A Swim after Thanksgiving Dinner

You my only friend...

Just a Little Spattering of Beef Stroganoff

Life is Good

I got the original Super Mario Brothers for Wii this afternoon and by 9pm this is what I saw. Feels like 1989 all over again...

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!

And fun we are having!!

Over the past few weeks, we have really been settling in and it feels GREAT! Chris has been busy with work. We have picked up Skype and gmail video chat! My new favorite way to chat with people. It has been fun to get glimpses of friends and family. So nice to see friends, their babies grow, family and growing bellies with babies to be! LOVE.

We have met many neighbors. We get together for evenings on our porches, Friday night game nights from time to time. We have been invited and will be camping for Thanksgiving. That's right, camping on the beach for Thanksgiving!! It will be very different from sipping hot apple cider (Chris's favorite) and watching the windows fog from the hot, cooking kitchen and cool outdoor weather; but exciting! Our new friends have invited us to Bellows Air Force Station where we will be starting Thanksgiving Morning for 3 days!

I attended a baby food class at our local eco-baby/mommy store called Baby aWEARness! This was a lot of fun! Met the owner who started the business after she moved to the island. Learned about introducing solid foods (even though our little bugger has been refusing purees, she wants what we are having)! I have learned to admit I am a control freak (ha ha ha...I picture anyone who knows me saying...we have known this for a loooong time Naomi). Anywhoo- I think I have learned finally after almost 9 months that Greta is driving this bus, and we are along for the ride! We will just raise our hands for added fun! hee hee

I bought myself an early Christmas present of GroVia diapers to add to my stash of cloth diapers. Coolest thing is that they are cloth at home or out and about, then when we camp or travel I can buy disposable inserts that are biodegradeable AND good for our little girls tush! GENIUS! I am soo excited about this. :)

Well we miss everyone greatly, but are loving settling in and living here in Hawaii. See you on Skype soon! or looking forward to emails and phone calls!

Love

Naomi Chris and Greta too!

Koi Now, Sashimi Later...

House Tour

So we finally got our abode in order enough to take some pictures and a video walkthrough...

Oh...Monday!

I have to start by saying HOW COULD I FORGET to share that yesterday on Halloween, Greta waved for the first time. It was in her costume to Chris! It was perfect. We had been out and about this past weekend and some other shoppers were commenting that Greta was smiling and waving at them while we were holding her, but we never actually saw it! Last night I was holding her and we were looking at Chris and there it was, while we said "Hi Daddy"..So cute!

She is standing a lot longer nowadays too. She always seems to fall on her bum, but is standing much longer and getting more adventurous by the minute. Awhile ago, we started an over/under on first word or first step by Thanksgiving, but we are definitely thinking first step now! We will see.

Insurance Update from yesterday: Well, we learned that our new insurance starts Dec. 1st, so I had to cancel our appointments for today. I called our new clinic and they could not have been nicer (yah for us). The only negative thing is that our insurance must be active to make an appointment. I have been talking to other moms and the clinic themselves (all of which are in agreement that this isn't a big deal); but my main concern is that Greta needs her 9mo shots (Nov. 22 is her 9mo bday) and she is going to have to wait until after Dec. 1st. (I really don't want to go through the trouble of one pediatrician this month, another one next month. Seems like a waste of time on our part (one meeting appt, one official appointment, paperwork etc.) to then turn around and do it all again. Of course, if that is what I have to do I will, but it doesn't seem like a couple of weeks will be a big deal (any moms reading this have any insight?).

She looks like a nun!

Anywhoo-- Today Greta and I ventured to the Zoo to meet some really nice moms for a play date. It was pouring when we left, and the zoo is down by Diamond Head, so I gave myself enough time to get there, park and purchase a pass. Some of the moms were running late and got caught in traffic (accident on the highway). I was able to meet and talk with a GREAT mom who has twins just 10 days older than Greta. It was nice to talk about (what are you feeding now? how much? what have you tried? etc.). The sun, of course came out, and I was anything but prepared. Greta ended up using my hoodie for a hat (which she really didn't like). I wet a cloth and kept it on her head.

Poor thing, it was sooo hot! Overall she did really well! She is a little young to fully enjoy the animals, but must have enjoyed herself because she zonked out on the way home! Here is Greta at the end of our trip and a visit from a peacock:

We then ventured to the DMV to register my car! We had everything we needed, but they didn't have my Saturn Astra in their records for weight and now we have to go to a weigh station and have the vehicle weighed before the registration can be completed. ughh... DMV, at least the woman helping us was super nice!! She told us when we come back, we don't have to wait in line, just pop right up to her window! WHAT...you won't find that service on the mainland at the DMV. There is still that written test that I am dreading.

Later tonight we let Greta run around in just her diaper to cool off and just relax. She didn't get any crawl time today being at the zoo, and was completely envious of the toddlers running around the zoo, so she needed some unwinding time. This is how she decided to spend it:

hmm..what's in here?

no!! It's cool in there! Don't close it!!

Well, until we write again! Love you all!

C-N-G

Week in Review..

This was one of those weeks--went by fast but not a lot went on! Somehow the weekend seems to pull it all together.

We focused this week on helping Greta feel more comfy and safe in our new home. This meant staying at home, crib for naps and bedtime. It was quite a struggle, but we hung in there with numerous trips back to the bedroom. At times it was pick up from crib, stop crying, back in crib in a continuous motion. I felt like a jack-in-the-box with no wind up! But needless to say, it is getting easier, she is sleeping for longer stretches of time! She is still nursing in the night for comfort more than hunger (I know some people don't agree with this type of comfort but it works for now). She has always done things in her own (time), I should have learned that during labor!

I got my car Tuesday! YEAH! We were able to get a safety inspection and planned a trip to the DMV but they are closed on Furlough days, and this past Friday was one of them, so we hope to get my car registered and Hawaii plates this coming week! Then I won't feel like such an out-of-towner! Also, to transfer your license you must take a written exam. This creates much anxiety in me, (insert laughter at myself here); of course, I have been reading the driving manual online at the DMV website. Did you know you can turn left on red (only when driving from a one way street to another one way street after stopping)? hmmmm..see I did learn something new!

We continue to get the house in order and have become quite creative in storing our crap ( I mean things). It's starting to feel a lot like home and we like that! We have some things to hang on the walls, some pieces of furniture which might go on craigslist (counter height leather stools-too low for our breakfast bar; and maybe one of our living room chairs), but for now we are hanging on to them. We bought an outdoor table from craigslist today!! Very exciting!! I have been checking EVERY day, okay maybe like 6 times a day for new postings (there is so much turnover in relocations and deployments with the military, that craigslist is a GREAT place to shop!). Today was our lucky day. A young couple had a great table/chairs/umbrella set that they didn't want to go into storage (he is being deployed to Middle East in a few weeks (insert sad face). We were able to help each other out which felt good! I have soo much respect for our troops and their families.

Today, what is quickly turning into our Sunday routine: Farmers Market and Beach! Yup, we hit up the Haleiwa Farmers Market again and went to a new beach: Waimea Bay Beach Park. Stunning, beautiful, one of our favorite spots so far! The surf and current were really strong (if you go to the link you will see the warnings). This didn't seem to keep anyone away, but everyone was careful. It was really breathtaking. To top it all off, within swimmable distance, we saw 2 sea turtles! What a great day! Of course, Greta was too busy eating sand to see the turtles!

Oh, yah! HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Our little munchkin was tuckered out from the morning (market and the beach was all before noon today). She didn't nap much as we went running around to get the table (Kaneohe) and then still had to dress her in her BEE costume from Uncle Ray and Aunt Meghan! She was cute as ever and a tuckered out little girl!

Don't worry she didn't really eat any candy!

Here's to the coming week! I may join a playdate/mommy group tomorrow! This is ONLY a maybe because I have appointments scheduled for Greta to meet a pediatrician and us to meet a primary care doctor (trust me, this was not an easy task this week, Greta had to get accepted to the practice..I know, right?). Well Saturday we received from forwarded mail and guess what! Our insurance is changing now that we are in HI! This clinic (appt's tomorrow) don't accept our new insurance. So tomorrow shall be a fun day sorting this all out. Who knows when we will get our new policy number! (Better be soon, because 9mo shots are due in oh...about 22 days)...And we will be heading to the DMV too! Other than that, we don't have any other plans yet...Will keep you posted.

Love

C-N-G