Change of Command

Before the ceremony

Kai, myself and Kerri the previous company commander;s wife

CPT Gronenthal, Commander EN

Victor leading his company during the BN change of Command

Accepting responsibility

Victor took command of the 561st Engineer Company in a ceremony held on Hamilton Field on Schofield Barracks.  The company does horizontal construction.  It was a beautiful Hawaiian day.  Kai enjoyed throwing his hat on the ground during the ceremony and having the new BN commander pick it up.

Busy being 8 months

Some dude supporting the Packers

Some Seahawk players

Our week in review  The weather has been perfect.  High in the mid 80s and in the high 60s at night.  In Alaska, it is -50.  We are loving Hawaii right now.

On Thursday, we joined Kai's friends Halle and Anthony to see the ProBowl practice at Hickam Airforce Base.  The babies loved it and we were able to meet and greet with the players.

Friday, Kai had music class. He continues to love music class.  His highlight so far was when all the babies were gathered around the teacher playing the guitar.  Kai decides to eat the fretboard.  All the moms gave a collective "ahhhhhhh".

Playing with his toys, spinning wheels

He had been congested and it got worse, so I ended up taking him to the acute care clinic to see how serious it was.  He just has a really bad cold but they gave him a chest xray to check for pneumonia.  That was awful.  Kai was in his diaper and had to go in this medieval contraption.  It was so sad.  That night, Victor and I went to "Valentine's in Vegas" for the 84th BN.  We left Kai Guy with our neighbor Kat.  His first paid baby sitter.  Kai did really well and Victor and I had a nice evening together.

Something about soliders and cartoons is funny, waiting at the ACC

All dressed up for Valentines in Vegas

Saturday we walked to the beach in the morning.  Victor, Caspian and I went swimming while Kai napped in his stroller on the shore.  We then drove into Waikiki, as I had a farewell for the BN commanders wife and a moonlight Mai Tai cruise.  It was a beautiful night in Waikiki.  Kai, Victor and Travis took in the street party for the pro bowl.  While I floated in the Pacific on a catamaran with the ladies.  Kai was not feeling well and after the cruise, we all went back home.

Waikiki

Jess and I before the cruise

Kai's favorite thing to play with is any of his cars, trucks or trains.  He loves to turn them upside down and spin the wheels.

Chinese New Year

Happy Year of the Dragon.  While running errands on Saturday, we ran into a Chinese New Year celebration.  Kai gave the dragon a dollar for good luck for the new year.  He enjoyed the drums and dragon.

8 months

Meeting my childhood Pooh bear

Kai loves self feeding Puffs

It was 68 and Kai wore long sleeves

Always happy

Look, Mama I am standing

Kai turned 8 months, and what a whirlwind it has been.  First we counted Kai's days on earth in hours then days then weeks and now 8 months. He has grown to over 18 pounds, can stand, sit, crawl, he loves to laugh and wakes with a smile.  Kai loves to explore his world and doesn't want to miss a moment of anything.  It has been an amazing 8 months. Today Kai ate his oatmeal for breakfast, then went for a stroller ride to the beach, spent time playing in the house, went to visit his friends at waialua fresh. Kai loves to socialize.  Tomorrow we have music class and then a playmate with Halle.


I did not take him for a beach photo shoot.  I am going to try when Dad gets here as Kai loves to run off now.

Growing up Hawaiian

Kai will have playground bragging rights when he talks about where he was born. Honolulu. I was able to secure a birth certificate for him and have multiple copies, it did take the state of Hawaii a few weeks to produce them.

Almost daily, the locals make comments to Kai that he would only hear living in Hawaii.  Twice he has been called a haole.  I am not sure that calling my baby a racist term is the nicest of compliments.  Haole translates as foreigner, but he was born here.  But he is white.  So not quite kama'aina. Which leads us to one of the frequent comments he hears from both adults and children.  "He is so white."  I am usually holding him and I am pretty white myself.  Some children ask why is he so white.  Then comes the comments about his eyes.  "The baby's eyes are so large."  "He has such big eyes."  "He looks surprised."  Children will try and make their eyes large to demonstrate.  Then he is told he is lucky they are blue.  Then he is told he will be a surfer.

I never know how to response, so I usually just say Mahalo.

Kai also hears that he is so cute, handsome and adorable.  While we were in NY and Alaska those were the only comments he received.

Sand

Kai loves wiggling his toes in the sand.  He has the cutest fat little feet.  He prefers them covered in sand.

Feeding time

So cute

I have been making all of Kai's baby food from locally grown organic foods.  Lucky for us, there is a produce store across the street and Kai is one of Waialua Fresh's favorite customers.  Kai loves to go in and see all the fruits and veggies.  The attention he recives from the owner helps him to love it there.  Kai loves to be held and would stay there all day if I let him.  Some days Kai cannnot get enough of solids and other days he would rather give it all to Caspian.  He now has a high chair and we try to eat something for each meal.  I had heard that eating especially cereal makes a baby sleep though the night.  Kai did not read that memo.  He likes avocado the best, oatmeal second and butternut squash third.  He has tried bananas, sweet potato, yukon gold potato, pineapple, papaya, mango and apple.  Tomorrow we will see what they have to see what Kai will try next.  Kai loves to feed himself and fingerpaint with his purees.  Of course most of Kai's diet is still breastmilk.   Please do not look at the bruises on Kai's head from his standing and falling.  He has learned to sit his bottom down instead of diving back to the ground whenever he is surrounded by tile.

Trying banana

Loving banana

Self feeding

Butternut squash yum

Add caption

Why are you always takig a picture of me?

Standing

Time to lower the crib

I love when he sleeps with his butt in the air

Diving over Caspian is another favorite pastime

Kai loves to stand.  He will pull up on everything and stand and then look at your with a huge grin.  He is very proud of his accomplishment.A standing baby on a tile floor makes a nervous mama.  I bought padding for the floor and Kai likes to play on it and it gives me some peace of mind.

New Year's Eve

Last family photo of 2011

Watching the live webcast of phish

2011 was an amazing year.  First, we moved to Hawaii and then Kai entered the world.  The addition of Kai to my life has been the best thing that has ever happened to me.  Watching Kai explore his world and seeing him grow is a fun experience.  Every day Kai continues to amaze me and my love for him continues to grow.  His smile is contagious.  he is sucha happy boy.  He always has a smile and a laugh.  My wish for 2012 is to continue to enjoy every moment of life with Kai and maybe get some more sleep.

On New Year's Eve we enjoyed our Killer Tacos on the beach to watch the sunset.  We attended a party hosted by our landlords and welcomed in 2012 with lots of fireworks