Hawaii Day Three A: Helicopter Tour

We splurged on a one hour helicopter tour of the whole island of Kauai and it was worth it. We saw the entire island and just one spectacular scene after another. Waterfalls, beaches, mountains, jungle, valleys, cliffs, canyons, islands, reefs. It was almost overwhelming at how diverse and beautiful this small island was. I tried hard to only pick the best but...


Here's a map of Kauai. There is a little airplane about 4 or 5 o'clock- that is where we started. We basically flew clockwise around the island.

Leaving the airport, flying down towards the south side of the island

hills- south

Falls made famous by Jurassic Park

Five Sisters Waterfalls

First time looking down on a rainbow

Waimea Canyon

First glimpse of Na Pali coast (west)

Na Pali valley- the Na Pali coast is only accessible by air, sea or hiking in 11 miles one way

Na Pali Coast

Our helicopter went into some tight spots...or at least it felt that way to me

looking back at the Na Pali Coast

Coming around tip to North Shore- look near the center for the line of houses in the valley- that is where we stayed

tallest waterfall and the one we could see from Hanalei

My favorite part- the wettest place on earth! Mount Wai'ale'ale receives an average of 440 inches of rain per year. This picture was taken from the Wai'ale'ale Crater.

Heading back to the east side- the two falls in the middle are the Wailua Falls. We saw so many waterfalls yet it was the dry season. Twice as many flow during the wet season.

See it was us- we really did it.

Hawaii Day Two: Five Miles and Fish Tacos

When we drove to our place on the North Shore, we couldn't see anything but the road in the darkness. The next morning, our jaws dropped when we saw the gorgeous surroundings we had entered.

Hanalei Valley

One of the best parts of the North Shore is all its hidden beaches. Most of these beaches were at least a 10 or 15 minute hike to get there. The first beach we visited was Hideaways which is known for its snorkeling.

Hideaways Beach

The great thing about going to the North Shore in the summer is that the waters are very calm and you can easily snorkel off most beaches. We did snorkel that day but we didn't see that many fish. Bummer.

When Hurricane Iniki devasted Kauai in 1992, many roosters and hens were freed and many wild roosters and hens roam the island still today. (That was for free.)

Wild chickens at Hideaways Beach

view from trail to Hideaways Beach

After our jaunt to Hideaways Beach and a nice lunch of chili fried chicken, Jonathan & I decided to hike the Hanalei 'Okolehao Trail. Here's a quote from the guidebook:

So you've been especially gluttonous since you've been here, and the guilt is keeping you awake at night. Here's your chance to work off that lu'au you attended. This trail is a puffer. It gains 1,250 feet in less than 2 miles. That means the grade is steep, tiring and unrelenting. It will seem much longer than it is.

The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook

Taro fields on the way to the trailhead

Taro is grown is pounded to make poi. We never tried any while we were there.

View of Hanalei Bay from the trail

Here's another quote from the guidebook:

Just before the trail ends at the plateau, a different spur trail to the right leads to a separate ridge. Nasty, scary, hard core and death-defying make that a must-miss alternative.

Well, we forgot that part of the guidebook and I can testify to the scary part. Thankfully we figured it out after only 5 minutes, two repelling sections and 1 scary slip. We were promised an expansive view of 1/5 of the island from the top. Well.... the writers must have hiked this trail before the vegetation got very tall. Even though the top was disappointing, the views along the way were well worth the hike.

End of Hanalei 'Okolehao Trail

Waiting for fish tacos at Hanalei Gourmet

We capped off the night with Fish Tacos at Hanalei Gourmet recommended to us by Ryan & Heather Thompson. They were excellent. We wish we were there for Fish Taco Thursdays more often.

There's Day Two. I really did try to pare down. For those of you that are related to us or just have an obsession with Hawaii, I will be putting lots of photos on the web in a Picasa web album. But not tonight because I'm tired. Unless I'm up till 2am with jet lag. Again.

Hawaii Day One: Traveling

Day One of our vacation was spent traveling...GSP to DFW to LAX to LIH. Almost 24 from when we left our house to when we arrived at the guesthouse.

But on the way.... we had a long (should have been 2 hours longer!) layover in LA, so Alicia picked us up to catch up for a little while. We had enough time to get In-and-Out and take it to a beach to eat.

Thanks Alicia for spending half your day just to see us for a few hours! It was a great way to start off our vacation!

Aloha

We are back from our fabulous trip to Hawaii.

We have spent the evening snuggling and giggling and playing and catching up with two little girlies that we missed very much.

I tried to go to sleep at 10pm thinking it would work since I only slept about 3 hours last night. But I'm still on Island time I guess...its only 5pm there...so I'm wide awake.

I have a bajillion picture to look through and pare down to a few faves to share with you guys.

If my family and I suddenly go missing, check Blowing Rock first. If we're not there, you can bet on Kauai.

Dairy

So tomorrow morning is my last nursing session with Sienna. *sniff*sniff*

But that means I get to have Dairy! and Tomatoes!

Oh the milkshakes
and cold milk
and oreos in milk
and salsa
and pasta
and all meixcan food
and most italian food
and cheese
and my mom's favorite casserole
and veggie pizzas
and sour cream
and ice cream
and pizza
and more cheese
and cereal in milk
and popcorn with butter
and casseroles
and icing
and..........

You know its the same feeling I used to have when I eyed Burger King in the Bangkok airport after not eating beef for many months. I'm serious Sienna- it wasn't hard. But tomorrow is going to be delicious.

Dear Sienna

Sweet Sienna,

You let me rock you to sleep tonight; what a precious one year gift for your mommy. Its been months since I've held you as your eyes drifted closed. You allowed me one more night to drink in your babyness, to savor your soft snuggles even I as dream about the walking, talking toddler you are becoming. This day is full of memories- watching the fireworks in the air as well as in my belly telling me your time was near and holding my newborn daughter with her head full of jet black hair. What a year we've had together- you and I! And I do mean together. You are a mommy's girl through and through and I think its because of all the time we've spent together battling out the hard times of this year. A year ago, I never imagined I would learn all about reflux, MPI, chiropractors, PPIs, and planning meals without dairy or tomatoes. But I did and I would do it all again in a heartbeat if needed.

With as many difficulties as we've had this year, you'd think I'd be ready to say good-bye and move on to the year you should outgrow this milk protein intolerance and hopefully wean off your reflux meds. But I'm not. I just love the baby year. It can be hard scheduling sometimes since we were nursing and I ran out of freezer milk a few months ago. But I will have years and years of not having to worry about missing a feeding. Now I have an excuse to slow down, to sit down and to cuddle with my baby. I only have two more nursings until I get on a plane and fly away to a second honeymooon with Daddy and I'm in tears now thinking of it. Its so final- the end of a stage. You will be much more independent of me and its bittersweet on my end. I think its bittersweet on your end too because somedays you just refuse to drink your soymilk.

When you feel good, you are the most joyful little girl. You laugh spontaneously and it makes my heart burst. You love playing peek-a-boo and "Where's Sienna" in which you cover your own eyes and then surprise us by peeking out. When I say its time to go night-night, you start blowing kisses. And if I'm lucky, I get a big, sloppy one right on my face. Your Daddy and I asked God if we could have a snuggly baby after having your independent-from-the-start sister. He said yes. I wore you in my sling for many months; it was both a lifesaver during those early confusing painful months and a security for many months past then.

You adore your big sister. Adore doesn't even come close. She is very patient with you; even a little mommyish sometimes but you put up with it well. You willingly oblige her commands for saying please in sign language even if you don't really want your cup. Again. You like to read just like she does and I love our reading times together before nap time. Your favorite book is "Moo, Baa, LaLaLa" or maybe that's just my favorite book to read to you. I love hearing you say moo but even more hearing you say Lalala. You do open your book drawer, stick your head in and say lalala so I think you like it too.

You still don't eat a wide variety of foods and some of that has to do with the one lone tooth peeking through your gums! Its hard to bite with no teeth! But what you lack in variety, you make up for in quantity. You, like your fellow Caskeys, enjoy eating. You are taking steps around but walking is not your preferred method of moving yet. It won't be long before you are running after your big sister. You have quite a few words with meaning: Dada, mama, aaaah-pple, muh (more), bye-bye, buh (banana, ball, book, whatever you need it to mean), up and this strange noise at the back of your throat for cookie and chicken. You follow basic commands like putting things away, giving something to me or my favorite: Aiyae (Hindi word meaning "come here!").

Many people have asked me how I've gone 10+ months without dairy or tomatoes while nursing you and expressed admiration for my willingness to do it. I don't see it that way. That was what was best for you. There was no choice in my mind and though I'm intensely desiring the mint chocolate chip milkshake that awaits me on Tuesday, it wasn't a sacrifice. I'd swear off dairy for the rest of my life if that kept you healthy and pain-free. A mother's love is fierce.

I couldn't understand how I would love two as much as I love one but its happened. I can't explain it; it just is. You are amazingly different from your sister yet my heart stops for both of you. You fill my world with light and joy and I don't want to miss a moment. I know these years are fleeting so my baseboards may not have been scrubbed [ever] and that computer box may have been sitting in the hall for 2 months but I have loved and laughed and lived with you and Kiran and Daddy. That is what matters.

You are my joy, sweet Sienna. I love you so much. Happy first birthday!

A Letter to My Mom

Dear Mom,

Thanks for the box of plastic gloves you gave me. They came in handy when Sienna pooped in the tub tonight.

Love,
Your Eldest