Maui Wowee

We recently returned from our two-week visit to Maui!  It was a great trip.  We got to pack a whole lot of fun into that time span and it was a fantastic distraction from Daddy being away.  Although, we did find out via email that Daddy had caught the Swine Flu, but is now recovering!  Other than that, it was so nice to have a break from 24/7 Mommy Duty.  Maui has become a second home for Rieley and remains my first.  It's so nice to see her adapt so well and to see her take to more and more people each time we visit.

Rieley has gotten so used to flying that she knows all of the proper procedures.  Without being told, she automatically takes her shoes off and places them in the bucket on the conveyor belt at the security check point, buckles herself in her seat saying, "safe!" and then puts her tray down for juice when the stewardist announces that beverages will be served.  She behaves rather well on these 20 minute flilghts!

Below are pictures from the fun activities that we got to do during our visit.

Gampa really enjoys taking Rieley to a nearby playground at Keopuolani Park.  It's a great place for kids to burn off energy.  Rieley truly looks forward to these field trips.  Her favorite activities include going down slides, climbing like a monkey, and especially riding the swings!!!  She gets a kick out of being high up in the air and repeats, "Faster! Faster! Faster!" 

The Maui County Fair Started on the Thursday after we arrived.  It lasted four days and against my mother's wishes, we took Rieley three of the four!  Hehe.  We have fairs and carnivals here on O'ahu, but the food, craft vendors and company just aren't the same.  I overstuffed myself all of the days we were there!  We also got to see anyone and everyone we knew from "back in the day" whether we liked it or not, but I do admit, I was pleased to see some of the people that I haven't seen in a very long time!  Rieley had a great time on the helicopters, Merry-Go-Round, Dizzy Dragons, and racecars.  I taught Rieley to ask Gampa to ride with her with a "Please ride with me" and a drooping bottom lip so that I didn't have to ride anymore rides with her.  Hehe.  Who can say no to that?  We went with Aunty Jaimee and Uncle Gabe on the last day, but the pictures are with them...please send them my way!  : )

My mom made a dentist appointment at her office for Rieley...her very first checkup!  Rie went so far as to get all dolled up for the occassion with some of Mommy's blush and lipgloss.  It went rather smoothly. She let Gamma play around with some of the tools before the doc stepped in, but when he did it took a while for her to warm up and open wide.  Once she did...it was smooth sailing.  Doctor Craig got to check her teeth and even cleaned some of the front ones with his little tool to test the waters a bit.  No meltdowns or cavities to report, today!  She was a big girl and now she's proud to walk around and say that the "dentist check my teeth."  She now knows that she needs to brush day and night every day!

That same day we headed out to Kihei where we spent the night at a hotel with Gampa, Gamma, Aunty Jaimee, and Uncle Gabe.  It was just a relaxing night to get away from home for a bit.  We went swimming, out to dinner, and just hung out.

The very next day was time to say goodbye...only we didn't.  Our trip was originally scheduled for 10 days, but just hours before we were supposed to head to the airport, I decided that I wasn't quite ready to face an empty house just yet.  I was enjoying my "vacation."  So we stayed an extra 4 days and in that time, we had a whole lot more fun!

My mom and I took Rieley upcountry to Kula Country Farms to play in a pumpkin patch!  It was a small one, but packed with just enough fun.  While up there, Rieley picked out a couple of small pumpkins to take home, fed some horses carrots and ate fresh picked strawberries!  It was a blast, but I'm not sure who had more fun...Rieley...or me! : )

As if that wasn't enough fun, Dad joined in and we all went fishing that evening!  We went to Ma'alaea Harbor with our poles and shrimp as bait, sat on the rocky ledge and caught whatever was hanging around the coral.  We caught two annoying "steal bait" fishes and one kupipi that was a little on the small side so we decided just to throw them all back into the water.  Dad, Mom, and I all caught at least one fish (3 of mine got away!).  It was a little dangerous for Rieley to hold a pole by herself, but we did let her get a feel for the fishes' fight.  She seemed to get a kick out of it.

On our last day there, we decided to help decorate the house a little bit for Halloween.  To get into the spirit Rieley tried on her pirate costume (not pictured yet) as well as one of Aunty Jaimee's way old pumpkin costumes.  It was waaaaaaaaaay too cute!!!

Aunty Jaimee and Uncle Gabe got two adorable red-eared slider turtles like the ones mommy used to have.  They are about the size of a silver dollar.  Rieley named them "Elmo" and "Baa."  So far the names have stuck, but we'll see if they change it down the line.  : )

We came back to O'ahu Sunday night and have been cleaning and unpacking ever since.  We're trying to get back into our routine!  : )  Hope you enjoyed seeing the pictures as much as we had fun doing all the activities!  Keep checking back for more fun and updates as well!

XO,

Stephanie