did you know one woman can drag three cases, wear a backpack and keep a child in check all by herself- women are crazy strong!)

Most long haul planes will have little TV screens in the seats- take advantage of these! It's Darcy's dream day when I say, 'you know what, sit down with a blanket and just stare at a film for a few hours, I don't mind' and on the flight, I'm fine with it. Once we flew out to Seattle with Delta and the screens didn't work, at all. That's 9 hours in small chairs with a four year old who wants to know if we're nearly there yet. I hadn't bought the iPad thinking, 'she won't want that if there are tv's available' and I regretted it all the way across the ocean. 

Snacks are your friends. Most planes serve food, drinks and snacks throughout the flight and most of the time it's really quite nice. Sometimes though, you're little cherub decides they hate everything, even peas which they liked a lot the day before but now, no, they detest them. They also now detest chicken and pasta and bread and salad and perhaps even orange juice. Cool. Hopefully this won't happen to you but on the off chance it does, wouldn't you be glad that you bought a plain cheese sandwich and a banana from Pret before you boarded the flight? You might even be glad you bought those four kit kat chunkys that you can eat feverishly in the toilet every hour so that you can cope. Buy some snacks. If you don't eat them, you've wasted a tenner. If you do, you're both happy people and that's a risk worth taking. 

Dress your bambino is comfortable clothes. That Baby K trouser one piece is adorable but it's not going to be so fun when you have to wrangle them out of it to almost nudity for them to have a wee in the very small loo on board. Leggings, tee shirt, jumper and trainers are my usual go to and can be de-layed if you're arriving somewhere hot and you've packed a pair of shorts. Always take a spare set of clothes incase there's an accident (from them, from someone else or turbulence) and if it's a night flight, consider jimjams- nobody will judge you, I've done it quite a few times and it's great because they're automatically dressed for sleep and it helps them nod off- yay, wine and film time for you!!

(This was just before we discovered that the tv's on the plane didn't work on our flight.)

This is very luxurious and I'm aware not for everyone but we have flown in a variety of different 'classes'. I don't really like the term classes because it sounds a bit elitist but that's what airlines call them. We've flown business with British Airways (very nice but make sure you book a child's meal otherwise your little one is going to be eating a herb encrusted stick of asparagus and a perfectly marinated piece of salmon), and premium economy with Virgin. We've also travelled economy with Delta, British Airways and Virgin. I have to say, I don't think the seating arrangements makes any difference to a child's behaviour. All they give a monkeys about is the TV, snacks and toys. However, I'll be blunt, that level of comfort made a big difference to me. A lot of our trips have been just me and the child and to be able to skip lines, sit in a spacious, enclosed (business has little walls and windows), environment with everything easily on hand makes life lovely. If you're travelling solo with a child and you can upgrade (I know, it's extortionate), just consider it. 

(Do you know how fun it is to lug your giant car seat across the world? Zero fun, that's how much, zero). 

One of the biggest things I have done for each and every flight (even a 2 hour squeezeyjet flight to Spain) is talk, talk, talk about it before hand. The more you talk about it, the more familiar they are with the concept and the less of a shock everything is going to be when the board or when you ask them to do something. When she was very little, we practised sitting nicely with legs out and hands on knees (sounds tedious but she was game for it during the flight so I was glad of all the, 'shall we play aeroplanes?') and we now talk about the plan for the flight. So, 'This flight is going to be so fun! We're going to watch a film, have some lunch, have a nap and then when you wake up, you can watch another film or play with the toys'. I find that if Darcy has a brief outline of how things are going to play out, she's much more able to behave. I get it, I like to know where I am with things too. 

I hope some of these tips have been useful to you. Ultimately, all you can do is do your best. Give them something to sip or suck for taking off and landing (ears and pressure don't always mix) and cut yourself some slack- it's hard work parenting in such a squished environment, nobody is going to judge you if your child isn't a perfect angel all the time and you don't need to feel fretful about it. 

Sit back, put their headphones on and enjoy your flight!

Toodlepip!

xx

PS- Leave your tips below- I'm sure they'll be helpful to everyone else as well as me! 

Playlist - Your Questions Answered!

Hello Glitterbugs!

If you've been a Glitterbug for a long time now you might remember THIS post from 2013 when I answered all your questions about Vidcon. I thought it might be fun to do the same kind of thing but for Playlist Live, the convention I just attended in Orlando and shed some light on some of the things you have been wondering about!

All questions are taken from my Facebook Page. It's quite a chatty community over there so do be sure to give it a follow and get involved.

I'm going to answer everything very honestly and in as much detail as appropriate <3

Maha - I wanted to ask, does the YouTube company make all the arrangements for the YouTubers for their stay, like your hotel and airplane tickets?

For an event like Playlist (a convention about online video content) it depends. Generally the event will cover the cost of flights and accommodation for some of it's guests. I am very fortunate to be supported by an incredible management team who liaise with the event to arrange this kind of thing. In the past, when my channels were smaller, I have arranged and funded my own expenses.

Elizabeth - Do these conventions possibly create a larger divide between fans and creators by providing them with 'celebrity' status and controlling all interaction? (Don't mean it negatively! Just curious!).

This is such a good topic of discussion, with lots of points to look at. Broadly, I don't think so. It's important to remember that it's not Playlist that controls the interactions, it's a number of people. The creator firstly decides what they are willing to do. So for me, I chose to do my usual- a panel, a Glitter Time and an interview with Hollywire. I'm happy to do lots of panels and stage things. I also spent a little bit of time walking around and talking to guests. I tend not to say yes to traditional meet & greets because I'm dubious as to how worthy they are of everyone's time. Everyone is rushed and waits for hours to just have a quick hello and a selfie. I don't think that makes me feel like a valued human (more just a thing to stand next to and photograph, like a statue or landmark haha) and I don't think fans should be encouraged to partake in that when there are so many better learning opportunities or ways to enjoy the convention. To be crystal clear, I don't think less of other creators or fans who do this, I just don't think that right now, it's for us. Hang outs yes, queues and soulless selfies, no. 

Playlist has to step in with a level of control for safety at some point. It has to provide security (for ticket holders and guests) to ensure that the event runs smoothly. No, I don't like that there are barriers in the carpark but I'd like it even less if a fan was overcome with excitement for someone, ran to the car to bang on the windows (this happens) and had their feet run over or something. I think Playlist do a good job with keeping everything secure and calm and well organised. Initially these kinds of events could be a bit crazy but these days I think everyone has the hang of stuff and it runs well, for everyone. I'd be interested to hear what ticket holders feel on this. So whilst some experiences can feel a little 'them and us', I think if we look objectively at why there are security measures and negative things that have happened in the past (girls getting squashed, people being over crowded, all the connotations of those experiences etc)

I think the divide is subjective (as is the term 'celebrity'). I don't feel like a celebrity and I would hope that when I interact with people, it's with warmth and kindness. I think that yes, there might well be a few creators who enjoy the celeb 'status' and let that go to their heads but that feeling won't last because I don't think their fans will be fans for long. There are certainly perks to the job and perks to these events but the key is to see them as luxuries rather than entitlements.

Not sure I've answered this one very clearly but I hope some sense can be taken from all that!!

Talia - YouTube Conventions are improving all the time. What things did Playlist do right this year?

I'll answer this but I might be biased because I only saw it from a guest view rather than ticket holder. I think Playlist are incredibly organised. My hotel room and information pack was all ready when I arrived and everything I needed to know was in there. I love the attention to detail throughout the venue with the branding and design work stuck and projected everywhere. I thought there was a really interesting range of panels to attend and lots snacks available in the greenroom!

From a guest standpoint I liked that you all had a lot of things you could go to- panels, signings, performances etc. I enjoyed that pool parties and evening entertainment was put on for you too. I think I would like to see more things in the expo hall for ticket holder though. Vidcon does a pretty good job with this but I'm not sure there was much this year at Playlist. I saw a lot of ticket holders just kind of chilling out in halls and the lobby so wondered if that was a choice or because they were out of other options. 

Talia - What makes you want to attend YouTube conventions? What attracts you to them? 

I love the interaction between viewer and creator. Making videos can be a bit lonely sometimes, especially as I don't live near any other creators (most of whom are dear friends now) so it's really lovely to see so many friends and also meet so many of you, it's a very social weekend. 

I also like the glitz of going away, flying, feeling nice in dresses each day and having a bit of a change of scenery. Saying that, I suffer quite a lot from homesickness so in the coming years I'd like to see if Darcy or one of my sisters will come with me. 

Chloe - Where are your favourite places to visit in Orlando? 

I love this question because I love being in Orlando! Rather obviously, I love DisneyWorld but also I always like to try and stop by Bahama Breeze for yummy food and cocktails and Mall of Millenia for a mooch round.

I hope some of those answers have given you a bit more insight into conventions and how they tick! I enjoyed answering. Thank you to every lovely person who has ever made my convention experiences so good, I look forward to many more! My vlogs of this year's playlist are now up on my channel, Sprinkle of Chatter. You can watch them HERE. 

Toodlepip!

xx

Louise In LA

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

If you have been following me on my vlog channel, 'Sprinkle of Chatter, you will have seen that earlier this month I was in LA for a week of fun, collabs and adventures. 

Since all the videos are now published, I thought it would be fun to answer some of your questions!

If you would like to watch the vlogs, click HERE. 

Now, on with the questions!

Favourite thing you purchased in LA?

Oohh this is very easy. After seeing it on so many beauty blogs and in beauty videos, I took myself off to Sephora and picked up the Becca & Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Highlighter and oh my life, I was not disappointed. Although it's a pressed powder product it applies like an intense cream, blends beautifully and leaves you like a golden goddess. I've used it almost every day and I can safely say, it's love. 

Where was your favourite place to go?

Somewhere I went to but would have liked to spend more time at was Venice. It had sweet little canals and beautiful homes and lots of little nooks and crannies. To me, America feels really big and intimidating with it's crazy wide roads and huge buildings but Venice had the higgledypiggledy vibe that London has so I felt nice there. 

Favourite restaurant out there?

So, I'm not sure if I would call this a restaurant, but In-N-Out Burger. It's a fast food place (with eat in or drive thru) and oh em eff gee it was good. So good I had it twice. Once when I was in a grumpy hangry mood and once to cure a hangover (oops haha) and it was EXACTLY what I needed. I don't really eat beef so I was just going to get Animal Fries (I had those once a couple of years ago and have been dreaming of them every since) but Drew was way too much of an enabler and ordered me a grilled cheese thing too. It was the stuff of dreams I'm telling you. Also, whilst I'm at it recommending things- pink lemonade. You need it in your life. 

Would you ever consider living out there?

I've always dreamt of spending some of my life living in America. The problem now is that Matt and I are separated, so taking Darcy over to America (and therefore away from him) would be a horrible idea and something I don't want to do. So, maybe when she's a lot lot lot older I could do it or if I really wanted to, perhaps I could divide my time between the two for a few weeks at a time. No plans for moving anywhere for a good while yet though. 

Hardest thing to over come being away from home?

The hardest thing was obviously being away from Darcy. I'm pretty good at switching between Mummy Mode and Louise Mode but there were times, particularly at DisneyLand where my Mummy heart hurt. Also, as we've talked about before, I struggle REALLY badly with being out of my comfort zone so doing so much on my own (without Matt, family or Maddie) was a challenge. I was really grateful to Cayleigh and Drew for being so lovely and understanding. Even when I had a little strop in the car once hahaha. 

Best night out you had?

I think the best night out was a night at Joey Graceffa's house. We had a mermaid pool party for our friend Cayleigh, with amazing drinks, yummy food, lols and of course, pool time. I wore the bikini I bought here last winter. I'd been building up the courage to go for a bikini for months and when I finally did it, it felt so freeing. It was pretty pricey ($89.99 plus extortionate shipping) but omg, it was so worth it. 

Did you see any famous people?

Well, I collabed with some of the most fabulous YouTubers in LA so yes! 

Favourite thing you did?

One afternoon my friend Drew and I drove the length of Mulholland Drive and then down to the coast. Pootling around in cars, singing careoke and taking in the view is basically my idea of heaven so this was the perfect afternoon for me. There is something really soothing about being driven about and listening to someone telling you which school they went to as a child, pointing out famous houses and stopping to take a few insta's of the scenery! 

Will you go back to DisneyLand?

Yes. My heart belongs to Disney. Not Walt, just yanno, the concept of Disney. 

What was your favourite part of DisneyLand?

In the last hour of the day, when we were so tired and ready to head home, Cayleigh, Drew and I jumped on a Story Book ride. It was a little boat (that tipped about thank you very much) that meandered through sweet grassy verges adorned with all the houses of the Disney characters. The structures were only doll house size but so detailed and sweet, I could've done that ride so many more times and looked at everything. Sometimes it's not the big beasty thrills that make your favourite memories but the quiet little moments that capture your imagination. 

Any weird accidents?

Oh yes. So, it was early morning and Cayleigh and I had been swimming in the hotel pool. PJ and his gang were due to arrive round to come and record my voice for something Oscars Hotel related. We'd spent a bit too long at the pool, I was wearing a towel and the door knocked- they were here!! I shouted, 'just a minute!!' and tried to put my dress on. I wasn't fully dry so it got all tangled and stuck, I had no underwear on, I frantically whispered to Cayleigh to help me and basically was a half naked, half moist (ooer) woman caught up in a dress and she saw everything! Hopefully by the time I opened the door to PJ he had no idea of my issues. Incidentally, I still had no underwear on for the entirety of the voice recording!!!

What song reminds you of your trip?

Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainer. Cayleigh had it in her car on repeat haha. 

Will you visit LA again?

I really hope so. 

Did Darcy miss you?

Funnily enough, I don't think so. She has such a great time with her Daddy and is so used to spending chunks of time with each of us separately that I think she was just happy to be doing what she was doing. We Skyped a few times though, mostly for my benefit haha. 

Favourite thing about LA?

I'm gonna be really smooshy but, the people. I have lots of American friends now and one thing I always notice is how welcoming and hospitable they are to me. Cayleigh was always on hand to gee me up when I was having a scardycat moment, Drew did all my favourite things with me (he even sat through all of Bridget Jone's Diary and ordered aaaalllllll the room service food which pleased me soooo much. Netflix and dinner, bliss), the Whats Up Moms ladies for having me over for the day (with amazing food, the best girlie chats, shopping and taking me to the airport), Joey for hosting the amazing mermaid party and letting me raid his fridge, Ingrid, Cat and Mamrie for taking the trouble to come out to my hotel to film such fun collabs. 

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Thank you to so many of you on twitter for asking such good questions, I really enjoy posts like this so I think I might do more like it- it's like taking part in a mini interview haha!! Don't forget to checkout the vlogs and things I've linked in the post for you and I'll see you all soon!

Toodlepip!

xx

NYC Q&A

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Since I am loving telling you so much about my little New York adventure last week I thought it might be fun to ask what it is you actually want to know and then just directly answer. I put it to twitter, with #LouInNYC and you asked so here are my answers!

(One of my little iPhone snaps from the high line. Have I mentioned that much? Haha)

What was one of the funniest moments to happen in New York?

This is easy. I was standing at Google during a break from the speeches we were listening to, talking to Dan, Phil and John Green. We were talking about a particular element of David Blaine's talk and I don't know what came over me but all of a sudden I did the most inappropriate hand gesture. As soon as I did it, I caught Dan's eye and knew it was all over. I apologised profusely through tears and laughter to John and Phil but it was too late, the giggles had set in and I was a mess!

What things should you pack to take on a long plane journey?

Every time I go on a plane I take pretty much the same things- passport, money, phone (loaded with good music to keep me happy), headphones, essential makeup & skincare and snacks. Snacks are important! This time though I also took my (for grown ups!) colouring/doodle book and pens. It was very soothing to just doodle about in it whilst I chatted to everyone. 

Weirdest thing a fan or friend gave to you for your birthday?

I wasn't really given a lot of gifts because the most important thing to me was time spent and experiences so my friends very kindly took me out for dinner and such but one gift that was really unusual was a song. 

Favourite food you ate in NYC?

Chinese noodles at Tao. OMG I need more. Now. 

If you could have taken one element of NYC home with you then what would it be?

The jetlag! I realise this sounds nuts but because my timings were all off, it was so so easy to wake up in the mornings and get going with the day! I wish it could be like that here!

What was having your birthday in NYC like?

Magical. 

How did you survive the busy city when you don't like change?

The first few hours were really overwhelming and I felt so out of my comfort zone. Then, after a while I got used to it and Maddie pointed out that you can't get lost because the streets are all in a grid system so that made me feel a lot more secure. 

What actually happened with the fans? I heard many things.

I've heard lots of things too so I'm happy to set the record straight. Nothing happened. I've seen a lot of rumours about me being mobbed or having a panic attack but that just didn't happen. In fact, I found the viewers I met in New York to be super chill, really gentle, none of them screamed or shouted at me and when one or two did, they quickly stopped and just smiled/waved. I stood and chatted easily and comfortably to them and really enjoyed our interactions. As far as I'm concerned, all positive experiences. 

Did you see any celebrities whilst you were there?

Mmmhmmmm. I met David Blaine, watched Snoop Dog talk and then DJ at a party, listened to talks from Wes Anderson and Mark Ronson and also saw Mark and Bruno Mars perform at Brandcast. Amazing! (Also yanno, I was sat in a room with the likes of John Green, Troye Sivan, Grace Helbig etc). 

Will you be doing a video on what you bought?

Sadly not because I did zero shopping. Cray cray!

Will you be going back this summer?

I'm definitely going back to the states this summer but I'm not sure yet if that includes New York. I'm going to Seattle next week to see Marie and then VidCon in California in July. 

What was the biggest cultural difference you noticed in NY compared to the UK?

I felt like people working in the service industry were a lot more friendly. I liked it. 

Was there a particular reason you found the intensity easier to deal with this time?

I think because I had Maddie my Manager there. Last time I had to be on control of everything myself and manage my own schedule and get myself to where I needed to be, but with Maddie there, things were a lot lot lot easier. I love that woman!

How did you find the helicopter flight and what was the favourite thing you did?

It was incredible. I love looking at things from up high and I also love roller coasters and thrill rides so this was right up my street. The city looked so shiny and beautiful. I actually cried for almost the entire trip because I loved it so very, very much. 

What one American shop would you bring to England?

Sephora. Please UK get a Sephora!

Was your hotel room nice?

So nice. We stayed at Dream Downtown. At first I was really freaked out by the weird mix of new and old (I vlogged about this), but eventually I acclimatised and loved it so much. The lobby in particular was gorgeous. I would have liked to have spent more time there I think. Snazzy hotel lobbies are my fave. I'm such a hotel addict. 

Thoughts on John Green's speech?

Wonderful. John Green is such an inspiration to me. I love how business minded he is, how smart he is and how whenever we see each other, we exchange tres funny stories about our kids, we have proper saddo parent moments and I love it. 

His speech made me think about a lot of things and feel really impressed by how much he's achieved. 

Did you get home sickness?

Yes. As soon as we left the airport and got on the little bus to go to the hotel I started to feel really upset and far from home. It helped a lot that my friends were there. I ended up just putting my headphones on and zoning out a bit to calm down. 

In my hotel room I let it take over a bit and got totally worked up, over messaged my friend about the decor and headed to Maddie's room for laptop time. 

Four hours later I was totally settled and happy as a clam. Usually it takes longer than that so a success I think. 

What did you think of the Google tablet?

I thought it was incredibly generous of them to give us one! I haven't had a proper play with it yet. Since I already have a tablet I'm thinking about giving it to a friend who doesn't have one. 

What was it like doing magic with David Blaine?

Basically amazing. I was so freaking excited when I realised he was in the room so to go up on stage with him was a bit mind blowing. I was not cool. I was a giddy mess. I loved it. 

What were some sights or experiences you weren't able to vlog?

Haha, there were a few sweet moments during the week that are just recorded in my memory. One thing I wished I'd filmed more of was the view from the Empire State Building but you know how it is, sometimes you just live the moment. 

What was your favourite outfit that you wore in NYC?

Without a shadow of a doubt the sequined holographic dress I wore on my birthday night. I felt like a futuristic princess! I looked on ASOS to actually buy another one to have as backup (yeah, that's how much I loved it), but it's sold out. Wahhh. 

Would you like to take Darcy there?

I think when she's a lot bigger I would but right now I'm just about managing to survive it myself!

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Thank you for all of your questions, I love answering the things you wanna know about. Next week I'm taking Darcy to see Marie in Seattle so maybe we could do this for that as well?

Toodlepip!

xx

Florida 2013 in Photos

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

It's been a long time coming but at last, I have edited the snaps I took during our family holiday to Florida a few weeks back. Considering my passion for photography, I took surprisingly few pictures because I chose to focus primarily on experiencing each moment (and, of course I filmed it too haha) so this is just a glimpse into all the fun. 

I would quite happily book another holiday and spend every minute taking pictures of every little detail the whole place was so amazing. I can absolutely see why families spend thousands of pounds every year to go.

Warning - not all the pictures are in order. Sorry!

This is my favourite picture from the entire batch so of course, this had to go first. Watching Darcy enjoy the day time parade was my absolute highlight of the trip. Seeing her face delight in all the familiar characters and watching her tiny hands wave and point in glee was just one of those moments that as a parent you treasure for always. She still talks about seeing 'Sinnerwella' and I still smile. 

Despite a decade age gap, me and my little sister (or Lister as I like to call her) are just as much friends as sisters and I love being on holiday with her. I hope we carry on doing things like this in years to come. This is us waiting for I think the ET ride, which Lister hated. She can watch the most scary films but put ET on and she's outta there!

Oh hai there that man I married. How charming you look in glasses.  

Darcy meeting Curious George and thinking he was the coolest thing ever. She went straight over and was happy to sit on his lap (with dolly and blankie too of course). 

Tina (Dad's partner) and Ben (Tina's son and so my step-brother) having a moment with George.  

I have no idea who this was meant to be but she was so sweet to Darcy (no pun intended) and totally rocked pink hair.  

After a day in Universal Studios (highlights including Darcy meeting Dora the Explorer, Matt enjoying the Transformers ride and me eating my weight in popcorn *drools*) we meandered out of the park and to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. If you ever have the opportunity to go, do. I'm not really a music person (I like it on the in the car and such but I couldn't tell you anything about who does what etc) but I thought the atmosphere was really good and the service was excellent. Also, I'm told it's a Christian British company- who knew? Not me!

What I love most about the above is the lady in pink living it up there. Haha. 

Be still my beating heart, it's Disney. Main street is MAGICAL.  

My little bug watching the Good Morning parade thingymajiggy.  

I could have spent all day just looking at things in main street. Every tiny detail was beautifully done and cared for. More time please! 

Matt took this from across the road as we watched Mickey and a few other characters come down on floats. Oh, and the random native american guy there. You might have noticed Darcy's costume change too. We forked out the $64 (whhaatt?!?!) to buy her the most beautiful Ariel dress and honestly, her reaction when we put it on her in the shop was worth $6400. She was THRILLED and pointed it out to us ALL DAY. What made it even more special was that all the disney cast members greeted her as 'Ariel' as we went round the park and really made Darcy feel amazing.  

Mosiac inside Cinderella's castle. Again, something to spend more time admiring in the future.  

I love this shot of Darcy, my Dad and Tina. She is a very well loved child.  

This is Hollie our new(ish) step-sister. Her and Tiyana are so close in age and get on perfectly so they were often in their own little world of searching out free wifi (seriously, they're obsessed) and going on rides.  

In America they have these cereal/snack bar things called 'Cliff Bars'. Next time I'm out there I'm stocking up because she bloomin' well loved them and they were the perfect treat to tide her over between main meals. Also, we told her they were biscuits so she thought she was getting lucky. Mwahaha.  

'The Kids' (who aren't really all kids) waiting for the parade. We guarded that scrap of pavement like crazies.  

Gargh I wanna squish all 4 of those sweet faces! 

Yeah, I know, super close up. I wanted to crop out all the other random people and I couldn't leave this picture out because LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY BOTH ARE. That is all.  

Darcy's most special moment. Cinderella looked right at us and waved. Darcy squealed. I die.  

 My most specials. 

Splash Mountain was shut and so the rest of our group went off to go on something else (I forget what). Top tip for you though, if you walk past the entrance to the ride, under the bridge there is a little kiddie play area in the shade which is a welcome break for tots who have been in the sun all day and a great place for parents to sit down and take a breather. Right round the corner (by the loos, benches and drinking fountains), there were Jesse and Woody meeting guests. It was well tucked away so the queue was small and it was a great way to spend an easy 30 minutes before we joined up with everyone. 

 I'd heard that if you shout, 'Andy's coming!' then the Toy Story characters drop to the ground and play dead. Not true anymore. They had to stop that for health and safety and the line is, 'they know Andy is at collage now so it isn't an issue anymore'. 

Waiting for the evening parade and fireworks display.  

Amazing. I took over 100 photos but didn't want to throw them all on here but seriously, it was the best fireworks and lights display I've ever seen. Darcy was enthralled, happy and ready for home. 

Being the science geeks we are, Nasa Kennedy Space Centre was our next day out. If you are into things like this, I'd really recommend making the drive and going out there. You can take a bus tour all round Cape Canaveral and drive right up to (and get out to photograph) the real launch pads, buildings the space craft are assembled in and listen to talks from retired astronauts.  

It's not a day for rides and popcorn but it's so interesting and I think it's important to know about the developments we are making in space exploration and to appreciate the work that NASA does. Also, the centre is a lot less busy than the theme parks so if you need a bit of chilled time, this is the place to go. It was one of my best days. 

This part is where I should be showing you pictures of our day at Seaworld. I recently put a snap up on Instagram of Darcy looking at a polar bear and the comments section went wild with debate over whether Seaworld is ethical. I have since done a little bit of research and have decided not to feature any Seaworld pictures and will not be returning to the park. I am glad they seek to provide a message of education and promote ways to protect the oceans but feel deeply sad for the way the whales were captured in the 80's and don't think it's right to keep wild animals in tanks. We don't visit zoos for this same reason. I'm not sorry I went there because if I hadn't have gone I wouldn't have had an opinion but I don't think I will be returning. 

Anyway, serious part done, Islands of Adventure!! 

Matt and is ultimate hero.  

Honeydukes in Hogwarts.  

A rare find- healthy food in a theme park. If you are travelling with littles and you want them to eat healthily (Darcy doesn't have pizza, burgers, chips etc which is mostly what was on the menu) then pack plenty of snacks/sandwiches and keep your eyes peeled for the fruit stands. The fruit we bought was fresh and cold and lovely.  

We on the other hand didn't eat so healthily. Churro after being soaked on a water ride anyone? 

Darcy feeling very daring in a flying fish.  

And then on a flying pink elephant.  

My little photographer back at the hotel. 

And then it was a few last shops (sweets are essential you know) and back to the airport.  

Darcy found a unique place to hang out whilst we waited to board, haha.

And that's that!

I want to write a whole post on Travelling with Toddlers in the New Year (December is fully booked with Vlogmas- eeep!) and of course there will be the Florida vlogs but for now, those are a selection of our snaps.

Ermigerhd that was the BEST holiday ever. I've been to America with my family many times over the years but due to the nature of my turbulent childhood family life, it was always with different mother figures or siblings and there were always rows or disagreements or horrible feelings. Living in a 'blended family' (I LOVE that term) can be really challenging and pose a lot of problems (as I have well experienced) but at last, after twenty years, I think our family is happy and peaceful and as it should be. I couldn't be more thankful for Tina, Ben and Hollie, especially as they arrived just as Darcy did and so Darcy will only ever know the good times and will never have tasted the bad. Long may it continue!!

I'd love to know your experiences of holidaying in large groups or with families, or with littles like Darcy! Tell me in the comments!

Toodlepip!

xx

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