Rosalie's Birth Story

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Let's start with the doctor's appointment on Tuesday, April 14th where I was told my "bishop's score" was too low to schedule an induction like I had hoped to do.  In fact, the doctor looked up my ultrasound which showed a due date of April 27th (instead of April 20th).  Talk about depressing! So, the only thing I could do was schedule an appointment with him for a week out and play the waiting game some more, even though I had really felt like things were changing and I was getting really close.

Fast forward one day later.  I woke up really tired, but I still made yogurt pancakes for breakfast because it's one thing I can get Naomi to eat!  After cleaning up, etc. I sat down for awhile but could not keep my eyes open so I went to lay down in bed for about an hour and a half.  Naomi climbed on me for a little while and then entertained herself with her princess clip dresses and some episodes of "Sofia the First."

After lunch and putting Naomi down for a nap, I found some energy to do some prenatal yoga.  I had stopped exercising for about a week prior because I thought I was close to delivery and the strength exercises I was doing were giving me all kinds of lower body pains, but since I was now thinking I had another week until delivery, I knew I needed something, something like yoga!  

After I finished that up, I felt great, so I took a super long soak in the tub with some Epsom salts.  I was still trying to console my pregnant body, after all.

I was going to not cook dinner that night, but I had this idea to make pasta carbonara that I couldn't get out of my mind, so I made it.  Since I knew Hylan would probably be late getting home, and because I was hungry, and because Naomi still doesn't really eat the food I make for dinner, I ate my pile of pasta and peas alone.  After I finished up, and before I had a chance to clean up the kitchen, I sat down to change Naomi's dirty diaper and...then...I felt the gush...and I knew my water had broken.

Although every article you read says that the water breaking thing happens more in the movies than in real life (like 10% of the time), it has happened with both of my daughters now.  

At this point, I wasn't all that concerned, but I was really surprised since I had mentally prepared myself for another week of pregnancy.  As I was standing in the tub and using up all the towels in the bathroom, I kept thinking that I'd be able to get to a point where I could go clean up the kitchen, make sure Naomi was taken care of, pack a bag, and call Hylan to get home (maybe even have enough time for him to eat dinner).  BUT...then...and this is the weird part...after I got up from the toilet, there was this water balloon-looking thing hanging out of me.  Um...wait...what?

It was weird and uncomfortable and I still hadn't gotten to my phone to call Hylan and Naomi was not helping (she was happily playing with her princesses on the edge of the tub).

Did I mention that after a crazy wind storm the day before, this day it was SNOWING and there was at least 6 inches on the ground (pretty much the biggest snow storm of the whole year--go figure!)? And because of that, and the late yoga/bath of the day, and because I had made dinner, and because I wasn't planning on going anywhere, and because I was mildly depressed about being pregnant and tired, I decided to be a scrub and put my comfortable clothes on, pony tail my hair, and leave my face bare.  

Up until the strange water balloon thing, I also thought I would have a few minutes to freshen up my face before heading off to the hospital.  With Naomi, my water broke at 4:00 am and slowly leaked, but I had no contractions and didn't go to the hospital until about 2:30 pm, so that's why I wasn't panicked and thought I still had some time.  

This time contractions hadn't started yet either, but the water balloon thing...what the...?  It was a bit alarming and confusing so I started to play the "what if?" game and knew I needed to call Hylan right away, but I felt kind of trapped in the bathroom. 

Needless to say, I got my phone and called Hylan who did not answer the first or second time because he was in an appointment, but he did call back within five minutes (this was around 6:30 pm) and I told him he needed to get home immediately.

Meanwhile, as I'm still standing in the tub, I'm trying to google "water balloon hanging out before delivery," but it was not yielding any information, all whilst Naomi is blissfully unaware playing princesses and watching TV. 

Hylan's parents showed up soon thereafter and then so did he.  We decided to call 911 because no one knew what the heck was up with the "water balloon" thing and I wasn't really sure how I could get myself put together and sit in a car and drive to the hospital.  

So, in dramatic fashion, an ambulance came and whisked me away VIP-style to the hospital.  My contractions had just started about then, and I still was calm, but I felt relieved to be in the ambulance because I felt like I would probably make it to the hospital in time and hopefully my doctor would be able to get there.  (By the way, real contractions are a lot less painful than purely pitocin-induced contractions.)

We arrived at the hospital and the EMT guys wheeled me right up to labor and delivery, the nurses called my doctor and hooked me up to all the monitoring devices, but still no one had any answers on what the water balloon thing was. And they sure didn't hold back on the poking and prodding.  Ugh.  

I had plenty of time to order an epidural.  Hylan had time to register at the front desk and get some dinner.  My doctor showed up and was the only one who had an explanation for the "water balloon" thing, which if I understood it correctly was part of the membrane of the amniotic sac that had filled up with amniotic fluid (just like a water balloon).  He had a technical term for it which I wish I could remember, because still no one else has ever heard of such a thing.  Apparently, it wasn't really that serious, but how were we to know?  I sure didn't want to tug on something and have a baby's head pop out.  That would have been scary.

Until I had the epidural, I was uncomfortable (so much leaking...ew) and in some pain, but just relieved to be in the hospital and also still kind of in shock that this was all happening when one day ago I was told it looked like we were still at least a week out!  After the epidural, I was a lot more comfortable.  The nurses started me on some pitocin to help me get going a bit faster.  And we just relaxed, watching a few episodes of Property Brothers on HGTV.

I asked the nurse if she thought I would deliver a "tax baby" and she thought it wouldn't happen until after midnight.  

At about 10:30 pm, she checked me and said that she would come in again in about an hour and probably call my doctor at that point.  And then my doctor walked in.  He did some checking and said, "it's just about time to have a baby."

They prepped everything.  I was super relaxed and comfortable from the epidural.  He said "push" and a few minutes later, a small episiotomy, and about 4 pushes, Rosalie was born.  It was kind of amazing how fast that part went. She was was born at 10:58 pm, tiny and cute!  

Rosalie Maybelle Harper

April 15, 2015, 10:58 pm

6 lbs, 6 oz, 17 inches

Daddy snuggles!

I was there too, though this is the only picture of "me" there is.  ;)

 

cute sign the nurses made

Now I understand why people prepare and pack their bags for the hospital days/weeks in advance because all I had was literally the shirt on my back. So, the next morning Hylan went home to shower and get some clothes for me and Rosie as well as my cell phone charger.  

first outfit

flamingo hat

We left the hospital the next day around 6:30 pm (it would have been earlier but do you know how efficient the discharge process is?).  We were just ready to get home to Naomi and be done with the hospital and all the poking and prodding and laying around.      

And I felt okay this time around, not like with Naomi where I felt awful and dysfunctional physically and emotionally.

Daddy and his girls!

flamingo butt!

Rosie girl has been a dream baby!  I can't believe how well she eats, sleeps, and doesn't cry.  I keep thinking she is going to grow out of this, but so far she is a super happy and contented baby.  And we are actually getting enough sleep around here.  That makes everything better!  Husbands should be home from work more often.  :)

I'm recovering well, much faster than with Naomi and that third degree tear. Not to mention, I've been able to stay upbeat and positive this time around too. And no stress/anxiety with the whole breastfeeding craziness either.  (The Baby Brezza Formula Pro has been one of our best investments!) Everything is going so well, that Hylan, the girls, and I have already made a trip to Costco by ourselves. I've been able to stay on top of keeping a house clean and clothes laundered as well.  What a difference this time around.

Life is good.  What a pleasant surprise to have such a happy baby.  We have had so many friends and family offering help, giving us gifts, and making us meals.  It is so appreciated!  

And now my parents are in town to help out for the next two weeks.  These are special times!

April: Easter, Anniversary, & Rosie's Namesake

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We had another dinner party on Easter Sunday, April 5th!  This will likely be my last hosting event for a bit, but I had just enough energy (and a spiral cut ham from Costco) to motivate me.

Again, my sister's family came over, bringing their funeral potatoes.  YUM.  I spent the Saturday before making this festive carrot cake.  

I spent Sunday morning making these hot cross buns.  Also a hit!

We had dinner (really lunch) in between LDS General Conference sessions. There was the yummy ham and potatoes, peas, pickled beets and eggs, and the baked goods.  I also found some cute Easter lollipops at a local candy store called Peppermint Place. It was certainly enough food for our party of 9 (4 adults, 5 kids).

We also did an Easter Egg hunt in our backyard because I wanted Naomi to have the experience.

Naomi was so excited to receive a Cinderella Magiclip.  She had been watching youtube videos that featured these toys with their dresses and how to make new dresses out of play-doh.

She plays with it for hours every single day.  She also got a Little People Belle and Beast, but Cinderella is her most favorite!  I found it at Smith's Grocery story, but we have since bought a whole set from Target so that we can use the princesses as bribes for something in the future.  :)

...

Well, anyway, so yesterday was our anniversary.

Hylan surprised me by rearranging his schedule so that we could celebrate last Saturday!  He has been working so hard in preparation for taking time off with Rosie baby and I thought he was going to put in a full day Saturday and an even fuller day on Monday, so his efforts to clear some time for just the two of us were greatly appreciated!

He had intended to take me to see Insurgent but I wasn't feeling up to sitting through a movie when we left, so we ended up getting slurpees at 7-Eleven and then going to Target to buy a double stroller.  

After that, he took me to get a much needed pedicure!  I have been wanting one for so long and it felt so good to be pampered a bit.

And then dinner at The Chef's Table, one of my favorite restaurants!

This was waiting for me when we got there. :)

Of course I took no pictures of the food except for dessert, but trust me it was delicious and worth every penny!

Cheesecake for Hylan

Chocolate Dome with Raspberry Sauce for me--THE PERFECT DESSERT!

I really appreciate a quality meal with the best ingredients prepared with the finest techniques!

It was a great day and a much needed date because we rarely get out without taking Nomie girl with us.

...

So now the countdown to Rosie continues!  My due date is Monday, April 20th, but today I will schedule an induction, most likely for Friday, if she doesn't come before then.  

A note on her name.

Little miss Rosie is being named after my grandmother's mother.  Her full name will be Rosalie Maybelle Harper.

My grandmother (Naomi's namesake) lost her mom when she was just 4 years old, a point that has defined her whole life (my grandma is now 91).

Maybelle Rosalie Christina Lewis

with her husband Simeon David Conger

My great grandparents

Maybelle was born in Salt Lake, married in St. George, and passed away in the Las Vegas area.  She was a wonderful singer and was even invited to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at age 19. She also loved the church and attending Sunday School.  She just seems to me to have been a person who was happy and loved life.  She had 11 children, each of which has long since passed away, with the exception of my grandmother.  

I feel strongly connected to my ancestors and can't think of a better way to honor them. I think our meetings and reunions will be so sweet in the after-life!

And so we are excited to meet and love this new little girl who is coming into our lives very soon!  I think I am better prepared this time around and hope to have a better recovery (at least mentally, if not physically as well).  

I also hope that sisters Nomie and Rosie will become close and share a special bond.  

We are about to become a family of four!   

...

And now this blog is current.  PHEW.  Just in the nick of time.  :)

February: An Eventful Month!

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As I mentioned before, my parents came in to town to celebrate my niece's birthday and baptism.  My brother's family also came in to town from San Diego.  This all happened to occur the weekend of the Super Bowl.  I'm not sure why I have no pictures of any of these events, but trust me, we had a great time (until the Seahawks lost--poor Hylan).

But I do have pictures of Naomi's 2nd birthday!  We went to another BYU women's b-ball game in the afternoon.

Chicken dance with the cousins!

Then we had a party back at our house!  I think the cousins enjoyed it.  I kind of did the same menu and decorations as her first birthday.  Naomi especially loved her Minnie Mouse balloons!  We had (crockpot) chicken fajita tacos and angel food cake with strawberry whipped cream and mixed berries.

 

Last year, we gave Naomi a stuffed Minnie Mouse and that was about it.  This year she was a bit more spoiled, but she really loved everything she received! Hylan and I gave her a magnet Elsa doll set that she still plays with every day!

Grandma gave her a singing pink rocking horse (this was during the assembly process) 

In the end, it was a simple, homemade, family birthday party perfect for our 2 year-old.

Another highlight of early February was shopping for fabrics for Rosie's quilt.  

This was only from the first store.  There will be at least 12 other fabrics, but I just couldn't resist the cute little Minnies for some of the quilt blocks.  My mom will embroider some special blocks to sew in as well.  I can't wait to see how it turns out because I haven't even seen all of the fabric choices!

...

On Valentine's Day, I just had to bake!  This is my favorite recipe for sugar cookies and frosting.  It makes tons, so lots of neighbors got to benefit.

I was going to make the Minnie Mouse cookies for Naomi's birthday, but I didn't have the time or energy, nor was it necessary, so they were included in the Valentine's Day baking!

...

My grandma (Naomi's namesake) made this blue dress for me when I was a little girl.  She had been asking about it since Naomi is the right size, so it was time to send some pictures!

I originally wanted to have some professional pics done, but if I waited to do that then it probably wouldn't have happened.  So one Sunday morning, we dressed her up, plopped her in a chair, told her to say cheese, and took pics with our phones.  ha ha!

It was really hard to narrow down some favorites because her expressions were so different, but my sister-in-law edited and spliced this one together for us.  Thanks Beth!

By the way, whenever someone tries to tell me my daughter looks like me, I wonder why they are lying to me.  We don't.  It doesn't make me sad one bit. She's adorable.  But it does kind of make me mad when people lie to me, you know?  Okay, not really.  But seriously, people, I'm not blind.

We are totally alike in personality though, so it's very easy to relate to her.  

...

Naomi's favorite pastime is watching youtube videos. She especially loves old Mickey Mouse cartoons, various videos of Disney toys, kid song videos (like Daddy finger, Baby Big Mouth, Wheels on the Bus), and these videos where they crack open plastic eggs or chocolate eggs to discover some sort of toy.  I don't even know how she finds these things, but she is very skilled at using the tablet.  I don't really mind because a lot of the videos reinforce learning colors, shapes, and songs.  It's nice she's content to entertain herself so I can do stuff like cooking, cleaning, or exercising.  :)

She rarely falls asleep outside of her room, but I guess she was tired this day.

...

Hylan's birthday was on Thursday, the 26th and we spent the day together as a family!  It's always nice when he takes time off, so that was a present in itself.  I bought him a couple of new ties that he needed and we ate at Rodizio for lunch and PF Chang's for dinner.  But again, sometimes I get too busy enjoying the moment to take pictures of things.

And that was February.  The third trimester really started to kick in and slow me down by now.

Next blog:  March:  Disney on Ice, Nesting, and San Diego!  

January: The year started off poorly but the month ended well!

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Moms should never get sick!  Moms don't get sick days.  Pregnant women should be exempt from infections and viruses.  Ugh.  Yuck.  Talk about losing control of your body!

So, the thanks we get for taking care of our sick children, sometimes results in us getting sick (this season was such a bad one for people everywhere).

I got a cough/cold that lasted for at least two weeks (it wasn't the flu, I did get tested even though I had a flu shot) and then just when I thought it was clearing up, it turned in to a sinus infection (luckily, antibiotics can help with that!).  It was bad enough that I had to cancel my second class of the semester because I was just too ill to do anything.  It was also difficult because how do you take care of a toddler and your own fatigued pregnant self when you're sick?

And the gagging.  Oh my gosh the gag reflex comes on strong for me, especially during the so-called glorious trimester.  Teeth brushing and retainer-wearing were just so annoyingly gag-inducing.  Add that to persistent coughing, and all of a sudden you have a recipe for more cookie-tossing.  YUCK. YUCK. YUCK.  I did way more of that this pregnancy than last, and a lot of it was just because the hacking caused so much distress that that is how my body reacted.

In short, it was miserable on so many levels.  Not to mention, once I actually got better, it still took my lungs at least an additional couple more weeks to heal. Laying down was not my friend for a long time.  When I get a cough, man it is just that bad barking cough, and I hate it.  And it's so hard to sleep!

But on to happier subjects...

Back in November, Hylan had mentioned something about how he wanted to start the tradition of taking Naomi to BYU women's basketball games.  Um, really Hylan?  You don't have to twist my arm.  I think we ended up going to at least 5 games in January in February and I'm pretty sure I initiated all of those trips, but it was because he said he wanted to!

So, one of those days when I wasn't feeling awesome (but better than on January 1st when we had planned on going with my sister's family to a game and having a traditional New Year's dinner together), we took Naomi to her first BYU women's basketball game.  And it was good times!

She got to wear her fancy track suit.

It's so much less stress to go to a women's game because there is lots of room to play!

And the chicken dance is always involved during a timeout in the second half. The cord guy is kind of in the way, but I'm so glad Naomi has such a great Daddy who is willing to take her down on the court.

They may have held up traffic a bit, but I just thought they were a cute pair!

Oh yeah, and then there was that time that Naomi went to the doctor with me, during one of my many prenatal exams, and when we got home, I turned around to notice that she had stuck a giant sticker to her head.

Here's a better shot.  I didn't panic but I did put her right in the tub.  After a few attempts at different methods of removing the sticker without creating a bald spot, I finally realized that baby oil might work.  A little dousing and it slipped right off!  Phew.  Tragedy averted.  So, let that be a lesson for the future.  Greasy hair is much better than a bald spot!  And at least baby oil smells good.  :)

Later in January, we found ourselves shopping for Rosie.  Hylan said that she needed some of her own (new) clothes.  I'm not sure that I felt it was necessary, but you pick your battles, right?  ;o) Once again, you don't have to twist my arm off, Hylan!  Whatever you say, dear.  :)

When I found the flamingo baby clothes at the Carter's outlet, it was super hard to resist buying too much! And then later in the week, it was super hard to resist the other flamingo outfits we found at Kohl's.  I thought I might take something back and then I realized I didn't really need to.  Everything was just too cute!  

Did you know I've been obsessed with flamingos since the first grade?  It's my thing.  I love that babies don't care what you dress them in so you can dress them in whatever floats your own fancy. And so I do!  And this is why sometimes you do a load of darks, sometimes a load of whites, and sometimes you do a load of pinks!  Yep. Or maybe that's just me. I bet it's just me.  :)

Hylan worked a lot in January too.  He even got to do some events at Sundance with clients and coworkers, but the wives were uninvited, so Naomi and I had a date one Friday night to the Dyson repair shop, Lowe's, Costco, and Culver's.  That's what this crazy selfie is all about.

My parents came out in late January through early February for my niece's baptism, so that really helped take the woes out of the month also, but more on that in the February post.

This next picture is just another one of my faves.  It was taken the day my mom, sister, and I met up at IKEA.  The pink sweater with the white collar, the white skirt (under her Betsy doll), the tights, the patent leather shoes, and the curly puff on top of her head, I just gush.  Sorry, I'm gushing.  I'm the mom.

 

And that's a better way to end the month.  And a blog post!


Next Up: February: More family fun, Naomi's 2nd Birthday, and the blue dress photo shoot!

September: Adventures in Kauai land

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The first trimester has yet to treat me well.  Persistent nausea, fatigue, food aversions, "cookie tossing," I cannot overstate how miserable and consuming those weeks are!  For me, it lasts well in to the second trimester.  Anyway, this is how I spent much of that time (when I wasn't tending to a toddler, or teaching my classes--how I managed that is a whole 'nother topic).  Kitty boy didn't seem to mind one bit, though!

But we had this big trip planned to Kauai for the end of September.  Who plans a trip during weeks 9-10 of pregnancy?  Well, we planned it before I was pregnant and the reason we were going was for my brother's wedding.  So...here is a nice "little" travelogue of our epic family vacation to a tropical paradise we had never before visited.  This is really for my own amusement, so bear with me.

First of all, although it may seem like we did a lot and had tons of nonstop fun, honestly, I was sick the whole trip.  I had Zofran handy, but tried not to take more than one dose a day because I don't like drug-dependency and worry that there is more harm than benefit.  It provided a little relief for a few hours, but not much.

Also, somehow we ended up going during the hottest time (like really, they were having record high temperatures) because of no trade-winds.  Although we stayed in two beautiful places, neither of which had air conditioning, so we were a bit miserable (except for when driving in the car, or stopping at places like McDonald's--yes, just for the air conditioning!).

We also traveled with a toddler.  Enough said.

So, before I make this trip sound super dreamy, let's just say, it wasn't quite the relaxing getaway we had pictured, but it was a good time and very memorable.  And I took naps frequently, probably more than Naomi.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

We left Utah in the afternoon, flying to LA first, where we met up with my parents and brother Mitch who flew in from PA (they really had a long day of travel).  The flight from LA to Kauai was long, but grandma sat close by, I had Hylan, and was well stocked on stickers, coloring books, etc. so we survived with our "lap baby" on the 5-6 hour flight.

When we arrived in Lihu'e, we proceeded to rent our cars and drive to Koloa.  I think we got to our place around 10 pm (everything was closed by then which was a problem since our baby needed milk.)  Grandma and Grandpa found an ice cream shop that graciously gave them some free milk for Naomi.

We stayed in this gorgeous house on a golf course that accommodated all of the family that was coming.

Sunday, September 21, 2015

We used this day to stock up on supplies.  Hylan and I went to the grocery store early and then we all went to Costco later in the afternoon.  We may have also watched football (yeah, we're like that, but that was when I was still hopeful for a great Eagles season).  Mitch, Hylan, Naomi and I also went to see the Spouting Horn.  It was quite a peaceful place.

Spouting Horn (not my picture)

Monday, September 22, 2015

This was a take a drive, visit state parks, admire the beauty of the island, chase the chickens kind of day.  

I can't remember exactly where we were, but I know we drove west on 50.

 This is probably Waimea as we started to drive north on 550

 We were so happy in this moment! Ha.

I think this is Waimea Canyon

 Can't remember which park/forest reserve this was but it was in the canyon somewhere.

 The roosters are everywhere on this island 

(and they made sure to wake us up every morning)

 Too cute

Tuesday, September 23, 2015

Beach day!  We were staying only about 2 minutes from Poipu beach, a delightful spot, so we went there with my brother Mitch.  It was refreshing.  We really should have spent more time at the beach! Naomi loved it.  Hylan loved it. And I liked it when I wasn't feeling too nauseated.  

Wednesday, September 24, 2015

This day we scheduled a pleasant train ride and nature walk (with lunch) at the Kiahuna Plantation.  It turned out to be a short rainy train ride, a hike through a muddy forest, Costco lunch, and a hot walk through the fruit trees (but with samples!), not quite what we expected, but certainly memorable.  

I'm not sure how we survived, to be honest.  Especially me.  Especially my parents.  Especially Naomi who was carried the whole time (wish we would have had one of those backpack carriers!). Especially Hylan. Oh well.  Lesson learned.    

 Pineapple Hair!

 Sitting on the train

 (we thought this would last much longer...)

Climbing the Banyan trees

(before it rained)

 (still before we were muddy and annoyed by our tour)

After our "hike" through the "forest," we had lunch.  The best part was the fresh pineapple.  We thought we were going to get a gourmet lunch from their renowned restaurant on site, but instead it was Costco turkey roll ups, chips, cookies, and locally flavored sodas.  What we didn't eat, we tossed to the chickens (apparently they'll eat ANYTHING!).

We were soggy and muddy at this point, so I'm not sure we were in the best of spirits.  The next part of the tour was a walk through the fruit trees.  I was actually excited for this part, but this is when the sun came out and cooked us until we melted!  But, the fun part was sampling the ripe fruit.

 The faces say it all!

 I'm melting!

 Probably feeding Daddy rambutan or something.

The starfruit was amazing!  You haven't tasted starfruit until you pluck it fresh off the tree.  They had tons of trees overloaded with fruit.  We were allowed to pick as many as we wanted (but really they are best eaten straight off the tree, even the next day they aren't as good).

We also ate some oranges and a few other native fruits that were in season.

Look at this cute little baby pineapple.  It takes them 2 years to mature (if they aren't gassed like they do on the big plantations).  I love pineapple.  I usually eat so much it gives me canker sores, but it's so worth it!

Hylan asked Kai (our guide) if he could get some coconuts too.  Check out those coconuts!

It was quite fun to watch Hylan bash the coconuts on the side of the railroad tracks and then let all the tour members sample the sweet water from within.  I totally get the coconut water thing.  It was so refreshing on that hot day near the end of our tour.  

 The rest of us let it drip into our mouths.  Nomie got a little cup.

Time to sample the coconut "meat"

Like I said, this wasn't really the tour we expected (it was pricey too) and we probably wouldn't recommend it, though just the train ride would have been worth it, but it sure did make for great memories.  I still have a few mud stains on the shoes I wore that day, even after washing them, to remind me of this day.

Thursday, September 25, 2015

We went to Poipu beach again this day!  Yay!  

But this was also wedding day!  And by this time, my sister and her husband had also arrived.

The wedding took place outside at "The Beach House" restaurant.

Before we melted

It rained just before the ceremony and then it was hot and we melted yet again! I wasn't feeling all that great (but was anyone really?) until later in the evening when the sun went down.

The ceremony was right by the ocean so it was hard to hear.  Then we had hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and yummy sorbet during picture time.  Hylan and I snuck in to the restaurant for a bit to cool off (while my parents went home to change).  

Of course I have no picture of the beautiful wedding or food, but look at my cute little Nomie!

 So sweet!

 Dad, brother, brother-in-law

 You can't tell, but this was sunset and it was gorgeous!

 Nomie and Uncle Mitch

 How we kept her occupied during the wedding dinner!

Smart phones save the day!

That was quite the day.  Luckily, we were only staying just a few minutes away. I think we all slept well that night.

Friday, September 26, 2015

Now this day we went on the Wailua River Boat tour to see the Fern Grotto in Kapaa.  The boat ride was relaxing but Naomi was not.  

It's kind of hard to see, but it was really quite neat.  Here is a stock photo:

(not my pic)

The family running this business did some entertainment here and on the boat. This is Hylan trying to appease Naomi while I rested on a bench and my Mom and Dad stayed in the shade.

These kinds of things are really just so spectacular in person.  I would definitely recommend this boat tour (without an ornery-needs-to-nap toddler).

After this, we went to some lookout points to see Wailua Falls up close and personal.

Again,  it was just gorgeous.  You can sort of see the prism rainbow in the next picture.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Moving Day!  This day we had to check out of the golf house and move up to a condo in Princeville. In between that fun, we snuck in a helicopter ride!  This was hands down my absolute favorite part of the trip.  If you ever get the opportunity to ride in a helicopter, particularly in Kauai, please take advantage of it (unless it's overcast, then you will be disappointed).  It is worth every penny!

 Our Pilot (he was fabulous and informative)

We had to put on black t-shirts so our reflections wouldn't glare off the glass.  I got to sit front middle.  My brother and father sat in the back with two ladies (they like to fill up the helicopters or they won't book the flight).  My mom stayed in the (air conditioned) car and played with Naomi during our trip.

I made a video of pics that Hylan took with my phone.  To anyone else, they will just be boring unremarkable pics, but in person, it was breathtaking.  I didn't want to close my eyes the entire time. 

If you can't view it, here is one of my favorite pics from the day.

So ugly, right?  Haha!

Later that night after we checked in to the Wyndham, we had dinner in Hanalei, but why am I even mentioning that since I don't have any pics?!  

This was a good day!  It was also the day my brother Mitch had to fly home to PA.  

Meanwhile, my sister and her husband had been spending every day on some new adventurous hike (they were smart not to come with their four kids).  I was only jealous that my body would not allow me to have such fun, but if I ever go back, I will not be sick or pregnant and will go on hikes (and do some snorkeling in the Napali coast--that was one thing that I didn't think I could handle but wish I could have done).

Sunday, September 27, 2015

We decided to go to church in Hanalei this day and do some resting.  This was a shot of some falls after a rain storm on the way from Princeville to Hanalei.

My mom and sister made a spaghetti dinner after church.  Hylan and I decided to do a bit of swimming in the resort pool with Naomi.  And then our entire resort blacked out due to a storm. Wait, what?  Yup, we found some facilities people handing out glow sticks.  And yes, it was still hot, but now our fans weren't working!  I think the blackout lasted at least two hours and of course it happened just as darkness set in.  

We also visited with my newly married brother his wife that night.  I remember not feeling great and not wanting to do much that evening.

Monday, September 28, 2015

I think the trip was catching up to me because I also rested on this day, but we did have a family dinner at CJ's in Princeville.  Seems like I ate crab and other yummy stuff, but it wasn't like the best ever, just average.

Here's a funny pic from one of the shopping places in Hanalei.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

We visited Kilauea Point Lighthouse on this day.  I didn't take many pictures, but did snap these gorgeous pics from the lookout.

Here's an image I found on google of the lighthouse.  I don't remember what I learned about the lighthouse, but it was yet another beautiful spot on the island.

(not my pic)

That night we ate dinner at a place called The Blue Dolphin (I can't remember anything remarkable about it but I think it was just Hylan, Naomi, and I) and then spent the rest of the evening poolside again.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

I must have been feeling really sick, because I stopped taking pictures at this point.  My sister and her husband bid us farewell on this day as well.

We took a nice long drive as far west as we could from Hanalei  and also visited Hanalei Bay Beach Park for a bit.  It was a great spot, but we weren't in our swimming attire.

We also found a local ice cream shop.  It was so hot that I probably didn't have time to take a picture of the ice cream but I ordered fresh coconut (because we were on a tropical island for heaven's sake--I can eat any other yummy chocolate flavored, etc. ice cream anywhere else any time).  And it was divine. So simple.  So not artificial tasting.  I really loved it.

That night my parents also watched Naomi for a bit so we could go see what the St. Regis was like. It was gorgeous (and air conditioned!)  We ate some appetizers, people watched, and dreamed of the next time when we could come back and spend like $500 a night on that resort ;).  The sunset that night was beautiful too.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Our last day!  We checked out of the Wyndham and drove around all day since our flight was a red-eye.  We went to the ABC and bought trinkets.  We went to Walmart just because it was less hot inside.  We found the mall in Lihu'e and wandered inside Macey's trying to stay cool.

We also found this incredible local spot called Mark's Place that had the best food we ate on the island. We ate there twice it was so yummy, just good old-fashioned Hawaiian-inspired home-cooking.  It was a little hole-in-the wall take-out restaurant (no indoor seating) in an industrial part of town.  I think it was recommended to us by one of the nursery leaders at church.  Gosh, we wished we would have found that place sooner though, instead of those other over-priced, less-than-stellar restaurants we ate at, because we would have eaten there every night.  I remember the beef stew!  I remember the chicken katsu and the teriyaki beef also. The rice. The macaroni salad.  It was all delicious.  

I also made a point to find a nice shave ice stand, so I could feel like I was having an authentic Hawaiian experience.  

I got whatever was recommended to me by the guy working the stand.  It was a combo of tropical flavors (can't remember which kinds) with Li Hing Mui powder on top and ice cream in the middle. Again, so worth it.  I snapped a selfie to remember that experience.  

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach at the Kauai Marriott Resort. And it was the most awesome beach. All the beaches have public access, so this is why we ended up there.  I knew about it because it was where my new sister-in-law had her hair/nails/make-up done.  I had gone with her to have a pedicure the night before the wedding.  

I actually think this is where we would stay if we ever return to Kauai.  Naomi had the best time at this beach.  As you can see, we weren't all that prepared, since all of our stuff was packed away in our suit cases, but at least we had swim diapers!  Hylan and Naomi played while I watched, most of the time.  

It was another unexpected highlight of our trip.  

After that, we hosed off in the outdoor showers and Hylan managed to change in the back of our rental car.  We then met back up with my parents and just hung out at McDonald's (because where else could we go at that time of night?) until heading off to the airport.

Our travel home is another story of craziness, but it sure was fun to spend two hours on the tarmac in the airplane from 10pm-midnight in Kauai because of mechanical difficulties (the jet bridge wouldn't pull away from the plane and the mechanic had to be called in from home).  And did I mention we had a lap baby? And it was a red eye?  And of course we then missed our connecting flight from LA to Salt Lake.  Naomi did manage to sleep most of the way and only had one melt-down.  Hylan and I slept very little.  I've always hated red-eyes.  

Friday, October 2, 2015

We were exhausted by the time we finally rolled up to our home late Friday afternoon (we were supposed to get in and be home in the morning hours.  We had even thought we would watch the BYU/Utah State football game with my sister's family, but we were so exhausted we couldn't keep our eyes open.  So then we slept and recovered!

The end.  Our epic trip came to a close. What a time!  Definitely some highs and lows, but lots of memories.  I can't believe how many places Naomi has been in her lifetime--so many places that have been firsts for me, she has already experienced (though I'm sure she'll want to experience them again when she is older and can remember!).

Next post: October, Fall, Halloween!