Aloha

Aloha!

What a crazy word!  

I just learned that “Aloha” means both “Hello” and “Goodbye”  in Hawaiian.  It also means:  affection, compassion, peace, and mercy.  

How is a little dude supposed to figure all that out?

Anyway, I just got back from 10 glorious days in Hawaii.  Four states down (CA, NV, NY, HI)…46 to go!  I had no idea that Napa wasn’t the best place on Earth.  I fell in love with the tropics…the warm weather, the tropical storms, the abundant plant life (I tried to pull the leaves off of everything I could reach), the plentiful wildlife, and the calming beaches were mesmerizing.  I can’t say a bad thing about my whole experience.  I even had Mama and Daddy all to myself for the whole vacation!  What a treat!  

We started our adventure in Maui, the second largest Hawaiian island (and 17th largest island in the US).  Grammie & Grandpa took all of my family on Mama’s side on a one week adventure near Lahaina.  My Uncles Chris, John, and Ben as well as my Aunts Ladonna, Kelly, and Aubree were all there with us.  I loved getting to know all my aunts & uncles better…and I played them all by maximizing my time being loved by everyone for the entire week!

Grammie & Grandpa had me every morning at 6am so that Mama & Daddy could sleep in a little bit…I loved this special time with them.  Then in the afternoons, I was held by all my wonderful aunts & uncles by the pool and on the beach.  

Mama & Daddy had some grown-up time with all the adults, such as seeing the Warren & Annabels magic show and scuba diving with Ben & Aubree off the island of Lanai.  

On the plane with Mama

First time putting my feet in the ocean with Grandpa - a bit scary!  

Mama, Grandpa, Daddy, Uncle Ben, Uncle Chris & Aunt Aubree playing water volleyball

Uncle Chris, Aunt Aubree, Aunt Kelly, Mama, Grandpa, and me asleep in my stroller!

Grammie & me in one of my 6 beach outfits!

Grandpa, Aunt Kelly, Aunt Aubree holding me, and Uncle Ben - Aubree is making me laugh hysterically by blowing on my tummy!

Mama & Daddy all dressed up for the magic show

Easter Sunday at the Plantation House for brunch

Uncle Ben, Aunt Aubree, Aunt Kelly, Grammie & Grandpa holding me, Mama, Daddy, Aunt Ladonna, and Uncle Chris

Grammie & Grandpa holding me - check out my linen suit!

Mama and her siblings (Kelly, Chris & Ben)

Practicing my walk with Grammie & Grandpa - I'm just a tad off-balance!

Chris & Ladonna, Ben & Aubree, Mama & Daddy relaxing by the pool

The family playing a silly game!

The whole family for the Christmas Card portrait.  Grammie had all our t-shirts made with "Colton Family Reunion" logos

Grammie & Grandpa with me

Wearing my "reunion" onsie

At the Luau

Grammie & me at the luau

My awesome hawaiian outfit

Mama and me at the luau

Some of the servers at the luau

The hot lady dancers!  What a way to wake up from a nap!

We also had so much fun as a family of three!  

I can’t decide what I like more…the pool or the beach.  It was my first time in both kinds of water. The pool was so warm and calm.  I got to use my “Turtle” floatie and had a blast motoring all over the place! I even went down the water slide several times with Daddy.  I wasn’t too thrilled the first time, but then I learned to like it and got to show off my bravery!  

My own beachchair.  Check out my mohawk!

Daddy and me in the pool

Practicing my kicking

learning to swim with Daddy

Commanding "Ertle the Turtle"!

    My big waterslide moment!

The beach is a whole other experience…the stuff called sand is so cool!  I could squish my toes and fingers in it…smear it on my face…eat it…and even put it in my swimmy diaper.  I got to swim in the ocean with Daddy, and after some initial concern (it’s cooler than my bathtubs!), I discovered that I liked this too.  I even dunked my head a few times!  Daddy took a surfing lesson (he’s already decent at it, but wanted to learn more)…and his instructor had taken his girls out surfing when they were 3 weeks old.  So, next time I see a beach…you better watch out!  I’ll be Hangin’ 10 before you blink an eye!

Loving the beach with Mama

Check out my shark outfit!

Sand is yummy!  Mama can't figure out why I won't drink a bottle, but I will eat sand...I'll tell her when I'm 25

The beach at Kanapali

First time swimming in the ocean

After a week enjoying Maui with all Mama’s family, it was time to say goodbye…but Mama & Daddy surprised me!  Instead of the plane going back to California, it went to Kauai instead.  Kauai is another (smaller) island of Hawaii, and it has the “wettest spot on earth!” Kauai was definitely the most beautiful place I have ever seen.  The best surprise of all was that Aunt Cara & Uncle Bill met us there!  (They’re not biologically related…but I spend so much time with them that I feel the need to add the familial distinction).  Bill & Cara got married on Kauai 6 years ago and they love the island so much that they wanted to share it with me (at least that’s how I see it).  

In Kauai, we rented a beach house for 4 nights on the North Shore near Hanalei. We relaxed on the beaches – which are even prettier than the beaches in Maui – but we also did some awesome hiking.  I was mesmerized by the beauty of the NaPali Coast – known universally as one of the prettiest coasts on Earth.  I was such a trooper in my backpack…and when I needed a break, I got to play in a fresh water stream.  

We bought fish each night from a local market and the grown ups made elaborate dinners that they ate out on our lanai.  I was so happy that I had my own room and could go to sleep in my own bed instead of a stroller.  I got to sleep on a ton of cushions that proves that I am the king that I think I am!  

Pretty plants on Kauai....

Tunnels beach on Kauai

My own beach towel

Daddy trying to look 007 cool coming out of the water

One of my signature poses for the trip

Hiking the NaPali Coast

The NaPali Coast (better photos to come soon!)

Practicing my walking with Mama

At dinner with Mama and Aunt Cara

Daddy, Uncle Bill, Aunt Cara, Mama and me eating my foot at dinner at the St Regis, Princeville

Daddy, Uncle Bill & I hanging out on our lanai

Walking on Tunnels Beach

Looking studly with Daddy at Tunnels

Kauai 2012

After 4 magical nights, it was time to return home.  I got an “A+” for my efforts on the flight home.  I slept most of the time, and then made friends with my neighbors using my killer smile and batting my eyelashes.  After the redeye flight, Mama drove us home and I was ecstatic to sleep on my wedge in my own nursery with my Hercules paintings and Tinga Tinga African art.  I was also pretty happy to see my nanny, Heather.  As much as I loved Hawaii, I’m a pretty lucky little dude to live a wonderful life in Napa.  And, now I can start planning my next adventure...!

Oh...a bit of developmental info for everyone.  I’m almost 19 pounds of pure muscle, I just cut my first two teeth in Hawaii (I got amazing praise for not fussing about that!), I can sit completely on my own, I can pull myself up to sitting positions, I can hold all my own weight in a standing position and even take a few steps (wobbly!)...but I’ve decided that I will never crawl!  I hate tummy time...so much more exciting to stare at the world rather than the floor...so Mama’s convinced I’ll just learn to walk instead of crawl.     I still get most of my nutrition thru my g-tube, but I have started rice cereal and am doing pretty well with it.  I’m going to start oatmeal this week!  yummy!  

Sucking on Grammie's toes - definitely teething...

Sucking on my toes...definitely teething...

                            I missed my cart so much!  Oh the happiness of independence!

I Found Love in Tahoe!

This past weekend, I got to go to Tahoe again!  It is definitely my favorite excursion - I think this was my fourth time there this season.  Yet again, I had a blast.  There wasn't much snow at the cabin, but Daddy said that the skiing was still ok on the mountain.  They haven't let me go up on the gondola to the top of the mountain yet...but I will get to this summer when the weather is nice.

We had 15 of Mama and Daddy's awesome friends join us.  Five people, including Serena, Mark, Jess, Bunmi & Emily, flew in from the East Coast (and I know where that is now that I've been to New York).  The grown ups enjoyed yummy food, cocktails, and skiing throughout the weekend.  Mama stayed with me and the "non-skiiers" at the cabin, and we had a fabulous time playing by the fireplace.  I insisted that my walker come up to Tahoe too...so I was scooting all over the hardwood floor.

Jessy, Libby, Mike & Emily

Chris, Cara, Jess, and Serena

Cara made Daddy a cake to celebrate his 34th birthday...he's so old!!!

The gang at dinner

At one point, I got to go for a walk along a Nature Trail to the Lake with Mama, Serena, and Jess.  I love having the ladies to myself!  It was a bit windy, but that made these things called "white caps" on the water.  Those were mesmerizing!  I sat in my chair and watched them for a long time.  Now I know why the ocean noises on my white noise machine are so soothing.

Mama and Serena walking me.  (Nice photo Jess!)

Mama and Serena at the Lake

Windy but super fun!

The second best part of the weekend is that I was the star of the show!  I love love love love getting attention.  I made the rounds to each and every person, and sucked up love from all of them.  Everyone loves my killer smile and my big eyes.  I'm definitely a charmer!  

Bunmi held me and I fell asleep instantly

Chris and I having fun on the pool table  (side note:  Has anyone notice my new skill?  I can sit up by myself!  ...most of the time...)

Mama, Barclay, Jess, Emily & Bunmi think I am a super little dude!

The single best part of the weekend is that I finally got to take my first jacuzzi!  Hooray!!!  I had been begging for this for months, but Mama always said NO!  It was too hot in the water, or too cold outside...excuses, excuses!  But this time she surprised me and put me into my new swimmy diapers and plopped me in the jacuzzi with some of our friends.  I was a bit skeptical at first (not of the jacuzzi, but of all the other people staring at me).  But, I soon became the ham that I am, and started splashing all over the place.  I have no idea why there isn't a jacuzzi in every home...they are perfect!  In fact...I may refuse to go anywhere that doesn't have a jacuzzi from now on!

Barclay holding me in the jacuzzi

Emily, Barclay with me, Daddy, Mark, Jason & Jess

Even more people fit into the tub...Barclay, Cara, Mama with me, Daddy, Serena, Jason, Emily, Mark & Jess...not bad for an 8 person tub!

The World Is My Oyster...and now I can grab the oyster!

For the past nine months, I have been incredibly patient.  Eager and interested…but patient. For the first three months, I was confined to a small plastic tub in the NICU.  I was too busy growing to worry much about exploring the world.  Still though, I loved looking out the window at my rooftop garden, and I loved examining each and every person who came to visit me.  Finally, the time came for me to take my first car ride home, and I suddenly realized what a vast world I live in.  I have now been all over Northern California, including up to Tahoe four times, and even to New York City.  The past few months, I have been slowly learning to accomplish my milestones: holding my head up, rolling over, and standing with some help.  These are important in and of themselves, but now I have accomplished my true mission.  As I lay frustrated on my activity mat, or confined to my vibrating chair or Bumbo seat, I was so jealous of how the grown-ups could just do or fetch whatever they wanted.  I could see so many interesting things from my stationary vantage point, but they were perpetually out of my grasp.   No longer! 

Grammie assembled my new toy just before we went to New York.  My walker on wheels!  I didn’t know what to do at first, but within a day, I was zooming all over the house!  I shriek with delight each time I bang into a new object.  I saw Mama’s soft coat from across the room, and just had to have it for myself.  So, I motored on over there, and grabbed it…then tried to eat it (which is what I do with everything except for my bottles!)

The world has always been mine, but now I can actually explore it on my own!

Finding the coat.....

                                                    Eating the coat....

         I discovered the box my new highchair came in...and kept trying to talk to the little boy on the box...

The other news this week is that I finally met my cousin Nora who lives in Oregon.  She is my really my second cousin (her Mama Sharon is my Mama’s cousin).  She was born at the beginning of November 2011, about 6 weeks after my due date.   She is super cool, and very pretty with lots of dark stuff called “hair” on her head.  I never knew that other babies could have hair!  I got to play with her for an entire day, and we had a great time on our tummies together.   We sucked on each other’s fingers and of course had the requisite photo session.  We giggled together and practiced our bicycle kicks, but she scared me a few times too.  Every once in awhile, she would cry a little bit.  I have never heard a sound like that before (my own crying doesn’t bother me)…and it freaked me out.  So, every time she cried, I would break down in hysterics too.  What can I say?  I’m an empathetic guy!  I do not, however, understand why the grown-ups laughed so hard every time this happened.  What do two little people have to do to get a little sympathy around here?

Daddy & me with Sharon & Cousin Nora

Mama & Sharon with me & Nora

Nora and I...I kept trying to roll over onto her...

Practicing our bicycle kicking together

Cousins holding hands

Daddy & I with Cousin Tim & Nora

Sharon & Nora with Mama & me