Visiting Great-Grandpa Bill

While we were up in Iowa I asked my dad if we could visit his father's grave.  Grandpa Bill was a great man and though I don't remember him much, all the things I have heard about him have been wonderful and touching stories.  He would play with me for hours, especially with my favorite stacking cups.  My mom said that he would stack them up just to see me knock them down and laugh.  He could do this for hours without complaint.

That is why my first toy that I bought Ke'alohi was her own set of stacking cups.  I can't wait to see my dad play with my daughter and hear the laughter, like my times with Grandpa Bill.

Visit with My Family in Iowa

On this trip, we were only expecting to spend time with my parents but an unfortunate event led us to Iowa for a funeral.  Not the best circumstances for Ke'alohi to meet the rest of the family.  My aunt's mother, Grandma Fran, passed away.  She was a great woman who lived to the age of 97.  Grandma Fran was from Iowa so all the family met back in Des Moines to celebrate her life.

Ke'alohi got to see Uncle Larry, Auntie Lisa, Aunt Diana and cousins Kirk, Krissa, Annamarie, Jason, Dominic, Xavier, Mary Frances and Josephine.  It was so great to see everyone!

After Grandma Fran's service, we all went out to dinner and really got to catch up and see how everyone was doing.  I got to pick Annamarie's brain on child-rearing because she is a mom of FOUR!  I thought having one was hard enough.  Jason and Annamarie have four little ones under the age of seven!

Even though it was an emotional couple of days, it was so nice to see our family and for them to meet Ke'alohi.  I can't wait to see them again and for the rest of the family to meet Lucas!

Happy Birthday Auntie Jill...

It's Auntie Jill's birthday! She is one of my closest friends and was a bridesmaid at my wedding.  Today is her special day and we hope we can hang out with her soon.  This is my favorite picture of her, Andrew (her boyfriend) and Ke'alohi when they visited us in the hospital.

We love you Auntie Jill!

Saying Goodbye to Daddy = Sad Face

Today we said goodbye to Lucas.  He was only able to stay for the Labor Day weekend while Ke'alohi and I stayed for another eight days.  We had a great time the last few days but knew that this moment was coming.  Ke'alohi and I were bummed that he couldn't stay and have fun with us on the lake.  Poor Lucas had to go back to work and get the dogs back from his parent's house.  Duke and Harley were so lucky to have Lucas' parents take loving care of them.

We can't wait to see him next week and give him the biggest hugs ever!

Feeding the Ducks and Bath Time

Here at the lake, my mom is a pretty popular person.  You would assume that she was popular with people, nope, it's with the ducks.  Everyday at 5:00pm, all the ducks in the area corral around our dock to get fed by my mom.  You might be thinking that she throws a few bread crumbs, when she actually throws 5 pounds of fish/duck food every afternoon.  My dad says that they buy 50 pounds of feed every 10 days.  That's a lot!

After we finished feeding the ducks, we had fun giving Ke'alohi a bath in the kitchen sick.  She could stay in there for hours but then she would prune.  Hehehe.  We are all taking advantage of the time when she can still fit in the sink.  Soon she will only be able to take baths in the tub like all of us. Boring!

First Iowa Football Game!

Go Hawkeyes!  Today was the season opener for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes who played the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.  They killed it and won 34 - 7.  Just so you know, my dad graduated from the University of Iowa in guess what... another Accountant in the family.  The only thing better than the Hawkeyes winning was the place we watched the game.  We went to Shrimp Daddy's, a restaurant bar and grill and had some of the best food I've had in Missouri.  We stuffed ourselves on sea hawgs (shrimp, with a dash of horseradish, wrapped in bacon, served with sour cream/dill sauce), onion rings and the boys had $2 beers that were $1 during happy hour (12pm - 5pm).  Tell me what bar serves dollar beers during the busiest time of the day?

After the game, Ke'alohi was pooped from all the cheering and took a nice, long nap.  During this time, "the boys" had some fun climbing on her to take a picture.  We had a great time rooting for the Hawkeyes and can't wait until next week when they play their rivals the Iowa State Cyclones.

First Boat Ride on the Lake!

This morning we woke up early so that we could get on the lake before everyone else.  Being that it is Labor Day weekend, we knew that there was going to be a lot of boats and jet skis on the lake and we didn't want Ke'alohi's first ride to be too bumpy.

She handled the ride like a champ and actually slept most of the way.  She was grumpy when she realized that she had to stay in her life vest the whole time we were on the boat.  Since she is so tiny, her life vest is really big on her and kind of looks like the green giant is eating her.

I can't wait for her to get older so she can really experience the lake and more boat rides with Opa and Puna.

First Trip on a Plane!

And we are off on our first family trip!  It's Labor Day weekend and we are on our way to see my parents at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.  We have been planning, well over planning, our first plane ride and packed way too much for Ke'alohi.

We got to the airport about two hours early and spent about half of that time in security.  Once we got to the security machine we realized that the line we had been waiting in was actually the easy part.  The TSA agents told us that everything had to go through the scanners: the stroller, car seat, car seat base, car seat/stroller bags, diaper bag and baby back pack.  In other words we consumed a lot of time and space in the line.  Another reason it took us so long was that my Hawaiian bracelet wouldn't come off so one of the agents had to give me a "pat down."  That was a great way to start a trip, hahaha.

Once we got through security we bought some food and water and waited for our plane.  Once we boarded, it took us a while to get settled and comfortable in our seats.  We learned very quickly that if you think your seat is tight with just yourself in it, try having a baby sprawled out on your lap.  She did great though and slept most of the way on Lucas and woke up about 45 minutes prior to landing, giving us just enough time to change her diaper and give her a bottle.

Once we landed in St. Louis, we picked up the rental car and started the three hour trek to the Lake of the Ozarks.

Visit from Auntie Nalani and Uncle Jason

Nalani and Jason are two of our closest friends who live in Hawaii.  I have known Nalani since 4th grade at Holy Trinity School.  We also went to Kamehameha Schools together from 7th through 12th grade and Loyola Marymount University for college where we were roommates.  Needless to say, we have spent a lot of time together and it was a "no-brainer" as to who we would like to be Ke'alohi's godmother.  

Nalani and Jason were on their way home from a trip to Peru when they had a three-day stopover in Los Angeles.  They were meeting up with Nalani's family who were on a trip to California to visit all the major theme parks.  We were lucky enough to see them a couple times during their stay so that Ke'alohi, Nalani and Jason could hang out.  We hit up the local food joints that they don't have in Hawaii like Chipotle, Kabuki and Olive Garden.  

We had a great time together and can't wait to see them again in Hawaii during Christmas.

Happy Birthday Opa...

Today is my dad's birthday!  We love him dearly and can't wait to see him and my mom this weekend in Missouri!

This is one of my favorite pictures of him and Ke'alohi when he was visiting us in June.

Love You Opa!

Three Months Old!

Our little girl is three months old today!! Now that she is three month old, she is technically not a "newborn" anymore, but I am going to hold out until she is "over" three months old.  I need this next month to come to terms with my baby being an "infant."

Ten Facts about Ke'alohi at Three Months:

1. Weighs 13 pounds and 12 ounces and measures 24 inches.
2. Smiles and coos at Mommy and Daddy.
3. Likes hanging out in her Bumbo seat.
4. Drinks almost six ounces of formula at each feeding.
5. Eyes are getting even darker, almost a light brown color.
6. Still sleeps great and mostly through the night!
7. Duke, Harley and Ke'alohi now like to smell and watch each other.
8. Loves to pull on Mommy's hair.
9. Had her first booboo on her arm and took it like a little champ.
10. Starting to grab and bring toys and blankets to her mouth.

Visit from Cousin Jorge

We got to spend some time with Lucas' cousin, Jorge, who is from Spain, last night and today.  Last night, we took him to a sushi bar at the Third Street Promenade.  We all shared our favorite sushi rolls and I got to learn a lot about Spain and that side of Lucas' family.  We spent the night talking story and planning our trip out to Spain and Portugal to visit family.  The highlight of the night had to be Jorge's first Pinkberry experience.  Pinkberry is a Los Angeles staple and probably the best frozen yogurt out there. We definitely got him hooked on it and wanting more.

Today, we met up with him and Lucas' parents at the Gene Autry Museum in Glendale.  It was a blistering 105 degrees and made me feel like I was melting.  We all grabbed lunch in the cafe where we tried a buffalo burger for the first time.  After lunch, we headed into the museum and got to see lots of western history from back in the day.

After making our rounds there, we headed to the Griffith Observatory to check out the museum and the best views of Los Angeles.  We got to see lots of displays about the different planets, stars and the sun. Our favorite part of the observatory has to be the different scales showing what you would weigh on each planet based on their gravitational pull to the sun.

We ended the day meeting up with Uncle Dan and Bailey, who were up in Los Angeles for a soccer game, and got dinner at The Grove.  The Farmer's Market has a variety of foods but most of us settled on cajun food.  Jorge jumped at the opportunity to eat Pinkberry again and tested out new flavors.

We were sad to see Jorge go but are excited to see him again, hopefully in Spain!

Visit with Auntie Kasey Again

We got to see Auntie Kasey again!  Today, Kasey had the day off of work because she and Connor had just gotten back from their babymoon in Hawaii.  Some of you might be wondering what a babymoon is and it's kind of like a honeymoon.  It's essentially a trip that you take before the baby comes so that you have one final relaxing time with your loved one.  Kasey and Connor sure know how to babymoon because they went all way to Kauai!  So jealous!

Ke'alohi was very excited to see Auntie Kasey, so much that she smiled and made sounds the whole bath time before leaving to see her.  When we got there we had a great time talking about her trip, her pregnancy, maternity leave and most importantly SHOPPING for babies!  I have given her all my tips for savvy shopping because there are so many things babies need!

I'm sure you're wondering if Kasey gave in and told us what they are going to name their daughter and that would be a negative.  They have narrowed it down to three names and they are going to decide on the perfect name when they see  their precious bundle of joy.

Only a few more months until she will be here in November!  Can't wait!

Visit from Karen, Bailey, Selma and Teresa

Aunt Karen, Aunt Selma, Bailey and Teresa were all on a trip to Hong Kong this last week for Selma's Cookies.  If you haven't had a Selma's cookie, rice crispie or brownie, you need to do so now.  Go to your closest Vons, Pavilions, Disneyland/Disneyworld or go to their website.  I'm telling you it might be one of the best sweets you have ever eaten.  

Aunt Selma had to go to Hong Kong for a Disney vendor meeting where they recognized their best vendors, her company being one of them and one of the longest serving vendors of Disney.  She provides the parks with cookies, rice crispies, brownies and chocolate covered marshmallows.  You know those rice crispies in the shape of Mickey? Yup, those are made by Lucas' Aunt's company.  You can also find her crispies in the shapes of flowers, slippers and seasonal things like footballs, hearts, Christmas trees and cupcakes.  Because her trip was in such a cool location, Selma took Aunt Karen, Bailey and Teresa with her!

They landed this afternoon at LAX and then decided to visit Ke'alohi and I for the rest of the afternoon.  We had so much fun talking about their trip, how Teresa is starting at Yale University next week and making faces at Ke'alohi while she worked on her tummy time.  

It was a great afternoon and I hope we can do it again soon!

First Time Finding Her Hands!

Our little girl has hit another milestone:  Ke'alohi has officially found her hands.  She is now very busy looking at them and bringing anything and everything to her mouth.  Her favorite things to grab are blankets, deedas (burp cloths) and my hair.  We are almost to the point where I think she will want to grab and play with toys but we will see.  

For now we are enjoying this stage of her life and loving it!

Maxine Eleanor Conlan is Here!

If you were now wondering who the cutest little girl born in August was, we have your answer: Maxine Eleanor Conlan! Our wedding / maternity / newborn photographer, Janel Conlan at Focus Photography, Inc. and her husband, have welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world.  She was born this evening at 7:58 pm, weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches.

We could not be more happy for them!  We all know that our two girls might be the most photographed babies out there!

Noah Matthew's Baptism

We have known Joanne and Brian Custer since our engagement.  They volunteer at LMU to help coordinate weddings at Sacred Heart Chapel.  They helped make our special day perfect and have been our friends ever since.  Today we all headed back to LMU's Sacred Heart Chapel for another special occasion; their son, Noah's baptism.

It was a beautiful service that showed the Custer family's devotion to their faith! Congratulations!

Road Trip for Jenn and Jon's Baby Shower!

We are so excited for our friends Jenn and Jon who are expecting their son, Jacob James, in October.  Jacob is one lucky boy because he will have the best parents.  I think what makes us so happy for them is that we have been lucky to share in each other's lives and special times.  When we were all in college, Jenn and I studied abroad together in Oxford, England, after graduation, we both got engaged and were married in the summer of 2009 and now we are both starting our families.

The road trip started at 4 am with us all getting up and hitting the road.  Luckily, we were able to get in the car by 4:45 am and cruised into Roseville at 11:15 am.  All in all, Ke'alohi did great in the car and slept most of the way.  We did pull over a couple times to switch drivers and to feed and change her.  We changed and headed over to Jenn and Jon's house for the shower that was hosted by Jenna (who got engaged the week before) and Jenn's Nana.  We had a blast and a few times laughed so hard that our stomach hurt.  The highlights of the day were Nana reading everyone a "bedtime story" and all the girls helping Jenn put all the gifts away in Jacob's room.  The next morning we got up bright and early to have brunch at Jenn and Jon's house and then headed back down to Los Angeles.  Our trip up north was too short and we wish that Roseville was closer to us.

It might be stepping over our parental boundaries but we have already decided that Jacob and Ke'alohi will be friends and will be going to prom together in 2028!

First Time to Gymboree Class!

For the last couple weeks, Ke'alohi and I have been on a quest to find a Mommy and Me class.  We looked at a couple places and finally decided that Gymboree was the place for us!  You may be asking, "what could a two-month old possibly do at this age?"  Well, right now we are just working on singing songs to the babies, tummy time, tracking with their eyes and and getting them to bat at toys.  Honestly, the class at this point really is more for me to talk to other moms and and get out of the house with Ke'alohi.  We are having so much fun going to class on Tuesdays and Thursdays and it is well worth it!

Once I go back to work, we will be going to the Saturday classes with Lucas!

Visit from Auntie Mikaela

Today, one of my sorority sisters, Mikaela, took some time off from her crazy busy schedule in the entertainment business to hang out with us for a while.  We loved having her over and Ke'alohi was just mesmerized by her facial expressions.  I think Ke'alohi was just trying to butter up Auntie Mikaela to take her to the Oscars one day.  

We all know that Mikaela is going places and it's just a matter of time before she is famous!  She better remember us "little people" when she is on the big screen!