I never thought I would say that I completely relate to an animated elephant, but it’s true, I do. As I child I loved Dumbo, but I was focused on the title character, which I guess is the point. But now as an adult, and as a mother, my focus is on Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo’s mom. If you want to make me cry, play the song “Baby Mine” from the movie. If you want to see me ugly cry, show me video of my little girl performing a ballet routine to “Baby Mine” at a dance recital five years ago. Given that, it’s no surprise that when we were given a chance to ride on Dumbo at the Magic Kingdom as part of our experience at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, I jumped at the opportunity.<\/p>\n

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\nThen, I had second thoughts. Maybe she was too old for Dumbo. I’m gratified that I wasn’t the only mom to worry about that. My friend Sherry had similar concerns when she opted for Dumbo for her teens and tweens. She wrote about her experience here<\/a>, and it warms my heart to report that we both got similar reactions from our big kids – they were all in. Dumbo was the right choice in their books, too.<\/p>\n

And really, how can you not find this guy adorable?<\/p>\n

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\nBut back to Mrs. Jumbo.<\/p>\n

As it was Mother’s Day weekend, the Dumbo ride itself seemed especially appropriate as it is adorned with both Mrs. Jumbo’s face and the storks who delivered the elephant baby she so desperately wanted. The way she cares for her baby is incredibly sweet, but don’t be fooled. She is one tough mama, with an intense love for her son and a desire to protect him, at all costs.<\/p>\n

I love that Dumbo grows up as the movie progresses and at the end, Mrs. Jumbo is beaming with pride as she watches her child use what makes him unique to not only fly but soar. Isn’t that what we all for our babies?<\/p>\n

It feels like we are definitely in process here, and I was reminded of how much she has grown recently when we saw this sign at the ride.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Yes, it’s true. My daughter is taller than I am. I am the shortest in the family now. It is possible, though, that none of us are exactly little, so squeezing the three of us into one elephant proved to be a bit cozy, but we did it. I felt literally and figuratively very close to my favorite people, and that made for a wonderful ride.<\/p>\n