cole & other stuff

Look at my nephew - isn't he so cute!
I really want to eat him up.
Kalia goes crazy over these photos,
she told me "He is cute, cute, cute.
He is magnificent cute. Cole is my baby."

Oh this one is too much!
And he's already sporting the mohawk!
He is so cute, seriously want to kiss those cheeks.

As part of my marketing job for Duke's Beach House,
I get to set up some of our community outreach programs.
Each TS restaurant has an Educator Program and
Duke's has partnered with Princess Nahienaena Elementary School.
The school's committee chooses a staff member each month
as our "Educator of the Month"
and we present them with dinner for two.
I went in last Wednesday and presented our first
educator award on their morning video broadcast
to all the kids and it was so much fun!

Storytime at the Coffee Store

Lining up at Graduation for Kalia's Pre-School
Kalia doesn't graduate until next year,
but they all were to perform.

The graduation performance was a little overwhelming
for Kalia and I guess she couldn't see us, so she came to find us.
In the end, she went back up for the end of the showcase.
She was being a brave girl!

Joel & Maya playing at Kalia's Pre-School

Kalia in the morning.
Just being Kalia- wearing her blankey as a dress.
Lining up her people in the window.

Mom's Group at Napili Park
Well, I guess it's now playgroup, but I still
call it Mom's Group.
Notice Maya is looking at Joel, shortly after
she was pointing at him and then went over to sit in
his lap. Often, she just says his name out of the blue.

Maya at Leilani's
The short portion when she actually
was sitting in her seat.
Erik has been working so much, we went in
during his manager shift and had lunch.

Kalia knows exactly what she likes to do at "daddy's work".
She colors all the flowers in the lei in alternating rainbow colors on the kids menu.
When we came into the restaurant, they were just opening and
erik was upstairs. Both girls were yelling "daddy" over and over again.
It's hard to let daddy work and not want to be carried by him.

Dress Rehearsal at the MACC, I ran out of room on my card before it finished:(

Dress Rehearsal Videos - Saturday

Dance Show

Dress Rehearsal- Westside Studio

Saturday Night

Waiting for Dress Rehearsal- Sunday
The MACC
Castle Theatre

Dress Rehearsal on the big stage!

The girls waiting for the show to start!

We waited a long time.

The girls didn't perform until after
intermission - Maya hanging out outside
during the first act.

Me and my girls after the show:)

Kalia

Saturday night the girls had a dress rehearsal at their studio in Kahana. Family and friends got to watch the girls perform and it was really cute. I forgot one of Kalia's ballet shoes at home and Erik saved the day by driving home to get it just in time!

Sunday was the big show and they had a dress rehearsal at the MACC at 1:30, the show started at 3pm. Kalia and Scarlett watched the big girls from backstage - so cute. Then the girls went on to practice- it was a lot different than doing it in the studio. Then we snacked and waited for the show to start. The girls actually didn't go on until the very end - the first part was an hour, then intermission and then they were the 7th number. It was hard to sit and wait. During the first part, Kalia & Devyn did a show in the middle isle. Then during the second act before they went on Kalia & Scarlett danced and held hands and giggled a whole bunch. Then it was time to go on - it was so cute to watch, video coming soon, they did a great job and even improvised when two circles became 3 circles and their position went a little awry and Kalia led everyone off the stage. It was a great day. Kalia and I met some other kids and parents for dinner at Duke's (Erik took Maya home to go to bed) and they were just having so much fun! Luckily we were in Duke's Den - private dining room, so we could let them go crazy - 4 little girls and the volume was very, very loud. Kalia was exhausted by the time we got home, what a great day.

epic beach day & some notes

Sunday at Napili Bay
This photo was when the tide came up,
but when we first arrived it was so low tide
that we walked the girls out 30 feet and
they were able to stand in a sandy patch.
There was exposed reef- making a little tidepool
with crabs & fish. It was amazing.
I will definitely be checking low tide times-
so worth it, it was as calm as baby beach.

At home today.
Maya was running a fever,
but didn't keep the girls from
playing dress up.

Kalia is so camera shy!

So Maya was sick today - she was running a fever and was held most of the day. Kalia was so excited to have a sick day at home. She said, "can we stay at home all day and not go anywhere?" Which really means, can I stay in my princess dress & wear fairy wings all day? At one point Maya and I fell asleep on the couch (we had been up 4 times last night with a 5:30am wake up) and after waking found Kalia in full princess gear in her room.

Kalia & Daddy are having a little run around time after dinner, since she was cooped up all day with Maya & I. They have gone up the "big hill" to roll down and "surf" the grass wave. Kalia is so funny, when they were leaving she said exactly what Erik said to me, "Good-bye mommy, i love you, thanks for a great dinner."

The other day the girls and I were walking to take out the trash and check the mail. I told Maya "hold Mama's hand" and held my hand out for her to grab and then she said, "no, sister". Then she walked over and grabbed Kalia's hand.

Yesterday on the way home from the beach, Kalia was adamant that she was NOT tired and did not need a nap. 3 1/2 minutes in the car and she said, "mommy, can I fall asleep in the car" and crashed out!

Here's some notes on Maya:
- Maya doesn't like the blanket to wrap around her feet, or if I'm carrying her- my dress or shirt either.
-When I'm doing the routine for nap or bed (reading, then sing twinkle, twinkle & ba ba black sheep), she is always sucking her right thumb and with the left hand she must be grabbing my fingers.
-She loves to sit on the curb and tap her feet on the ground, if you do it with her, she will laugh.

Here's some notes on Kalia:
- Kalia now sleeps with a "house" of pillows around her.
- Her routine now goes - stories, songs, kisses & hugs to mommy, mommy puts on magic shield and leaves, then daddy stays for prayers and arm tickles.
- Kalia does not like liquid hand soap, she thinks it's gross, especially if some of the liquid soap has gooped on the outside of the container. She especially, especially does not like liquid hand soap in public bathrooms. Even our hand soap freaked her out today, it fell on the ground and I made her pick it up and she was yelling "gross, that's disgusting" - OK, some was gooped on the side.

kissies

So even though I was thinking about
recycling Kalia's Box Store,
we now have two.
Well, I am starting to see a reoccuring
theme - two of everything.

Our first plants are sprouting.

Post Ballet

Just a typical scene.

I want everything my sister has,
"bike". Move it sister.

Maya has been giving kissies on demand. We are definitely practicing for our visit to California in June!

Today Maya pointed to the doorbell and said "ding dong". I was really surprised she remembered, it's been weeks since we did that. She actually kept saying it over and over again and I finally realized what she wanted - to ring the doorbell. She also was repeating everything today, i was telling erik a story about when we went to the pool on monday with Celia and Scarlett and she kept saying, "celia, celia, celia" - and it's not that easy of a name to say! Then she wanted to eat her raisins while i pushed her on the tricycle and I said, "you can't ride your bike while you eat raisins." Then she said over and over "raisins, raisins," and laughed.

At ballet today - the girls are getting ready for the show next week and are looking pretty good! While we waited outside with the parents, Maya went around to everyone and gave out pretzels and she would not take no for an answer- she's quite persistent.

I was telling my sister the other day, Kalia & Maya are either best friends or they are ready to go to blows. She said, "sounds about right"...and she's right, that sounds just like our entire childhood. I just needed to look at it from a different perspective, it's different when you're looking at it from the mom angle.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day 2010 I got to sleep in a little and the girls had made me these cards. At school Kalia had decorated this pot for me and then went with Daddy to pick out some seeds. Last week when Erik asked Kalia what she wanted to get me for Mother's Day, she said "Mommy needs a crown". So I got my very own tiara and wore it proudly all morning.

At breakfast-
We decided to go to the Sands of Kahana
for breakfast- not one of our usual spots.
It was totally empty and perfect,
the girls had free reign.
We got to actually relax a bit.

Planting some seeds

Maya loved this part.

Kalia helping too!

Ballet Class - routine all dressed up, finally was able to upload.

So Maya has been talking like crazy, she's been saying "outside" when she wants to go out and "up" when she wants to be put into Kalia's booster seat. "More" when she wants more and really copying a lot of words. There is a new touch and feel book that we've been reading and before we even get to the word, she says "bumpy". The other morning the three of us girls were lying on my bed and Maya stood up and faced us and told us a really long and animated story and at parts would just start laughing. Kalia & I were laughing so hard, it was so cute and funny.

Dancing

Hanging at the Hyatt Pool

Kalia & Scarlett
looking at themselves in the mirror
in their costumes for the recital!

Our blue beauties

Practicing

Waiting

Erik had friends in town and we went to eat at Hula Grill. We suggested that Kalia go up and dance with the band- and she did! Another little girl got up later and danced with her too - but Kalia got up in front of all those people and decided that yes, she would dance. Later she told me, "mommy, i just had to dance." It was amazing.

Maya is going around the house saying, "sit down" and "bye, see ya". We've had issues sitting in highchairs and in shopping carts, so I guess she's repeating what she's been hearing. She also has called her blanket "nigh,nigh" and when she wants to go outside "bye, bye". She has also been crying for daddy whenever she sees his photo and today tried to get him with her fingers out of a photo and cried when it didn't happen.

Cole

Introducing the newest addition to our family:
COLE JAMES REYNOLDS-HALE
4/29/10, 10:50PM
7 lbs. 11 oz, 20 1/2 inches

Congratulations Lo & Vere!
He is so amazing.

Mommy & Cole
My baby sister is a mommy!
It's just too amazing for words.

My sister had her beautiful baby Cole on thursday night and everyone is now home. My mom is down helping and I am harassing them with phone calls. This is one of those times that it is very difficult to live an ocean away. I really want my turn to hold him! We love you Cole!

MAUI GOINGS ON:

Kalia & Scarlett

We went to a birthday party on Sunday,
only intending to stay for a little bit -
stayed for hours.
Kalia was having so much fun with her friend.

Monday at Mala
Erik usually has a shorter day on monday,
so we've been heading down to Mala late afternoon.

Maya cruising

Drawing in the sand with a stick.

Collecting

fire station visit 1 & 2

Mom's Group Field Trip to Fire Station

OK, there are a bunch of photos of this trip,
but it's really to show how much
Maya is on the move.
So where's Maya...
watch how she moves around!
First photo she is actually sitting (in her colorful dress)

Maya goes to help Zach stop, drop & roll.
We were watching Zach & Joel
that day - so we had a full crew!

She kept going to the helmets on the wall
and saying "ball".

What's going on back here?

Hi Tyler!
Maya kept going back to him and
playing with his feet.

Sitting with Kalia & Scarlett

I totally didn't pose this one,
Maya just went and sat in Kalia's lap
and Kalia held her.

Maya standing in the middle of everyone
crawling under the fake smoke.

Kalia in the fire truck.
Maya and I went after and
then Maya kept trying to cut
in line to go again.

Kalia & Scarlett get to shoot the water
from the fire hose.
Then each one skipped back happily.

Kalia & Scarlett had so much fun together,
they were so silly and were
really feeding off of each other.
We all went for smoothies after and they
were very hard to contain - they had the super sillies.

Ballet Class

Kalia got to be princess

Ok, we went two days in a row to fire station.
Our Mom's Group had the option of
Friday or Saturday, so when we saw
Shannon after ballet on saturday (who organized)
she convinced us that we should go again.

Maya wasn't quite herself the second
time around. Maybe she was tired
from trying to run on the dance floor
and join ballet class
for a full 45 minutes! I know I was.

Maui Onion Festival -Whaler's Village
This is a random photo, but just wanted
to show where Kalia was dancing all by herself.
There was a band playing and she was dancing
around & across the way was the beer garden-
so she had a full audience!

Me & Maya

Tons of photos. Maya has been saying "some", as in "want some?" When she is handing you something that she will put in your mouth. Now I forget the other thing she is saying. Long day - spent the entire day at the beach, surfed and birthday party that we stayed really long (Maya napped there) because Kalia was having such a great time with Scarlett at the beach. So cute - those two playing all day. When we were leaving Scarlett said to Kalia, "bye Kalia, tomorrow let's pretend we are two mermaids!"