1st Day - Kauai

We had such a amazing trip to The Garden Island.

Lest start at the beginning.

Emma did so good on her first flight...granted that it was only 35 minutes.

 Trying to keep her as busy as we could.

 After we landed and got our car, we checked out where we were going to be living for the next 4 days.

Then we headed to sight see. 

I have to say this trip would have been such a different experience if we were childless. Kauai has endless hikes, endless waterfalls and endless adventures but with a lil one we stuck to more of the "touristy" things. 

 Our first stop was Opaekaa Falls

 Thank goodness I had my big boy lens because it was pretty far away.

 So a nice lady stopped and asked if we wanted a photo....I guess she didn't see the pretty waterfall in the background.

 Next to the falls is a nice lookout of the Wailua river. We see it better up close a little later on our trip.

 Wailua Fall was our next stop.

These falls were so powerful. 

 I would have loved to hike down and get a closer look from the bottom but we didn't want to take our chances. We stood at these fall for a little while and were lucky enough to catch the rainbow at the bottom.

 Just a really quick stop at a Heiau (sacred area for the Hawaiian people)

 We stopped at the spitting horn which is a blow hole.

 This is the hole that is suppose to have a huge spray.

The ocean was pretty calm and it was low tide so there was nothing.

 Instead there was a littler one that gave a few sprays while we were there.

 Poipu Beach was not far from where we were so we made a quick stop to check it out.

I felt like I was back in Wakiki with how busy it was.

 Thankfully the beach had a playground. With all that driving it was nice to give Emma some time to run around.

 One more Heiau. I know this looks like a ugly pile of rocks but these places are extremely old with a lot of history and meaning.

 We headed back to the condo for dinner.

Someone was pooped!

One last stroll on the beach before sunset.

We Have a Answer

I wrote a little while ago that Bolo was having some medical problems. We had been to doctor appointment after doctor appointment and still no answers. I just knew something wasn't right with my dog. 

With us getting ready to move I am starting to panic that he is not well enough to travel. 

 Lets switch topics for a moment. 

Emma goes to her My Gym classes twice a week. There was a new mom there with a daughter similar to Emma's age. We talk here and there but mostly about our kids. I had mentioned that I was having to move early because I have a dog with a snub nose, but was worried because he hasn't been feeling well lately. She asked me what his symptom's were because she is a vet tec. After naming the long list of problems she said that it sounds like he has Cushings Disease.  I went home and read all about it and my heart sank. I finally have a name to what I think is his problems.

I went back to the vet. 

They wanted to do a second blood test. 

Next was a ultrasound

They found that his adrenal glands were (larger or smaller...cant remember). 

Finally he had the Cushings test.

2 days after the test for Cushings,  Bolo has been diagnosed. 

  He is positive for Cushings Disease.

This girl I don't even know saved my puppy.

There is know way I could ever thank her enough.

The next step is medication for the rest of his life and lots of vet appointments to make sure the dosages are always on the right track.

I am just so thankful that I finally have a answer to the reason why my baby boy has changed drastically.
This is going to be a new journey of trying to keep him healthy.
I will do whatever I can to keep my puppy around for as long as I can.

 

Kapa'ele'ele Trail

3 years ago I hiked this trail.

 It was the second hike I had ever been on on Oahu.

We never made it to the top then...and I still didn't make it to the tippy top this time either. 

When I have a little baby on my back I become a really big chicken.... I really don't like loose dirt on slopes while on a mountain.

The views on Kahana Bay were beautiful of course. 

 Nothing but loose dirt

  Kahana Bay

 Really sweaty

 Beautiful Hawaii

Sweet surprise

Horses are taken to places and left to cut the grass.

My Gym Time

I am surprised I can even get a somewhat decent photo of this girl with her moving so fast all the time.

Circle time in the beginning of class is still a little difficult. All of the babies sit in a circle and warm up their body parts (parents do it for them) by doing certain stretches like "the bicycle".  There are way more fun things to touch and play with during this time so Emma finds it hard to sit still. 

 We started these classes when Emma just turned 6 months. She could hardly sit up on her own and playing with whatever I brought her to slobber on. 

It amazes me how quickly the grow up.

My gym has been the best purchase ever!

Until Emma is a little older and can start ballet...gymnastics...ice skating...swimming...violin....(the list is going to be long) this is such a perfect place for her to start. 

I hope when we move there will be a gym close to us so she can continue her fun.

One Last Time

The Lanikai Pillbox hike was Emma's first hike.

She was 4 weeks old.

Now a year later, she enjoyed this hike one last time. 

 I feel so blessed to have lived this life for the passed three years and that my sweet girl was born into such a beautiful place.

Blessed

When I found out we were moving to Oahu 3 years ago my plan was to explore the other 5 islands surrounding ours and experience them all. 

Then life gets in the way. 

I was lucky enough to spend the day on Lanai 2 years ago. 

And last year we explored the Big Island when I was 7 months pregnant. 

Mike let me choose which island I wanted to visit before Emma was born for my babymoon.

I was finding it really hard to choose between two. 

The Big Island and Kauai.

 The Big Island had two things on it that I really wanted to see. 

The volcano (lava) and the manta rays.

Kauai is amazingly beautiful. Waterfalls galore and the 11 mile Napali Coast hike that is breathtaking. 

I decided to choose The Big Island just because when else am I ever going to be able to swim with manta rays and see a live volcano. Arriving on the island and learning that the lava was not flowing at that time was a little disappointing. We still had a amazing time at the volcano with unforgettable memories. But what really made me sad was snorkeling with the manta rays. I have seen countless Youtube videos of the beautiful creatures. It didn't matter that I get extremely sea sick just looking at a boat, I still would suffer throwing up and being "that girl" that smells at the end of the tour.
I recap my whole experience here.

But when you look forward to something so much and you only see two (from far away) it made me wish I would have chose Kauai instead.  

 (we had a amazing time on the big island and will never forget all of the other amazing experiences that we were able have) 

OK. I'm getting to the part as to why I am writing this. 

So, my family is leaving this beautiful island very soon. We are heading on a new adventure and leaving behind this beautiful island that we will never be back to (military life at least). 

Mike knows how much I my heart will hurt once my life changes from living aloha to the hustle and bustle of the main land.

A few weeks ago, Mike walked in from work. 

Handed me a peice of paper.

It was a print out of a reservation.

I cried.

Kauai...here I come!

Just a Whole Lotta Emma

 I might be a little obsessed with her.