Hawaii: Part I (Waikiki)

The closest I can come to re-living the incredible trip we just took is to write about it, so here I am.

In September, Clay told me he had some work to do in Hawaii, and that we could make a trip out of it if we wanted to. After a lot of thought (#not) we started lining up babysitters and planning our getaway. I'm so grateful for the people who helped with our kids so we could have four carefree days in paradise. 

Once we booked our tickets, I had my moments of anxiety about leaving our kiddos -- it was my first time ever leaving Camden -- but we knew they would be in good hands. Plus, I knew the break would be so good for me as a mom and for Clay and I as a couple. Also, we thought the kids would have fun being with their grandparents and having a break from us. 

We boarded our flight, and Clay were excited just to be on an airplane with time to read and talk uninterrupted -- a rare luxury. 6 hours flew by and we landed in Honolulu. We felt blissful as we breathed in the warm, humid air and packed our jackets away. 

After we checked into our little hotel room near Waikiki Beach, we found a restaurant called Cheeseburgerland. The burgers were pricey but delicious. After dinner, we walked along Waikiki Beach at sunset. It's a crowded beach, but still beautiful.  

Yachts at Waikiki Harbor

The next morning, we got up at 5:30 a.m. (8:30 Utah time, so that was sleeping in for us) and went for a run along the beach as the sun came up. I was impressed by how many people, of all ages, were out exercising at that hour.

Clay had to go to work, but I was looking forward to my time alone. I did some shopping at the huge local mall, got lost for an hour, then hurried back to the hotel so I could spend some time on the beach. I walked along Waikiki Beach for about half an hour, just soaking in the scene and enjoying my alone-time with no agenda. I sat on the beach for awhile then walked to a nearby Army Museum. I love learning about war history. The reason why is a whole other post, so I'll leave it at that for now. 

When Clay was done with work, we went on a walk on the beach at sunset then decided to have dinner at Nico's, a picturesque little seafood restaurant at the end of a pier that a couple of people recommended to us. The food was good, and the ambiance was even better. 

Nico's on Pier 38

On our way back, we stopped to check out a humongous cruise ship, then got dessert at Bubbies, a homemade Hawaiian ice cream shop that also came highly recommended by locals. I got the Oreo and coconut ice cream and it was delish.

We went back to the hotel and to bed at 9 p.m. (that time change had us exhausted early). I was so excited to go to Pearl Harbor the next day. It didn't disappoint. 

Ellie turns 4

Ever since her best friend and her cousin turned 4 in July, Ellie has been asking when it was her turn to be 4.

On the morning of her birthday, she woke up at 6:30 am with a huge grin on her face.

We sent her to preschool with pink-frosted sugar cookies for her friends and she came home with a cute birthday card and crown. Her grandma Ann took her on a lunch and shopping date, which she loved.

I met her at the movie theaters with my sister and her kids and we watched Frozen. This was only Ellie's second movie in a theater and she loved the entire thing. I thought it was so cute too.

Afterwards, we went to get her birthday scoop at Baskin Robbins and she chose "rainbow," of course -- which she says is her favorite color.

She had a "Tangled" tea party a few days later, where the girls enjoyed a dance party, a game of "Sneak Past the Dragon," and a tea party with a pink drink and cupcakes.

A few things about Ellie at 4 years old: 

-She is such a good big sister. Although she has her moments when she wants to pester him, she watches out for Camden and makes sure he is OK.

-She's so smart. She surprises me with her insightful questions and observations.

-She loves wearing dresses and pretending to be a princess.

-Her favorite show is Curious George. Her favorite movies are Finding Nemo and Cinderella.

-She has a very sympathetic spirit. If she notices that I am down, she will ask me about how I'm feeling and try to help me feel better. She tells me that when she hears Camden cry at night, she feels sad for him.

-She is a social butterfly. She always wants to play with someone and she loves her friends.

-Her favorite foods are spaghetti, macaroni, grapes, carrots and popsicles.

-She says she wants to be a doctor. She is very interested in the way our bodies work and what helps and hurts them.

-She's a daddy's girl. But I love it when she asks for her nightly "Mommy snuggle time."

-She still loves her books, and is especially into Clay and I telling her imaginative stories, in which she is the heroine, of course.

I love my sweet little buddy so much. I know she is going to grow up to do amazing things, because she is already making a positive difference in our family members' lives. I love you beyond words, Ellie my girl.

And now for some party photos:

Little man

I know it's cliche city, but my little boy is growing up WAY too fast. 

I did not feel this way with Ellie. Why is it so different with my little boy? 

I was always looking forward to every new stage Ellie reached. With C, it's almost painful to let go of certain stages in his life. 

Take nursing, for example. Two days ago, I decided it was time to be done. I found myself tearing up about the fact that that stage is over, and I didn't expect that. I know nursing is different for everyone and there are good reasons people can't do it or decide to stop, and some people just plain hate it. And I respect that. But I love it. There is just something about that closeness and dependency that strengthens my bond with my baby and it's such a special, relaxing time. I looked forward to nursing a baby again when I was pregnant with Camden, and Camden being done is only advancing my baby hunger for #3. Which isn't in the making for awhile yet, FYI. If my sanity (tightly connected to my sleep) weren't an issue, it would be otherwise.    

Back to the man of the post. He is such a stud. There is nothing that makes me smile more than seeing him wobble around everywhere, something he has finally gotten the confidence to do since he took his first steps in August. I love that he giggles when I put on his shoes because his feet are insanely ticklish, like his dad's. 

He babbles nonstop as if he is giving his perfectly understandable opinion. He does say some real words, like duck, cat, deer, wow, dad, mom, grandma, grandpa, thanks, sky, drink, baba, ouch, hat, shoes, car, some animal sounds, and his favorite, NO! Which he screams every time I take him away from something he wants to play with or take him to change his diaper. He loves to throw balls, play with trucks, water and dirt. (surprising?)

He is becoming very opinionated and wants to touch and explore everything -- especially things he sees me and Ellie using everyday like makeup and the bathroom sink. 

The kid is obsessed with animals from flies and ants to cats, dogs and his favorite, birds, which he talks to in a high-pitched voice. 

Any time we give him a stuffed animal or blanket, he snuggles into it and says, "mmmm." 

My favorite thing he does is give kisses when asked. There is nothing better. 

The bond I have with this boy is indescribable. When I come back from being gone and see his face light up and his arms reach out to me and he sighs, "Mama," my heart breaks into a thousand pieces because I can't handle how much I love him or entertain the thought of him being someone else's boy someday. People talk about daddies and their shotgun-mentality when boys come to date their girls, but man. Wait 'til this mama bear sees girls trying to date her boy! 

For now, I'll just enjoy the fact that I am the main girl in his life and I get to snuggle him all day long. I love you, Camden J. 

That time we went to Park City

For the last two years, Clay and I have had the chance to take our little family up to Park City for a little staycation, if you will. This year, we got to go for a whole week! It was a dream. Not so far away that we had to deal with jet-lag and cranky travel-worn kids, but far away enough to feel like we escaped our day-to-day lives. We are going to try to make it happen every year. 

 Guardsman Pass is breathtaking.

 Right?

 Main Street. I lived at the top of it with my dad for a year during middle school. I'm 99% sure the house I lived in was haunted. It looks much better now:

 I have always wanted to photograph this barn, and I finally got the chance. 

 We got some amazing peaches at the Park City Farmer's Market.

Even though the weather was rainy, we spent a lot of time in the "warm tubs" they have for the kids. 

All the children's activities the resort offered made it an extra fun trip for the kiddos. 

Then there was the food. I still think about my lemon ricotta pizza from Vinto's and the s'mores we had with Reese's peanut butter cups and symphony bars. I'll end on that sweet note. 

And now I need some chocolate. 

Camden turns one

When Ellie was a baby, I was purely excited for every new stage she reached and never looked back. But with Camden, it's different for some reason. He is my little baby, and now that a year has passed, it means he is that much closer to the end of babyhood.

 Camden at 10 days old

Camden at 1 year old

When I was pregnant with Camden, I sensed his mild, innocent spirit. He is still a happy, calm boy.

I'll never forget the night he came into our lives in such an unexpected way. (and place!) I remember thinking how surprisingly peaceful it felt to have him born in our home and to just be able to stay home and go to bed afterwards. I'll always cherish those first few weeks of snuggling with Camden in bed, because, as Clay warned me, he wouldn't be allowed in there once he got a little older. With Ellie, I was way too nervous to ever sleep next to her. But because I have been less anxious with my second, and because he would NOT go back to sleep sometimes unless he was lying next to me, it was a necessity. And I loved it. I have tried to get him to sleep next to me since, but he won't. Bittersweet.

I'll also never forget how gassy/colicky he was for the first 4-5 months. It can't all be butterflies and fairy dust, right? :) But Clay swooped in as the super-husband he is and helped immensely every night. And he still does, because as sweet as our baby boy is, consistent sleep just isn't his thing.

A few more tidbits about Camden at one year old:

-He's still nursing strong. He isn't showing any signs of wanting to stop. Ever. Wish us luck.
-He is a mama's boy to the max. Sometimes I have to hide from him to get something done because if he sees me, he wants nothing else. With that said, he is much better at playing on his own than Ellie was at this age.
-He is already such a boy. He loves digging in dirt, mud, sand -- anything that will make a mess -- and chasing balls, banging things, and rolling trucks along the ground.
-He gives the best kisses. Open-mouthed and accompanied by an "awww" sound. He's also a snuggler.
-He loves his big sis. They play with each other now and make each other laugh and I'm convinced there's nothing better to watch than my own kids making each other happy. I guess having multiple kids is worth it after all. :)
-His blonde hair, blue eyes and dimples are melting hearts everywhere.
-He crawls like a madman (ever since he was almost 8 months) and shows no desire to walk. I'm cool with it.
-He loves to say mama (obvs), uh-oh, duck, quack, milk (mok/gok) and attempts to say a bunch of other words.
-He loves when we read books to him.
-His trademark move when he is excited is getting up on his knees and flapping his arms. We call it "raptor arms."
-He wants to eat everything in sight, but because of his food sensitivities and eczema (which we're sure he'll grow out of, like Ellie did) we steer clear of gluten, sugar, nuts, eggs and dairy.

Clay often reminds me how I was worried I couldn't love another child as much as I love Ellie. I had nothing to worry about. I love my son more than I could have imagined and we have such a sweet bond. He makes me baby hungry for more little boys! :)

Now, for some pictures from his splash party!

We chowed down on vanilla bean buttermilk and chocolate fudge cupcakes and pizza.

The kids had a blast on the Slip n Slide. 

How cute are those baby glasses? Thanks auntie Kira. :)

He's pointing to his favorite person.

 I made Camden a gluten, dairy and sugar free cake.  As gross as that sounds, it actually tasted pretty good! Apparently Camden did not agree. He wanted nothing to do with it.

Me with my mom and sisters. I love all the crazy girls in my family. 

The only picture you will ever see where Ellie's face looks chunky. Haha.

A splash party wouldn't be a splash party without turning it into a water fight.

Thumbs-up to turning one!