Declan Hercules & Keevah Nyx House: Declan Hercules & Keevah Nyx: Crawling in HAWAII

Keevah Nyx: I'm 10 months old now, and I've got big news for you. I've finally showed my parents what I've been doing in secret for awhile now - I can CRAWL! I've had no reason to show them this before - they love carrying me around, and big brother Hercules drags me anywhere I want to go. But alas, I was getting frustrated if they didn't pick me up and take me everywhere within 5 seconds of my demand...so I finally decided to get around on my own. Of course, with crawling comes me showing everyone that I can pull up to stand and cruise around on furniture. I figured out how to do all this just in time for our family trip to Hawaii - just so I could demand to crawl up and down the plane aisles!

watch out world, here I come!

Watching my plane arrive

"place your belongings under the seat in front of you..."

Declan Hercules: Since I've been in school for about 5 weeks, it was definitely time to take a 2 week break! Gee & Grandpa took our little family to Maui for a fabulous sun-and-sand-filled adventure. They even took me three days before Mama, Dada, and Keevah arrived. This was my THIRD trip to Hawaii - I'm such a lucky guy! I'm loving my school and my friends, gymzone and swim lessons...but Hawaii is better. I spent every day in the awesome swimming pool with waterslides and waterfalls...and Shirley Temples with extra cherries!

Keevah Nyx:

I was pretty mad that I had to wait three whole days to go to Hawaii after Hercules left. But all was forgiven once I arrived in the tropical air. I was a superstar on my flight, sleeping most of the way. I've been to Hawaii twice now, but the last time I was still in Mama's tummy, and made my poor Mama visit the hospital during her vacation last time. I declare that I am a water baby! I am definitely following in Hercules' footsteps and throwing myself into water at every opportunity - which means that Mama and Dada need to watch me closely. I'm pretty sure I can swim, but Mama and Dada don't agree and won't give me a chance to prove my abilities.

Gee, Grandpa and Declan Hercules sending the rest of us a pic from the beginning of their trip

Declan & Grandpa in the waterfall

Fun in the waterfall

Mama and her water babies

Keevah jumping in!

Playing water games with Grandpa

Dada & daughter

Jumping in together

Gee, Declan & Keevah

Declan's a fish!

Grandparents & grandkids

Declan's game of swimming between our legs

Sleepy Grandpa and Nyx

Nyx didn't get her way - had to put on dry diaper & clothes when she wanted to dive back in the water

Flower girl

flowers are as yummy as sand...

Declan Hercules: I also spent my days digging a hole to China on the beach. I never quite got there, but I'm convinced I was close a few times. I also specialized in building forts with an array of interconnecting tunnels.

Keevah Nyx: SAND IS AMAZING!!! It tastes so yummy! At first, Mama tried to prevent me from eating it...but she quickly gave up when she realized she would be grabbing my hand away every 15 seconds. She figured she'd let me just figure it out on my own that it tastes gross. However, I thwarted her plans in a big way...sand is DELICIOUS! I shoveled it into my mouth at every opportunity. The only downside that I didn't appreciate is that I've been pooping sand for weeks now - and it feels like getting wiped with sandpaper each time. Ouch!!

The beginnings of a fort

Declan writing his name...

YUMMY!!!

Nyx & Grandpa

Pretty girl - stuck in the plants so I don't eat the sand

Digging a river to the ocean...

Big brother writing sissy's name in the sand.

Keevah Nyx watching Hercules & Gee play below on the beach...life is NOT fair!

We're almost to China!!

Declan Hercules: I also learned to SNORKEL! Mama and Dada thought it would take me several times to figure it out, but I took one minute and then swam for open water to chase a sea turtle! I swam with five sea turtles on the first time out and was a pro in my new snorkel gear.

Declan Hercules:

One of my two favorite days of the trip was when we got to go on a boat to snorkel in a place called Coral Gardens. The snorkeling was so much fun, the fishies were awesome, and the water slide off the boat was a blast. However, by far the best part of the day was that there was a hill with about 40 wind turbines in our near vision for the entire trip. I don't think I've ever been happier!

Keevah Nyx:

I got to go on my first boat ride! Though a bit windy, it was really fun. The boat had these cool boogie boards, and I got to ride on one while Grandpa and Mama tugged me along. It was pretty awesome to travel in style...until brother got a little too excited to see me and dunked me whilst trying to get on my same boogie board! Then I just needed to get in a warm swaddle with my bottle to make me happy again.

Grandpa and Declan with the wind turbines

Grandparents & Grandkids...with wind turbines

Dada and kiddos

Gee & Nyx

Windmills!

Taking the plunge...

I'm an awesome snorkeler!

Keevah Nyx loves to boogie board

The whole gang

Declan Hercules:

My second favorite day was the day we went snorkeling with sea turtles in Makena and then met Mama and Dada after their scuba dive to drive on to La Perouse Bay. Its an awesome lava field that we got to hike across, see a cool blow hole, find crab shells, and play on the beach.

Keevah Nyx:

I loved that day too - I rolled around in the sand in Makena, refused to nap in the car since I was having too much fun, and then ate sand in La Perouse Bay. I was also mesmerized by the blow hole, and I liked the little black wild goats that roam the lava fields.

Building a fortress

At Makena beach

La Perouse Bay

Keevah's first blow hole - she loved it.

The boys

An intact crab shell after it molted...now saved for show and tell after being transported back in 50 layers of tissue

Sand is awesome!

Keevah & Declan:

We loved going into the town of Lahaina several times for snow cones, browsing the shops, and visiting a beautiful banyan tree.

Finding Venus - currently the evening star

A whole snapper for dinner!

Grandpa & Declan at the Banyan tree in Lahaina

The boys watching a 100 crabs

The ladies

Declan Hercules:

I got to attend a luau with my whole family! I loved watching all the dancers - and enjoyed practicing my own hula moves. My favorite, however, were the two fire-throwers! I have decided that I will definitely learn how to do that at home with my own firepit - though Mama and Dada are not excited about my plans.

Keevah Nyx:

I got to go to the luau too - I actually liked the pulled pork which surprised Mama. I was mesmerized by the dancers and again refused to fall asleep like I was supposed to - I never want to miss anything!

Finally a picture of the whole gang

Will I ever be able to shake my hips like you?

I smell so nice!

Hula baby

Luau siblings

Declan showing us how to hula

Now that I know how to crawl - I'm making a break for it...no more pictures!!!

Declan and the fire juggler

Declan Hercules:

There was one funny day where Keevah stayed with Gee & Grandpa, and I went with Mama and Dada on a long drive to the other side of Maui to visit the 7 pools. However, half way there we found out they were closed and we had a change of plans. We ended up at a very beautiful botanical gardens, where I fed the Koi, explored the different flowers, and watched two "Nene" (endangered Hawaiian geese). Then we kept driving and happened across a goat cheese dairy. So, of course we stopped, got to feed the happiest goats in the world, and taste the best goat cheese we've ever had. Mama and Dada were a bit frustrated that we ended up driving 5 hours to taste goat cheese, but it was super yummy!