When you wish upon a star...

** Warning: You may want to go grab a beverage and a snack as this may be the longest post in Tess blog history! Lots of pictures and videos await you!

We just got back from our Disney Cruise with Grandpa and Grandma Tillman, Uncle Mark and Uncle Mark's friend, Tami. We had a great time and Tess really enjoyed herself... that is if there were no characters within a two mile radius.

When we first entered the Disney terminal before we boarded the ship, Tess was pretty darn excited to see all of the Mickey hoopla and decorations. However, all of that came to a screeching halt when she saw the big man, er, mouse himself. Talk about terrified. She was trembling and her heart was palpitating. It was the most heartbreaking, pathetic thing ever. Anyway, just to make things worse, we took her closer to get a picture with him, thinking maybe she would be happier and more excited if she got closer... yeah, not so much. She pretty much jumped out of her skin when he blew her a kiss as she thought he was trying to reach out and touch her. The nerve of that darn mouse.

Here is a pic of their memorable meeting

Once we got on the boat, Tess was able to unwind a little bit and celebrate at the sail away party, but not until after the safety drill, of course!

Tess and Grandpa had fun playing with bubbles on the balcony
Here is not-so-happy Tess near the Southernmost Point in Key West (that we never actually made it to since somebody had a meltdown one block away, forcing us to spontaneously hire this bike taxi in a desperate attempt to make the madness STOP! She finally got over it about 5 very looooong blocks later.)

A happier Tess at Mallory Square (in other words, the bike taxi trick worked!)

Blast from the past moment... this is Tess in the almost exact same location from December 2007 (8 months old) in Key West. Can you believe it?!

Tess and Dad in front of our phat ride

The famous Key West sunset from the top deck of the ship

Tess cooling off in the Mickey splash pool

Little Minnie dancing with the band in the atrium (note that she's grooving to the oh-so-appropriate song, "Cruisin' Together")

Tess getting a special wake up call from Mickey himself

Tess, Dad and Grandpa at Stingray City in Grand Cayman

Tess and Uncle Mark

The whole gang on the Stingray City excursion

Our little trio on Grand Cayman

All set for a fun day in Cozumel, Mexico

Tess and a real dude that she did not like! She is saying, "stop!" Tess and Mom

Tess and Dad in Cozumel

Beach fun in Cozumel

Tess and Mom

Pirate Night

Dancing at the deck party on Pirate Night

Video of the dancing little pirate at the dance party

Dad and Tess on Castaway Cay (Disney's private Bahamian island)

Tess and Mom
The Flying Dutchman from Pirates of the Caribbean

Chip and Dale! And a skeptical Tess!

Tess is much happier to say bye to Chip and Dale

Playing peek-a-boo on the verandah

The worst part! Time to get off the boat. Yuck.
With Uncle Mike at the Tiger game in Lakeland


Swimming in the pool at the hotel in Orlando

Are you still awake?! Don't say that I didn't warn you! Thanks for looking!