Hawaii

We went to Hawaii with Aaron’s family last week. Our first vacation. Adam and Heather rented the most incredible airbnb for us to stay at. It was truly spectacular and I am so thankful they did that for us. I didn’t leave the house at all for the first two days we were there. Not even for real coffee. Just sat with the family on the porch overlooking the pool and the ocean with a cup of drip coffee. Occasionally getting up to change diapers, feed a baby, or do laundry. Swatting millions of mosquitoes. Itching millions of mosquito bites. Haha! It was genuinely two of the most relaxing days of my life.

Interesting fact: Although it is very hot with 9000% humidity, AC’s are not common in HI. Very much like where we live in Idaho (minus the humidity). But every time I sit sweating my guts out, I wonder who came up with the idea that AC’s are optional.

Other interesting fact: Luna is terrified of an imaginary owl that lives in our downstairs bathroom. And now she is also terrified of the frogs in Hawaii. They are super loud at night and there was no way to drown them out even with a sound machine and a box fan. She cried horribly every time we left the house in the evenings. “Mama, please save me!! Don’t forget to save me!” Clinging to my leg. She fell asleep with her hands over her ears every night. Meanwhile, I slept thru the frogs like a dead person.

I grew up playing in the rain. It was warm and the ditches along the roads would fill up with water and tadpoles. I remember loving it. And I still love rain. It’s some of my favorite weather. Luna played in the rain for the first time in HI. It rained most of the days we were there. Just quick little storms that rolled in and then rolled out. I loved watching her do that and remembering my own childhood. I loved sitting on the covered porch with rain coming down.

We went to the beach one day. A smallish, beautiful family beach with lava everywhere that created little tide pools. Luna and Aaron swam around, and found little octopus and sea urchins in the tide pools. It was thrilling for them both. I sat in the shade with Daphne screaming her head off. I got two pictures of Daphne during that time and she paused crying long enough to look perfectly angelic. But do not let that fool you. She was a straight up demon baby at the beach. I told Aaron I was gonna throw her in the ocean. He was like,”SUNNY JANE. NO SHE ISN’T. SHE’S  KIDDING.” for the sake of the man standing silently behind where we were sitting and who I did not see, haha.

Aaron and I went out alone one night for dinner and shave ice. The food was amazing and having a short time away from babies to enjoy ourselves was even better. Although I did feel slightly anxious the whole time thinking about leaving my kids with Aaron’s mom while she was also on her vacation. I didn’t get one picture of us, but did get one of my shave ice. 

Luna loves the water. She is her father’s daughter. She played hard in the pool and in the ocean. She hated the sand (her mother’s daughter) and demanded to be carried everywhere on the beach. Night swimming with Dada was hands down her favorite thing. 

I went to some little artsy shops one day. I hoped to find some authentic souvenirs. Something that wasn’t a t-shirt with the word Aloha stamped on the front. I found lots of adorable Etsy and Amazon products. Also lots of beautiful art created by kind Idahoans now living in HI (truly, I met 3 people in those shops that were either from Idaho or had family in Idaho). I saw a small handful of things created by actual Hawaiians which cost approximately $1,000 more than I could spend. It was slightly disappointing but also made me laugh. Nonetheless, I bought a small pair of handmade earrings that I absolutely love! The jeweler was making them right in front of us and all of her things were beautiful even if they weren’t very Hawaiian.

While in HI Luna and Dada had a conversation about mothers. “Mamas have chapstick. They have braids. They say ‘No, I can’t hold you I’m busy’ ”. Then on the flight back home, Luna calmly looked up at me out of the blue and intoned,”You’re a big no no.”

I’ve been trying to build up my self confidence ever since.

On our last day, we went to breakfast at the most amazing spot with an incredible view. It was my favorite place that we went to. Very much my vibe with great lattes. Then we drove across the island and went to a botanical garden. The flowers there were amazing. There was a waterfall. It was in a rainforest and we got rained on while there which I loved. And toward the end, the garden opened up to the ocean. I am not much of a beach person. I don’t care for heat, or sand, or being in the water. I would rather sit in a pile of snow. I didn’t get a speck of tan or sunburn while in HI. But the rocky shore with the waves roaring and  crashing up into those beautiful, unique flowers while the rain poured down on us and the giant rainforest trees towered over us… I cried at least four times. It was one of the most beautiful sights and sounds I’ve ever seen, and was overwhelming in the best way. I have never been more disappointed in my lack of photography skills than on that day. I cannot do it justice.

Here is the thing about traveling with small babies. Everyone knows it’s wretched. Babies crying on the flights, squishing myself between two car seats attempting to comfort them as they cried every time we got in the car, getting up during the night as they cried over frogs and poop diapers (Daphne is really into the 4am poop), taking 100 hours just to gather everything to leave the house. The amount of time I spent slathering sunscreen on my girls only to have them beg to go back inside was ludicrous. 

But then I sat and watched Luna go to little kid HEAVEN for an entire week as she ran all over the house and yard with her cousins. Playing in the pool with grandparents and Dada. Catching “wizards” (lizards are everywhere there!). Trying new things and new foods (spitting lots of foods out haha). Playing games. Learning new words. Dada teaching her all the Hawaiian things he’s picked up from his Hawaiian buddies. Picking beautiful flowers for her Mama. I watched Daphne smiling up at her cousins and laying on the chair with her uncle. Screaming in the pool (too cold), but interested in the ocean (warm enough). Napping in the bathtub because we didn’t have a crib. Discovering that she is now a big baby who wants to sit up and look around vs a tiny baby who wants to lay down.

Aaron getting to go deep sea fishing with his dad and brother, and getting to go golfing right on the ocean at the most beautiful course with his dad. Getting to see and experience the things his Hawaiian friends told him about when they lived together. 

I don’t know. It was really great family memories and worth it. I’m really thankful for the opportunity. I’m also thankful for our family. We did not have one speck of drama or annoyance with each other for an entire week. And I feel like that is really rare. I’m thankful for family that is also friends.