Sydney's Island Adventure: Days 7-15

Obviously, my efforts to blog throughout our vacation failed. Oops! We were too busy having fun to stop and get online- oh well! Let me see if I can pick up where we left off...

We spent our last two days on the Big Island lounging at the pool and the beach and just relaxing, and it was great! We went to a luau and got to see a giant sea turtle that had settled in the sand on the beach near our condo (I would have a picture of Sydney with him if I hadn't been wearing a bikini that day!). Also, our friends Tabitha and Finn arrived. That Friday, our last day in the condo where Syd started crawling, she pulled up to a stand for the first time by herself. I didn't even realize what she was doing until she was already up! She beamed with pride as she stood there at the ottoman for several minutes just looking around and enjoying our cheers.
On Saturday, July 10, the convention was over and the real vacation began. We flew over to Honolulu, on Oahu, where we stayed another week in Waikiki Beach. Rob's childhood friend, Andy, works in Servpro's corporate office; he's the one who first introduced Rob to Servpro four years ago. He & his wife and their youngest son, Finn, vacationed with us (Sydney & Finn are only a week apart). It was such a blessing to spend time with them!
We decided to tackle Diamondhead our first day there. It was a pretty intense hike, especially with Sydney on my back, but when we reached the top the view was totally worth it. It was such a beautiful vantage point! I have to admit, I felt pretty tough after that hike!

Our next big adventure was snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. WOW! It was a gorgeous beach, with plenty of shade & grass for the kids too. The nice thing about being in a bay this shape was the lack of waves; it was the only beach calm enough to put Sydney in her float and let her hang out in the salty water for a while. We took turns with Andy & Tabitha- one pair snorkeling while the other stayed with the little ones. We saw all sorts of fish and coral. We bought one of those disposable underwater cameras, and I hope it made it home with Andy & Tab (because I didn't find it in our suitcases!) Sorry, no pictures of that-- yet!

Another day was spent at Pearl Harbor and the North Shore. Pearl Harbor was really cool. I admit that I didn't pay much attention in history class, and there was a lot I didn't remember about WWII. I enjoyed watching some of the videos and reading signs to learn more about all that had happened there. There's nothing like visiting a site like that to make your American pride swell a little bit. Syd's first boat ride was out to see the sunken USS Arizona and Memorial. She & Finn caught the attention of lots of other tourists there; I was a little taken aback when I caught a few Asian women taking pictures and video of them- I better not find out our babies ended up on some Japanese billboard! We hit the North Shore while we had our car, too. Although we didn't see the huge half-pipe waves where the surfing competitions are held, it was beautiful up there, and much less commercialized. Rob and I agreed that if we ever go back to Oahu, we'd rather stay somewhere on that side of the island instead of Waikiki Beach.                      

*OK- I'm having trouble with the pictures and it's taking me DAYS to finish writing this post, so they're just going on like they are and if they're messed up, then oh well.

After a full day driving around and exploring other parts of Oahu, we decided to have a low-key day of shopping and beach. I tried several times to get Sydney to love the beach, but she didn't. While I was ecstatic that she didn't mind the sand- and didn't try to eat it!- she was completely freaked out by the waves and never got to a point of enjoying playing at the water's edge. She much preferred hanging out on a towel under an umbrella- eating puffs!

We played hard right up until the end. On our last day, we took a catamaran out to a reef where sea turtles are known to hang out and snorkeled. I was scared out of my mind to be out in the open ocean (about 30-50 ft deep) swimming without a life jacket with giant turtles! They're such awkward looking creatures, but so graceful beneath the surface. It was a treat to get to experience their world for a little while. Syd was a great little sailor (until she wore herself out)! And no, we didn't put her in the water with the turtles!

After our swim with the turtles, we had to head back to the hotel to shower and finish packing before our airport shuttle came for us. It was a long last day, but one of our favorites!

Sydney was a trooper. She did exceptionally well on all of our flights- except the one out of Honolulu! While an overnight flight seemed like a good idea, I think poor Syd was confused as to why we never put her to bed and she was screaming mad before we ever took off. In that moment, I wanted to run off the plane and try again the next day, but we pressed on and she finally calmed down for the flight. Although she never adjusted to the 5-hour time difference, she was extremely well-behaved and charming during the days, and no one knew how rotten she was at night except for me & Rob. (And we don't care how rotten she is, we still love her like crazy!)

It was a fantastic trip. I wish we had done it in reverse order- Oahu first and the Big Island second, only because the pace was so much faster on Oahu. I'd recommend doing the "stuff" the first week and relaxing more the second week. But please don't hear this as complaining, because I'm not at all!! It was an unforgettable first-family-vacation for so many reasons. I'm thankful that God gave us the chance to go and see more of His beautiful creation.

Wordless Wednesday

July 17 - Eight Months Old

Oh Sweet Syd,
Happy Birthday, sweet Baby Girl! I'm a day late writing this month; we spent yesterday flying home from our vacation. It seems like you have grown so much and learned so many new things this past month; you experienced a lot of new things too... your first Servpro convention, first trip to the beach, first boat ride, first trip into another time zone... You are tons of fun, and such a doll! This month was also the first time random strangers wanted to take your picture (we dressed you in a hula skirt for the opening luau at Daddy's work convention, and you were absolutely the hit of the party!) I know I say this all the time, but seriously, Sydney, Daddy and I could NOT love you any more than we already do!

- I'm not certain how much you weigh this month, but I would guess around 16 lbs. (I thought about trying to weigh you in a tote bag with our new luggage scale!) You still wear mostly 3-6 or 6 month clothes and size 2 diapers. You finally outgrew your size 0 sandals, but the size 1s we have are still a little big.
- You are very talkative lately! The day we left to go to Hawaii, you started babbling consonant/vowel combinations, mostly "babababa", "dadadada", "mamamama", and "vavavava", instead of just humming or grunting sounds. You also really like to "sing"! (When we say "sing", you open your mouth and hold a long sound so we can tap your lips and make it vibrate.)

- You started crawling the day after you started talking! You still don't go very fast, although that sort of suits your laid-back personality. You usually go 2-3 steps and pause, putting your head to the ground and your booty up in the air before you sit up and look around. However, you were very excited to crawl around the living room last night when we got home and I think you're going to really start exploring now that we're back in familiar territory.
- While we were in Hawaii, you started waving on your own. I think you were doing it for a day or two before we realized that you were intentionally waving when people said "hi" or "bye bye". It started out with you just turning your wrist, waving like a princess in a parade- oh my word, it's the cutest thing ever! You sometimes wave bigger now, too, with your whole arm. It's adorable!

- We went to the beach several times, and you never really seemed to like it. I think the waves, even though they were small, overwhelmed you. You didn't mind the sand, and I was very proud that you played with it and never tried to eat it. I think we'll probably just stick to the pool for a while, because you LOVE splashing around in your float.

- You held hands with a boy for the first time (Daddy did NOT want me to call him your first boyfriend!). Finn is a week older than you, and he & his mommy and daddy spent a whole week with us in Hawaii. You & Finn always wanted to see each other in your strollers, and you played really well together, sharing your toys and pacifiers. The two of you held each other's hands a lot, and seemed to like it!

- Your good sleeping habits got really messed up on our trip. Before we left, you were usually sleeping 11 hours at night and taking 2-3 good naps during the day. I hope it doesn't take you too long to get readjusted to sleeping in your own bed.
- You're also starting to pull up to a standing position. You've only done it a few times so far, but I think it's because you haven't found many things just the right height to hold on to. You are so proud of yourself when you get up.

- You love trying new foods. You are always happy to have Cheerios and puffs (and while you can pick them up, you sometimes have a hard time releasing them in your mouth so you appreciate help). You have tried- and liked- pineapple, snow cone, frozen lemonade, dill pickles and apple juice.
- You like any toy you can put in your mouth or that makes music!
You're awesome, Sydney! Daddy & I are so thankful that we get to be your parents. We love you "big time"!
Hugs & Kisses,
mommy

Wordless Thursday (Because I didn't realize yesterday was Wednesday!)

Sydney's Island Adventure: Days 3,4,5 & 6

I could get used to this. Quickly.

It's been easy to have a good time in Hawaii. All you have to do is look around and you'll enjoy yourself! The weather has been nearly perfect, which only makes it better.

Sunday, July 4

Our first full day, we spent the morning walking around and getting acquainted with our condo complex. We checked out the beach and the pool and met up with some Servpro
friends who are also staying here. That afternoon, we drove a few miles to Hapuna Beach, one of the best beaches on the Big Island. I was sad to learn there that Sydney does not love the beach. In fact, I don't think she really likes it at all. I think she was a little overwhelmed by the waves. She & I spent most of the afternoon on a towel under the umbrella, and I gave up my dream of spending every day for the next two weeks in the sand (along with my dream for having a true Hawaiian tropic tan). We capped off the day with grilled hamburgers and fireworks on the lanai.


Monday, July 5

Rob & Ryan played in the convention golf tournament, so Sydney and I checked out some of the shops down the street with our friends Terra & Isaac (Isaac is about 5 weeks older than Syd). That evening we went to Brown's Beach House for dinner. It was a beautiful setting with a perfect view of the most gorgeous sunset I've ever seen.

Tuesday, July 6

After an early morning walk down to the beach looking for sea turtles, unsuccessfully, we spent day 5 checking out the Hilton complex where the convention is being held. It's like a small village over there! We ate lunch at a cafe overlooking the pool where you can swim with dolphins (I'm trying to decide if I want to do it). That night was a luau-themed reception for all the convention attendees, and Sydney was the hit of the party! We dressed her in her Servpro onesie and grass skirt, never expecting that so many random strangers would stop us and ask if they could take her picture! She was the cutest little hula girl there, and she was fascinated by the real hula girls there too.

Wednesday, July 7

After the morning sessions, Rob ducked out of the convention a little early and we drove around the entire Big Island. The views were incredible, especially where the ocean met the sky in a slightly brighter shade of blue. We went through Volcano National Park where we saw the crater on top of Kileaua, stood over a steam vent, and hiked through a lava tube. No lava was flowing today though; bummer. After that, we went to a black sand beach- crazy beautiful! We tried to find a green sand beach too, which ended up making our trip home about 3 hours longer than we planned AND we never found the green sand! At least we were able to laugh about going on an adventure together.

On a serious note too, please pray for Sydney. She hasn't slept well since we left home. I don't know if it's the time difference (5 hours) or being in a new place or teething, but she's been waking up screaming in the middle of the night and won't go back down in her pack'n'play. We're having a fabulous time when the sun is up; after dark has been miserable and it's been tough. (I know no one feels sorry for us because we're in Hawaii, but it really has been hard, especially feeling like we're making Sydney feel badly somehow. When you think of us, please pray for rest so that we can fully enjoy the opportunity God has given us to be here. We're grateful for the chance to stand in awe of His glory in His creation here.

Sydney's Island Adventure: Day 2

Are you kidding me?

WOW!! There are no words... amazing, incredible, beautiful, intriguing, fabulous- they don't do it justice. Let me back up to the getting here, though.

Sydney was a great traveler once again. We had a 5.5 hour flight from LA to Honolulu. A very nice mom of four teenage girls sat beside us, which helped me calm down immediately from my worries about Syd bothering our seat companion. My worrying was unnecessary, though. She cried a combined total of maybe 4 minutes throughout the entire flight, never for more than a minute or so at a time. I was so proud of her- she was such a trooper. We had a quick layover in Honolulu before our 45 minute flight to Kona on the Big Island.

The airport in Kona was like something out of a movie- more like a series of tiki huts and covered walkways than an airport! Really, I think it was all outdoors (except for the restrooms). We had to make a few minor changes at the rental car place- we had to upgrade to something a little bigger than the convertible we had reserved. The four of us would have fit just fine, but the luggage was a little much for the trunk! (We're going to trade the jeep back for a convertible today though!) We drove around a little bit and were admittedly all surprised by the landscape. While we were expecting the entire island to be a lush, green paradise, it was closer to how I picture the surface of the moon! Jagged, black lava rocks spread out in every direction, spotted by dry grass and random colorful, flower covered shrubs. While we excitedly pointed out everything, Sydney on the other hand was asleep within about 15 seconds! As we got closer and closer to the beach, everything started looking more and more like the tropical wonderland we had anticipated.

Our condo is awesome! (I say this not to make anyone jealous, but because this is my only travel journal and I want to remember it) It's beautifully decorated and if we weren't in Hawaii, I think all four of us would be content to stay inside and hang out here all week. My favorite part is the open living room that opens right out onto the covered lanai. Our "patio" (ha- what an understatement) has ceramic tile flooring and comfortable wicker furniture next to an incredible outdoor cooking area. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so excited to stand at a grill! We definitely felt like we were in paradise once we got settled in.

Sydney was slightly delirious again after a long day of travel. She sat on the floor and laughed and laughed and laughed- at me, at her toys, at nothing! I'm so glad we brought her along! AND- (drumroll please) she took her first crawling "steps"!!! Rob and I were so excited, and I was thrilled that we both got to see this milestone in the making. She's only going 2-3 steps (is that the right word? creeps? paces? whatever- you know what I mean) at a time so far, but I have a feeling she'll be chasing us around by the end of the week.

She slept pretty well last night, so I'm hoping she'll adjust to the five-hour time difference soon. She whimpered several times during the night, but was easily soothed by us just talking to her. At 4am she was wide awake and ready to play, but after a little food in her belly we laid her in bed with us and she finally went back to sleep until about 6:45. I was up at 6:15 and was able to enjoy a cup of coffee in the cool morning breeze out on the lanai before my day really started.

We're having a blast (obviously) and can already tell this week is going to pass WAY too quickly! Wish you were here! Hopefully I'll get some pics & video uploaded tonight to share...

Sydney's Island Adventure: Day 1

Alooooooooo-hhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

Ok, we're not quite to the islands yet, but we made it to California and I'm telling you I could smell the ocean even at LAX. We're close! (At least, a lot closer than we were this morning!)

Sydney is turning out to be a very good little traveler! We had "one of those mornings" at home today, so I wasn't sure what to expect on our four-hour flight (eek!) but she did fabulous! Of course it could have been better... she does NOT like nursing under cover, she was a little antsy off & on, she wasn't very interested in hanging out with Daddy or Uncle Ryan... but she never cried for more than about 30 seconds at a time, and I feel pretty confident that none of the other passengers around us got off the plane and complained to their friends about that annoying baby sitting nearby.

The flight was definitely made a little more fun by the cabin crew's celebration of Uncle Ryan's birthday. Over the loudspeaker, they asked anyone named Ryan whose birthday was today to raise their hand. She then had everyone on the plane close their window shades- making the whole plane dark- and press their flight attendant call button- lighting up the ceiling. As the entire flight sang happy birthday, our stewardess presented Ryan with a "cake" and "gift" from the crew-- a decorated roll of toilet paper, complete with drink stirrer "candles" and a barf bag full of snacks. I'm glad they did that for him!

We got checked into our hotel near the airport for the night and laid Sydney on the bed to stretch out a little bit... she was hilarious! I don't know if she was giddy about finally being able to move around or delirious from staying up way past her bedtime, but she rolled and wiggled and talked and giggled for almost 30 minutes nonstop! She would lay down, roll over, and sit up, and then fall over and repeat over & over again. She also started babbling bababababa for the first time, which was totally cute. I'm so mad that I didn't get the video camera out- Rob & Ryan & I were just watching her and laughing. She's now completely sacked out, the guys went to get us In & Out burgers, and I'm just sitting her resting in the quiet for a few minutes. Sorry, no pictures tonight!

And our next update will be from the Big Island... yay!