After our awesome trip to Kauai, we have settled back into life in Napa. I'm still loving Kindergarten at Mount George with Mrs. Mitchell. I'm getting better and better at reading and writing, and am really loving drawing! I'm still doing swimming twice a week, gymnastics on Mondays, and Chess lessons on Tuesdays after school. There have been several crazy things the past two months, so that's why we haven't written in awhile.
Learning chess!
First, Mama had her big surgery (double mastectomies) on Feb 1st, and is still recovering from that. She had a bit of a bumpy road, and was in the hospital for a week with an infection. I'm so glad she's home now, but she is still trying to take things easy - and I'm doing my best not to accidentally tackle her!
Post op day #1 for Mama
Mama's home post-op day #2
Second, we got a new nanny, but not before we had a bit of a gap in coverage and flew Gran out from Pennsylvania super last-minute to help out! It was a bit crazy with school and Mama's surgery, so Gran helped keep us all on track.
Miss Abigail singing Un Poco Loco to me - she's teaching me some guitar too!
Miss Abigail with Keevah
Gran wrangling the troops
A nice dinner with Gran at Morimoto
A rare moment captured on film - sister actually fell asleep in someone's arms!
Third, Keevah Nyx started school at Nature's Way Montessori since she's two years old now! We weren't sure how it was going to go, but she really likes it and hasn't gotten kicked out yet! She says the same things every day about school; "I played" and "I read book". She is talking up a storm all of a sudden - she started a bit slow with language, but now is speaking in paragraphs and learning new words every day (mostly from me!). She is still completely nuts, doing silly things all the time, and still climbing everything!
First day of school for Keevah Nyx!
Meeting friends, including neighbor Lucius!
Wearing Mama's old swimsuit from the 1970s!
Being silly - Nyx takes EVERYTHING potty!
Leopard has to go too...
Got herself dressed - swimsuit over jammies
We're all dressed up for a rainy adventure!
Did her own hair - about 10 clips - all Mama's from the 1980s
Wonder Woman!
Speaking a whole sentence!
Being insane...
We love playing together!
Despite all the insanity around here, we managed to make it up to Tahoe while Mama was recovering (and so we could take advantage of a large Spring snow storm).
Van Neirops joined us for a few days!
Granddad & Boppy also came up to visit from Pasadena for a long weekend. My favorite part was going to Jack London's historic home where he wrote a lot of his books. It's up in the hills by Sonoma, and we did an awesome hike - so pretty! They also gave me a magic kit, so I've been practicing my tricks! We loved reading books with them, getting ice cream, and going to the park.
Jacuzzi with Granddad
Higher Grandad!
Ice cream at Oxbow
Keevah & Boppy at Jack London Historic Site
Hiking!
Wolf house - burned down right before Jack London was supposed to move in, 15,000 sq ft!
We also enjoyed a pre-Easter celebration at Farmstead in St. Helena. I got to play all morning with my friend Haines, from Mount George. Keevah doesn't really remember Easter from last year, so I was explaining the Easter Bunny to her. She seemed really excited to see him, but then she was not happy at all when she finally saw how big he is! She was excited to learn that he brings eggs to hide. I asked her what she thought would be inside the eggs, and she said, "Chickens!" She did like the toys inside the eggs, but she was a little disappointed there weren't actually chickens!
Making bunny rice crispy treats with Mama
I loved the bunny - Keevah, not so much!
Easter at Farmstead
Sissy loved her unicorn face paint!
I got a rainbow!
So, it's been crazy around here. We're hoping it calms down again soon!
I'm the luckiest girl in the world! I've been to Hawaii twice now (three times if you count when I was in Mama's belly!)! Gee & Grandpa took us to Kauai, and we left right after Christmas for almost 2 weeks. I love those islands, particularly the part where I eat a ton of sand. I was a super good girl on the airplane, only climbing into adjacent rows a few times to say hello to my fellow passengers.
Waiting for the plane
We spent the first four days with just my Mama, Dada and my "Deccan" in Princeville & Hanalei on the North Shore. We hiked a lot, and I enjoyed the benefit of being carried in Dada's backpack...unfortunately poor Deccan had to walk the whole time, though he did pretty good. I hope they still carry me when I'm 6! We had plenty of beach time at our very own "Secret Beach", literally at the end of the road...and with not a single other person there. We did sand sculpting, leaf races, and explored "Dinosaur Land"...Deccan's name for the lush jungle surrounding our special beach. It was so great that we went back for a second day!
Hanalei Beach
A perfect hike
I was so cozy and sleepy
Leaf race at Secret Beach
Mama's dolphin sand sculpture (before the dorsal fin addition, and before I smashed it)
No one else in sight...
I'm so pretty!
Dada and Declan swimming at Hideaway Beach
Rope swing at Secret Beach - I loved it! ...and kept saying "Again again!"
Even Mama (and her healing boobie) got into the action
Exploring Dinosaur Land
I got the good seat! With Dada & Deccan on the Na Pali Coast
Deccan and Mama hiking
Hanalei Beach
Shaved ice! Not fair that I slept through the whole thing!
We also enjoyed Hideaway Beach and Hanalei Bay. We enjoyed dinners eating in our condo after buying fresh caught fish from our special Dolphin Fish Market, a little hole-in-the-wall place we've used before.
After four fun-filled days, we drove to Poipu on the South Shore to meet up with Gee & Grandpa for another week. We snorkeled at Salt Pond, visited Glass Beach, had plenty of pool and 'cuzi' time, and did body-boarding at Poipu Beach. I got braver and braver with each day at the beach, and even had fun being pulled around on the body board. Everyone except Gee & me got to go zip-lining. Deccan came back with amazing stories of grand views and zooming down the lines...he even did it by himself!
With Gee & Grandpa at our condo in Poipu
Declan & Grandpa
Declan holding an OCTOPUS! (A snorkeling dude found it and let brother hold it for a bit before releasing it...No one let ME hold it - something about me maybe squishing it too hard...)
Digging my hole to China
My special ride! Giddy-up Dada
I can't wait to boogie board with Declan and Dada next year!
And I want to snorkel with them too! Declan said the fishies were awesome!
Two at a time...
Three at a time...
Four at a time...didn't work...we crashed immediately...whoops! At least I like water!
An evening stroll with Gee & Grandpa
Declan stacking rocks.
Love my Grandpa!
Love my Gee!
Declan & Dada deep in conversation
Hello world!
Me wearing Mama's dress from 1978
Love my Mama!
Declan's special "bear cave"
Declan and Grandpa exploring the caves...
Mama made us a T-Rex
The whole gang
Doing a silly dance with Grandpa
Tandem zipline with Mama
Declan getting all hooked up
We rang in 2018 with a special dinner at Red Salt, and I was a super good girl. I even fell asleep in Mama's arms for the first time in over a year! Gee & Grandpa also surprised us with a Luau visit - I was completely glued to all the dancers, clapped enthusiastically for every performance, and did my best to dance along with them!
All dressed up for New Year's Eve dinner
Happy New Year!
I celebrated by passing out at dinner
A special Luau - Declan got to drum!
Family matching!
I was sad to leave Kauai, but I got to start school for the first time ever when we got back. I can't wait to tell you about it in the next post. (spoiler alert: I haven't gotten kicked out yet, so it's a massive success!).
