The First 12 Months Of Chan

If you have some time, check out my greatest photobook accomplishment yet - Chan's first 12 months!  It's only taken me over a year to complete.  Ha ha!  Enjoy!

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Birthday Party Fun

Esme's pretty convinced that first birthday parties in Hawaii are the best :)  We got to help celebrate cousin Mahina's first birthday this weekend and after a good 6 hours of straight partying Esme still didn't want to leave.  The whole car ride home she kept asking if we could go back.  She got her leg painted (she wasn't excited about getting her face painted), got a ladybug bracelet made from this amazing balloon artist who also put on a whole unicycle/juggling show, hit her first pinata, ate some yummy goodies and most importantly, got to play with all her cousins!  Chan tried to chase after all of them but wasn't quite fast enough.

Chan's recently added some new words to his list - baby, Mai Mai (nickname for Maile, Nana's dog), Mimi and bubble.  It actually sounds more like "buboo."  He still loves to eat and gets mad if we don't share what we're eating with him.  He rarely makes a face too.  He just wants to try everything!  That would also explain why he goes #2 at least 4 times a day.  Sheesh!

This was just ONE of the many desserts at the party!

Chan and Mahina having a little lunch together

Esme's ladybug bracelet

The birthday cousins, born just a day apart

This is probably her 3rd mega marshmallow dipped in chocolate (she ate that part first)

The Hello Kitty "tattoo" that lasted for a few days even with bathing

Chan still LOVES his pacifier but we try to limit it to bedtime, naptime and when he's really cranky.  It's the only thing that calms him down besides his soft blanket that he sleeps with.  And Esme's still a thumb sucker so we've got one of each.  She only does it at bedtime and naptime but we've been talking about stopping when she turns 4 years old. We'll see how well that works ;)

Chan discovered Mimi's house slippers one day and refused to take them off

"Hmmm...has anybody seen my toes?"

Friday afternoon fun at Liliuokalani Park with cousin Tosh

And they're off with their scoop nets to the ponds!

Chan's racing to catch up!

Inspecting their nets for any little fishies

Happy Father's Day

Allen had a nice first father's day in Hawaii last weekend.  We spent the morning at Onekahakaha beach and were gone by the time it got really hot and busy.  Of course Esme was just excited to play in the sand again and Chan can't decide what he likes so he's constantly up and down from our arms.  Then we spent the afternoon/evening barbecuing at Nana and Papa's with the rest of the family.  Uncle Judd, Aunty Ness, Hunter and Mahina were also in town from Waimea so it was a full house.

Yah for a beach day!

Esme could dig in the sand all day. 

Smiles for the beach!

Happy Father's Day!

The cousin table had to be extended on Father's Day :)

Here's Esme trying to figure out her shaka while riding with cousin Tosh.

The kids and I are trying to get out each day for an adventure while daddy's working.  Esme won't start school until August and we're still looking for a sitter for Chan so until then mommy's at home with the kids.  I try to switch it up every few days as we explore all the fun things that Hilo has to offer while also balancing nap times.  Chan still goes down twice a day and Esme just once.  We've tried to cut Chan back to just one nap but it's not fun.  Esme is great about her one afternoon nap and is usually asking for it by the time we get home from our little adventures.  

One of the kids favorite places right now is Jamba Juice to help cool them off.  Chan can finish his smoothie before Esme too!  All this time in the sun makes the kids thirsty.  We're trying to get Chan used to hats in order to protect his head from the sun.  If only he'd grow some hair!

A visit to Liliuokalani Park.

Esme insists on wearing all her fancy shoes from her cousins even if we're going to swim.

Chan loves to cheese it up at times. 

Chan sporting his baseball cap while we play at Keikiland.

A visit to the Mokupapa Discovery Center.

Jamba Juice with Aunty Amy. 

Chan's sucking it up quick!

Hat #2

Esme has recently made a new Mandarin speaking friend - Shanuyi.  Aunty Amy's mother-in-law hooked us up with Shanuyi and her family in order to help Esme keep up her language skills.  Her tutor Aunty Xue is out of town this month so it was perfect timing to start our playdates with Shanuyi.  The girls are just 5 months apart and so far are having a lot of fun playing together.  We usually just go over to Shanuyi's house and she talks Esme's ear off! 

Esme and Shanuyi enjoying a snack together

One of our adventures this past week was a trip to our new doctor's office - Dr Meurs.  Chan had his 1 year check and Esme had her 3 year check.  It was a little hectic with the 2 kids but they passed with flying colors again.  Chan was 31" = 73% for height and 22.5# = 59% for weight and Esme was 38" and 32# which were both 50% for height and weight.  Both kids got a TB skin test which is required in Hawaii and then Chan had his MMR, chicken pox and Hep A shots.  He wasn't happy about any of it and was crying most of the time, including during the exam.  Esme kept telling me, "mommy, just give him a kiss" like that would make it all better.  Cute!

And last but not least a picture of mommy's absolute favorite fruit - lilikoi!  There's a vine growing near our house and so we've been able to collect a few from the ground while we're on our morning walks.  They make for a great addition to our morning smoothies.  As you can see, Chan's trying to steal it away from me even though he puckers every time he tries to eat it with me ;)

Our New Home

We're officially moved into our new home!  Our container got unloaded last week and we took the weekend to get everything settled, fridge stocked, beds made, etc before finally moving out of Nana's and into our own place again.  Esme was VERY sad to leave Nana and Papa but she loved seeing all her old stuff again.  She walked through our new house like it was Christmas day.  She was sooooooooooo excited to see her bed, princess shoes, puzzles, bike, etc.  Chan didn't seem to notice anything but he had a very hard time sleeping in his own crib in his own room again.  He had a very fearful cry when we'd lie him down the first few days/nights but he's slowly getting used to it now.  

Chan's picked up a few more words just since last week - cheese, papaya (actually he says all but the last a), and hot.  He's learned to dance and jump which are similar movements.  Basically he just bounces his knees but his feet never leave the ground.  He's also enjoying feeding himself in his high chair.  It makes for a big clean up but he's happiest this way.

Both kids seem to be having growth spurts since we've gotten here.  They're both changing shoe sizes and eating a lot.  It must be the sun or something like that.  It still wears them both out a lot and I think that'll take a little longer to adjust to.  They've gotten used to sleeping with fans in their rooms.  And amazingly they've gotten used to sleeping thru so many more noises than in WA.  Their windows and doors are open now and they sleep through animals making sounds, loud cars, laundry and dishes being done and so much more.  In WA we used to tiptoe around when they were sleeping since our house was so quiet and any little noise would wake them.  It's amazing how things change!
  

Visiting Nana at work.  The highlight was bouncing on the ball behind her desk. 

Sleepover with cousins

From WA to HI, our container made it!

Mrs Potato Head was a little disheveled when we unpacked her but otherwise she said it was a pretty smooth ride across the ocean. 

Look at all that dark hair Chan's growing!

Swimming at the yacht club on an otherwise rainy day. Esme insisted she still wanted to swim even though it was sprinkling out.  

And even on a rainy day Esme can wear her tank top and shorts without being cold.  Here she's eating saimin and drinking the broth with a straw.  

Chan was just happy we gave him some noodles too. 

Chan found his cheeser smile again!

Look how happy he is to be eating his cream of wheat on his own!

 

Our New Home

It seems everything happens super fast in our lives these days and so we've already found a new home!  Our container has been here for over a week but they won't be able to deliver it until this Friday.  We've got the house all set up and cleaned though.  The kids have enjoyed running circles in it and hearing the echoes before all our furniture moves in.  Allen and I are hoping this will help with the kids sleep routines, once they're in their own beds and rooms again.  Chan must be teething lately cause he's been waking a lot at night, not eating well, always biting on things, etc.  Still no new teeth but I'm assuming something's moving under those gums.  He's talking a lot more too.  He loves to imitate voices and sounds and he's coming up with new words all the time.  Recently he added doggie, nana and mommy (instead of mama) to his list of words.  He loves to make his mouth in the "O" shape and words that involve that movement are his favorite.  Of course, with all his throwing "uh-ooohhh" tops the list.  He's also learned to walk backwards and loves to walk until he hits something and then he looks at it like, what's this doing in my way.  Ha ha!

We took Esme to Hapuna Beach last weekend and she fell in love with the fine white sand beach.  She loved running and diving in the dry sand (maybe she's gonna be a beach volleyball player!) just as much as she loved playing in the wet sand and digging holes and making drip castles.  She was a little more hesitant in the ocean with the waves though but I'm sure with a few more tries she'll be just fine.

Esme got into pre-school at St. Joseph's Montessori where her two cousins Charlie and Tosh already attend.  She'll start in the beginning of August and everytime we drive by she asks if I can drop her off.  I think she misses being in school.  We found her a Mandarin tutor who comes to our house about twice a week and we're hoping this will help Mimi keep her language skills up.  We're working on some other Mandarin connections too.

Esme's pre-school interview with Aunty Marie

Hanging out with Tosh and Charlie

Eating musubi with cousins. Esme was hot which explains her outfit ;)

Who doesn't love Uncle Sterling?!?

As if 2 kids wasn't enough, not there's 3!

Grocery shopping at Safeway.  The total mom-mobile!

Esme loves feeding Chan in the morning.  

Riding the monkey train at the mall.