Claire took her second trip to Hawaii last week– this time to Maui for ten days with lots of family along. I think her favorite things on the trip were as follows:
Bird Watching. Hawaiian birds are super-aggressive and scary. One killer finch stole a quarter of a grilled cheese sandwich right out of my hand! But Claire loved them, and can almost say the words “bird” and “tweet-tweet”.
Stair Climbing. Our unit had three tiled steps that Claire was enthralled with the entire trip. We had to constantly watch her to make sure she didn’t fall down them and crack her head open. It was annoying. Grandma’s room had an entire FLIGHT of stairs so that made for hours of fun… and hours of anxiety for me as I was envisioning us rushing to some po-dunk Mauiian emergency room after a terrible fall.
Swimming. By the end of the ten day trip Claire was really taking to the pool and actually kicking and moving her arms in the water. It was really cool to see her find something she liked (less intense sensory input?). It might be time to get her in swimming lessons.
Sitting Forward. The rented carseat we had was a forward-facing seat. So Claire got to see what it is like to drive down the road and actually see where she was going. She really loved it! I felt bad to put her back in the rear-facing seat when we got home. It might be time to turn it around soon. If only she would gain a little more weight!
Playing with The Cousins. Claire is turning into a little kid and actually interacting with others. She loved watching everything Ketcher and Gavin did, and getting into screaming contests with Scarlett. I rented some toys from a local baby rental company and that turned out to be a great investment.
What Claire didn’t like so much was the beach. She was truly terrified of the sand. Just way too much sensory input on her little feet and hands. She would just sit clinging to me and the safety of the beach towel the whole time. The sand toys I rented were pretty useless. So our trips to the beach were pretty short and infrequent.
In all Claire was pretty good on the trip, tolerated the long flights well (as long as she was on her exhausted mother’s lap), and even went out to dinner with Eric and me a bunch of times without much fuss. It was still a very different kind of vacation for her parents, and left us wistfully remembering the days of vacations past when we could do anything we felt like, whenever we wanted to, regardless of naps, meals or bedtime. It’s a different kind of vacation though when you can take your daughter swimming for the first time, or share her excitement at the sight of planes at the airport. We learned that its far from relaxing to travel with a one-and a half-year-old but it’s a new kind of journey, one full of new memories to be made rather than rest and relaxation.
Headed out for a long morning walk. Gettin crazy with Scarlett.First time in the pool!Having fun with rental toys. She loved the musical giraffe the best.Yogurt before bed.Feeling tired this Mother’s Day morning…wonder why…Just after Mother’s Day breakfast and a big throw up at the table. Fun for mommy!Sick baby. Just too much sun and travel. Cuties.Breakfast in rented highchair. A wise idea!All tuckered out in forward-facing car seat. Such fun for Claire! Lunch at Hula Grill at Whaler’s Village.
And dinner with the family in Lahina.So sad. Claire was really upset by the sand. I didn’t make her sit there long!A really fun lunch at Coconut’s Cafe in Keihei. Amazing fish tacos! Claire ate them all up.Cousins at the beach at Kanapali.A fancy lunch at Mama’s Fish House on a rainy day. Claire was a very good girl. She liked my Mahi Mahi and grilled plantain. Inspiring decor. She knows how to hold a camera! So proud!Another morning walk.Claire is campaigning to be the new Coppertone Baby spokes model. I had a little fun learning how to take double exposures with my camera. Eric took the ones of me.Gaving being cute.Gavin and Clouds.Gavin and Palm Frond.Gavin and Ocean.Bird of Paradise and Grass.Gavin and Grass.Swimming!Matching swimming suits! But neither would cooperate for the camera.More fun at the beach.Beautiful drive to the North shore of the island. Spectacular cliffs!Breakfast down the beach at the SeaHouse. Claire and potentilla. Even more fun at the beach! It was just too much sensory overload for little Claire. Erica and trees.Headed out for another evening in Lahina.Condos at night.I caught some night snorkelers in the act! Their bright lights looked so creepy in these shots. Waking up.Another breakfast at the Sea House.Some tired looking kids.Last night of the trip. We ended up eating at Star Noodle in Lahina. It was a neat spot!One last visit to the pool.It really is cruel that the trip must end this way. Six hours with a toddler on my lap.
Sandy - Kali the photos are amazing! Thanks for sharing