I have some very exciting news! My family will all be going on a Disney cruise to Alaska this summer and we are SO excited!!
While this trip has been in the works for some time now, we were hesitant to get our hopes up for a while and didn't say much because we weren't sure Abby's health would allow us to go. A few weeks ago, we got the okay from her pulmonologist and it is full speed ahead!! Abby's #1 thing she is looking forward to is cuddling sled dogs. Of course!!
Caleb is really looking forward to more of the cultural and historical aspects of the trip, which is just his nature! I'm sure he will love hearing the musher share stories about the Iditarod and learning about glaciers. He will have a million questions, so I think I'd better pick up some books about Alaska from the library so that he can start researching! I love his inquisitive mind!
I am most looking forward to the beautiful scenery and the Disney magic that I have heard so much about on these cruises. Abby's awesome one-on-one is a Disney Cruise junkie and she has assured me that it will be nothing short of amazing! No matter where we go on vacation, I absolutely love watching my kids enjoy themselves. They have both dealt with a lot in their lives (each in their own way) and it's so good to see them having fun!
We are in full-on cruise planning now! Currently, we are deciding on family shirts (no easy decision with a group of 12) and door decorations, and will be making character and cruise event reservations in a few weeks. (Since this is our first cruise, we are the last to pick. "Cruise veterans" gets priority.) We've planned a few cruise excursions, including a whale watching trip, a sled dog adventure (which includes riding a summer sled pulled by the dogs, meeting a musher, and LOTS of dog cuddling!), and a lumber jack show.
No one in my family but my parents has ever been to Alaska, so this will be such an amazing adventure for all of us. My sister and brother in law are the only ones that have been on a cruise, and it wasn't Disney. This really will be a trip of a lifetime! My sister and I have been getting the girls matching nautical outfits and planning Disney princess dress-up attire. Abby has outgrown all of hers, so I've ordered her a few new outfits. :)
Stay tuned for more planning updates and lots of stories about our adventures this summer! (I'll also be sure to blog about tips and tricks for cruising with special needs!)
While this trip has been in the works for some time now, we were hesitant to get our hopes up for a while and didn't say much because we weren't sure Abby's health would allow us to go. A few weeks ago, we got the okay from her pulmonologist and it is full speed ahead!! Abby's #1 thing she is looking forward to is cuddling sled dogs. Of course!!
When our pulm said she could go, she told Abby to, "Go cuddle those sled dogs, Abs!" Love her!
She did caution us that this wouldn't be a very relaxing vacation for us with multiple bipaps and respiratory treatments during the day and bipap, gtube feeds, and pulse ox monitoring overnight, but I laughed and said we are used to that. We have been dealing with the vent, cough assist, and neb treatments for just about a year now and are fine with taking it along wherever we go. Abby has had the gtube feeds and pulse ox virtually her entire life, so that is normal for us. I don't know what a good night's sleep is! I figure that we will set up treatments and bipap on the go wherever Abby wants to be! Thankfully, there are lots of blogs about cruising with a child with special needs, so I have learned some good tips. My #1 concern was having enough outlets in the stateroom (we need at minimum 3 within close proximity to Abby's bed), but I have discovered that guest services has extension cords for those types of situations.
Caleb is really looking forward to more of the cultural and historical aspects of the trip, which is just his nature! I'm sure he will love hearing the musher share stories about the Iditarod and learning about glaciers. He will have a million questions, so I think I'd better pick up some books about Alaska from the library so that he can start researching! I love his inquisitive mind!
I am most looking forward to the beautiful scenery and the Disney magic that I have heard so much about on these cruises. Abby's awesome one-on-one is a Disney Cruise junkie and she has assured me that it will be nothing short of amazing! No matter where we go on vacation, I absolutely love watching my kids enjoy themselves. They have both dealt with a lot in their lives (each in their own way) and it's so good to see them having fun!
We are in full-on cruise planning now! Currently, we are deciding on family shirts (no easy decision with a group of 12) and door decorations, and will be making character and cruise event reservations in a few weeks. (Since this is our first cruise, we are the last to pick. "Cruise veterans" gets priority.) We've planned a few cruise excursions, including a whale watching trip, a sled dog adventure (which includes riding a summer sled pulled by the dogs, meeting a musher, and LOTS of dog cuddling!), and a lumber jack show.
No one in my family but my parents has ever been to Alaska, so this will be such an amazing adventure for all of us. My sister and brother in law are the only ones that have been on a cruise, and it wasn't Disney. This really will be a trip of a lifetime! My sister and I have been getting the girls matching nautical outfits and planning Disney princess dress-up attire. Abby has outgrown all of hers, so I've ordered her a few new outfits. :)
Stay tuned for more planning updates and lots of stories about our adventures this summer! (I'll also be sure to blog about tips and tricks for cruising with special needs!)
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