City of Lights

I had been looking forward to taking Emma to this parade ever since I found out the date that it was happening. It is the biggest parade in the Hawaii islands. Thousands and thousands of people come to watch the towns lights get lit, the Christmas tree sparkle and the parade march down the streets.

I had told Mike about it and he informed me that there was a Ohio State game on that day and that he is not missing it. (yep...that happened) 

So I braved the streets of Honolulu by myself and my baby. 

I wasn't going to miss it and stay home just because I had to go alone.

After we drove around and around trying to find somewhere to park we had success and walked to where the main event was happening.

 Santa giving the shaka

 Happy New Year in Hawaiian

 The main tree

 The queens palace lit up

 Emma and I picked a spot on some grass, laid our blanket down and waited for the parade to start. Hawaii time is always never on time so I kept her busy. Come to find out we were sitting at the very end. The end where all of the bands stop playing, the dancers stop dancing and the floats turn their lights off. 

We had to move!

We quickly packed up and started the long walk back to the car but still on the same street as the parade. I didn't take to many pictures of it all but it was a typical Christmas parade. 

Very bright and sparkly.

Now...what I was worried about happened. 

I had no clue where I was and how to get back to my car. 

My phone was on low battery and I was starting to sweat worrying about my now sleeping baby and myself being lost in this city. After what seemed like 4 hours of walking but probably really only 45 min of wandering, the GPS worked and I made it back to Silvia (my car). 

Now the fun part came.

Traffic! 

Overall, Emma and I had a great time. She loved the bright lights and the loud music from the bands. I'm so glad I didn't let going alone hold me back from taking her to her first Christmas parade.

Christmas Preperation

 I am soo looking forward to Christmas this year!

We always made Christmas a special day but this year I want to make it extra special. 

This is the year we need to start traditions and real memories.

I know Emma wont remember it and has no idea whats going on but its the memories that we can look back on when she gets older.

We started this holiday season by picking out our tree.

We learned our lesson from last year and went early.

 Decorations began

 We were racking our brain trying to think of a way to keep the tree from not falling over if Emma decided to pull on it. We were surprised that she could really care less about touching it. She mostly just sits and looks at it.

 We picked out her first ornament.

Decorated the house
(there are so many rules about decorations on base so we just keep it simple)

I have come to the conclusion that my pictures will never look like Pintrest.

Family holiday photos and meeting Santa coming soon .

Makapu'u Tidepools

I'm not really sure why this took me 3 years to finally do.  I had heard about this place when I first moved to the island but it was never on my priority list.  I wish I would have because this place had gotten extremely popular.

 The hike down is not to bad. Just a lot of loose dirt and rock. The hike up is a different story. Stair stepper from hell!

 This specific tide pool was not the prettiest. The ones closer to the ocean were clear blue.

 The dragon nostrils

 She couldn't look away

The Point

 I know that some of these pictures might be boring to some but I just could not narrow them down.

 They all needed to be shown!

The western tip of Oahu has to be one of my favorite places to go. We have been coming out here a lot lately because we have a 4wheel jeep that wants to go off roading.

Kaeana Point is a protected area for wildlife. It has a fence around the whole point to keep dogs from killing all of the animals that come here.

Sea Birds

We will definitely be coming back when its hatching season.

There were quite a few Monk Seals hanging out. When winter time comes the waves get rough so they come on shore to rest.

They are on the endangered list

You always want to make sure you stay quite and not get to close because they will start going to other places/islands if they are always being disturbed.

 Hes molting on his belly

 Its common to see writing with rocks.

Its such a beautiful place that I feel so lucky to see.

  Iv been here quite a few times. 

not in order

1st time

2nd time

3rd time 

4th time

9 Month Update

Emma turned 9 months on Thanksgiving so as you can tell I am once again late posting this.
I wanted to hold off because she had a appointment at the doctors yesterday and I wanted to add her weight and height.

Somebody was not happy with picture time. She did not want her 9 month sticker on, she didn't want to wear the bow or have her monkey next to her, and she definitely did not want to be lying down.
This was torture so this one will have to do.

She weighs 15 lbs 10 oz.

I think from here on out there will be no sitting down...ever! 

Crawling and climbing is all she wants to do.

~She has started to clap when she get excited.

~We are working on waving hello and goodbye and blowing kisses

~Crawling is fully on. She is pulling herself up and standing whenever she can.

~She loves when I crawl on the floor with her. She gets the biggest smile and makes her loud scream with joy.

~She knows her name. 

 ~Eating has been interesting this month. When she wants to eat she is so happy and willing to gobble it all up. 

When she doesn't, boy does it get messy. I usually don't force her to eat when she puts up a fight getting in her chair but when we are on a time crunch and have to be somewhere it becomes difficult. I don't want a hungry baby while driving/ while we are out. 

~Sleeping is still not 100%. Waking up 4-5 times a night but she has been sleeping in later so that is making things better me. I no longer feel like a zombie.

~She has now been sick for the first time. This last doctors appointment she received two vaccines. One of them being the flu vaccine. I'm not totally blaming it on that but it is sure is suspicious. She is running a fever, her voice is horse and she has a bad cough that sounds like a seal. I'm not sure if her throat hurts but that would make sense. I feel so terrible for her.  :(

I'm so excited for the holidays this year. 

It is just a totally different world with a child during this special time.

I just wish we were able to spend it with our family's.

AMAZING!

I am lucky enough to have a friend...that has a friend that works for...actually I don't really no. But what I do no is that he has a KEY that opens a gate to the road that takes you to the TALLEST PEAK ON OAHU!

4,025 feet

 From what I have read, Mt. Ka ala is a 8 mile hike one way. I had chalked it up to never being done because that is a loong way...with a baby. 

 The road is paved the whole way with tons of twists and tuns....and cows...and peacocks

After about a 20 min drive to the top we were amongst the clouds.

Off to explore

 There are things that can be found here that you can only find on Mt. Kaala

 dew cover spider webs are all over

 I had to turn back after awhile because Emma wasn't to happy. 

She was hungry.

But when I got back to the car the clouds disappeared.

 Leeward View

North Shore View

 I feel so luck to have been able to see these amazing views of this beautiful island.

Emma has now been to the top of the largest peak on the Big Island (in my belly) and Oahu.

Our Thanksgiving

 The difference between wearing a tutu and not.

 She made her first Thanksgiving shirt...with mamas help.


Thanksgiving started out with a sunrise covered by clouds.

We pretty much did our normal routine in the morning. Took Bolo for a walk, straightened up the house and played with Emma.

Afternoon time rolled around and I started making our meal. We decided to stay home this year for Emma's first Thanksgiving. 

(While her dinner was being prepared...daddy decided to give her a bag of cough drops to play with.) 

  We aren't a huge fan of turkey so I just made a ham this year.

This is the first year that I had everything hot and ready to eat all at the same time. It was a miracle. Usually one thing  gets cold while waiting for another dish to be done. That is why I am jealous of people with two ovens.

We stuffed our faces, put our pjs on, pigged out on pumpkin rolls and called it a night.

Hawaiian Sunrise

I am up way before the sun. 

Emma is definitely a early riser so I mine as well take advantage and start the day with some beauty.

 The island of Molokai in the distance