"The Cayman Islands" Post. Aka: "When it Rains it Pours."

(The trip we hoped for. Minus the clouds.)

(Yes, this is several weeks late.) (Don't judge me for not proofreading!)

We're back on the mainland, after a wonderful week in (on) Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands. This is our second Adults Only Vacation since we started having children, and I can certainly say that it is refreshing for the soul and for the soulmates to be blessed with time away from the children, work, and household duties.

Sunday: We arrived to clouds and drizzle. Our first cab driver said it was "very unusual for this time of year" and that that it would certainly pass the next day.  We ate a delicious dinner in the Westin's casual restaurant, Ferdinand's.

Monday: Exactly the opposite of the cab driver's description, we experienced drenching rain the entire day. Like, from 8AM to 8PM. The best discovery of the day was the all you can eat brunch served daily at Ferdinand's. And eat we did. Because when it rains on a tropical island, what else do you have to do? Later, we took a cab to Camana Bay, an outdoor, upscale mall...which was closed, save for threes stores, due to an island holiday of some sort. (And, yes, we did check with our concierge first, and, yes, she did say it would be open.) Hubby bought me a lovely silver ring as an early birthday gift. We saw "The Five Year Engagement" at the mall movie theatre. After the movie, we got soaked walking to find a cab, which we were finally able to do from a gas station. We dined at the nicest Westin restaurant that evening--Casa Havana.

Tuesday: We discovered the "bus" that picks up directly across from our hotel. Or, really, anywhere you want. The "bus" is actually a 10 passenger van with a sticker on the front. The drivers honk their horns at passersby, and if you flag them down, they'll stop for you wherever you like. And it's mostly a $2.50 US ride per person. A much better deal than the VERY expensive cab rides. We did a little shopping browsing in George Town and found ourselves with a few hours to kill before dinner. We asked the locals where we should grab a cocktail and were directed to a lovely bar on the water. Several rum-laced cocktails later, we moseyed back uptown to find some dinner. Since it was (still) raining, the streets were pretty empty. After several attempts to find a restaurant still open (did I mention it was only 5pm?), we grabbed the bus, asked the bus driver for a recommendation, and ended up at Champion House. Our braves selves tried delicious braised oxtail and curried goat for dinner. Oxtail = A-. Curried goat = C-.

Wednesday: We headed to the Turtle Farm, where we were able to "hug" some giant sea turtles and commune with the birds. We were hiking along a little rainforest-y trail when the heavens opened. We found ourselves under a tiny shelter and tried to wait out the storm. Ha. Instead, we darted from shelter to shelter through the pounding rain until we reached the front of the building. A short walk later, we reached our dinner destination (an hour early): The Cracked Conch. Outside the main restaurant is the home of our now favorite Cayman bar, the Macabuca Oceanside Tiki Bar. There, we sampled the second best rum drink on the island and were served by a George Clooney look-alike bartender. The highlights of our dinner were the conch ceviche and braised short ribs. And those were just the appetizers! After our best dinner on the island, we were forced to take a VERY expensive cab ride back to our hotel, since the busses stop running to the West Bay area after dark. Who knew? During our cab ride, our very sweet, Jamaican driver suggested we hire her to tour us around the island the following day....for the bargain price of $50. Per hour. Um, no.

Thursday: For about $50 (for 24 hours), we rented a car from our hotel and spent the day touring many of the major tourist destinations (in between rain showers, of course) by car--driving on the left, of course. Brad was a pro, having lost a hubcap practiced in New Zealand several years prior. We started at Pedro's Castle (locals pronounce it, "PEE-dro"), which really isn't a castle at all, but a replica of an old plantation house with significant island history. The original stone staircase and foundation are still intact. We departed the "castle" for the Queen Elizabeth Botanic Park, where we saw some of the most amazing plant life I've ever experienced. It was a lovely hike through the rainforest, culminating in a rendezvous with a couple of blue iguanas. We headed north and west to Rum Point and Kaibo. Lunch at the Kaibo Beach Bar and Grill included THE BEST rum drink on the island--just as our flight attendant said it would be. We sat through a storm and made our way to Rum Point where (SURPRISE!) the sun graced us with its presence for two hours before sunset, during which time we snorkeled a tiny bit and read our books in the hammocks. After a lovely afternoon, and feeling like we had seen so much of what the beautiful island has to offer, we headed back to our hotel to freshen up and drove back to the West Bay area for dinner at the Calypso Grill, in Morgan's Harbour. The highlight of my Official Birthday Dinner was the sticky toffee pudding, served just a few blocks from Sticky Toffee Road. Yum.

Friday: On Friday, fresh out of ideas, we made our way back to George Town for more shopping browsing. Just before I was about to try to convince my husband to purchase some out-of-our-price-range jewelry, he told me he had just discovered there were two seats left on the Atlantis Submarine trip, which we had attempted to ride earlier that week (foiled by the weather, of course). While we found the experience incredibly overpriced, it was pretty neat to do a "dive" without getting wet or SCUBA certified. We did see a shark, some tiger fish, and various other sea creatures. At this point, the weather seemed like it might actually stay clear for a while, so we returned to the Westin and rented some snorkel gear--and we're oh so glad we did. The reef off the Westin's beach is incredibly satisfying. Snorkelers used to feed the fish there, as the story goes, so the fish are quite friendly and plentiful. And they greet you as soon as you enter the reef. By swimming within inches of your nose. In a giant school. (Gulp.) We saw angel fish, a puffer fish (!), and a whole bunch of other fish whose names we don't know. Next to the Great Barrier Reef, it was the best snorkeling I've seen.

Saturday: FINALLY, we had a nice--if not completely sunny--day. We spent seven consecutive hours on the beach, reading, drinking fruity cocktails, snorkeling, and getting sunburned...somehow. I was treated to a birthday serenade by the local musicians at our hotel, and we were able to be flies on the wall (er, sand) at two different beach wedding receptions. Our last Cayman meal echoed our first. I ordered the coconut shrimp that Brad had so enjoyed during that first meal at Ferdinand's.

Our very early return on Sunday morning was peaceful and uneventful. We were so grateful to return to happy and well cared for children (thanks to Mimi), and even enjoyed a charming double birthday celebration with Papa, complete with dinner, dessert, and decorations.

(The trip we got. Clouds included.)

We agreed that we would definitely return to the Caymans one day, and it is a great tropical destination for families.













Photos here: http://www.zangzing.com/hannahrae/cayman-islands-2012

9 Months aka Better Late Than Never

22 lbs (90th percentile!!!)
28 in (50th)
44 cm (50th)

Dear Rosebud,

(Mommy is having some problems working on the computer, so this will have to be concise.)


This month marks the beginning of true spunk and will. You're not at all shy about letting us know when you're frustrated/still hungry/tired/bored. Your little arms wave and swat all day long trying to communicate with us. Some highlights....

- You've sprouted another bottom tooth: 2 total

- You've started imitating sounds: "popping" lips and saying "uh oh." When you do it, it's usually in response to a toy falling on the floor. You say, "Ah! [at a pitch only dogs can hear] mmmm!"

- You have lots of sound patterns now, but still no "Dada."

- Best. belly laugh. ever. It begs to be tickled.

- You've started drinking from an open cup--that someone else is holding. You show no interest in trying to hold your own cup, or your own bottle.

- You also show very little to no interest in crawling AT ALL. If someone rolls you onto your stomach (since you refuse to roll over yourself), you almost immediately flop onto your back.

- BUT, you're very interested in standing. A current favorite activity is holding onto the various ottomans in the house and playing percussion on them. But when you fall, you fall flat on your head. Ouch.

Dr. E says you're a little behind the gross motor curve, but we know that seems to run in the family so we're not worried. All in good time...

Love,
Mom

Want more pics? Photos here.

9 Months...or so I hear

Dear Lil Rosebud,

Today is your 9 month birthday. I should have a post ready to go, but I don't, because I'm here.

I sure am missing you and your brother. See you soon!

Love,
Mom

P.S. to my readers: try not to hate me. :)

8 Months

Dear MJ/"Sweet Baby",

This month marked the transition from baby to person, for me. You officially feel heavy and sturdy and pre-toddler like. You have adorable rolls on your thighs (which actually have TAN LINES in the skin folds--hilarious!) and a ticklish spare tire around your middle and back. And I love you just the way you are.  Some highlights...

- You love the sorting blocks. You love to dump them out and eat them and shake them and drum on the box. You never put them IN the box, of course. You also love the box of instruments. Today you played with the jingle bells for 25 minutes. I'm sure they're covered in slime, but who cares! It's fun!

- You've started to become slightly shy with strangers, but more in a flirtatious way than with trepidation. When strangers say hello (especially in the grocery store), you momentarily hide your face in your car seat or turn away. But you always come back with a smile. Always.

- Speaking of that smile, it will be a toothy grin before long. You've popped the first one through on the bottom left.

- And thank goodness for that tooth because solid food is your M.O. forever. You eat EVERYTHING that's remotely soft enough to stuff in your mouth, from breads to bits of chicken, fruits, cooked veggies, and even the tiniest taste of vanilla ice cream (MJ says, "yum, Grammie!"). Naughty. This confounds most people who hear of it. It's definitely out of the ordinary, but since the USA is one of the only countries that serves baby food purees in the first place, it's not that original. You were thoroughly unimpressed by the frozen (slightly thawed) blueberries, though. Too cold!

- When you're unclothed, you love to smack your chest, ala Tarzan. Cracks me up every time. (Your brother used to do that, too.)

- You're making a lot more noise this month: "Babababa" and "Brabrabra" (snort) and...wait for it..."Mamamama!" There are raspberries that soak your shirt, and funny noises you make when you're inhaling, and making a game of exhaling loudly. Also, fake coughing. Hilarious.

- We invented a little game on Easter/Passover where I lean into you and you ever so softly butt your head against mine. Then we both giggle. Rinse and repeat times infinity.

- When you're in my lap and facing away from me, you love to loll your head back and smile. And grab my nose. And whack pat my face.

- Anyone wearing a necklace or earrings? Look out, because Miss MJ wants to eat them.

- You're a solid sitter now, and would sit for days on end. You show absolutely no interest in moving around. In fact, when someone rolls you onto your stomach (because you refuse to roll there yourself), you simply continue rolling until you're back where you started. It's an endless game. No idea if you'll ever crawl, get to a sitting position or pull yourself up. BUT. You did stand alone today, while holding onto a bench. And you thought it was awesome.

- Two more stellar plane rides to/from Arizona. You amazed everyone around you with your excellent behavior, even if you only napped for 30 minutes each way. You also did a nice job adjusting to the time change (after that first 5 A.M. wakeup call--ouch) and to all the disruptions to your normal schedule. It was worth it to go swimming and to your first basketball game, among other things.

- SWIMMING. "Holy quacamole," as your brother would say (yes, with a "q"), do you love the water. You sat in the zero depth entry pool and splashed for hours. Literally. You also loved the baby float we bought you. (This one--SO superior to the plastic ones that get hot and stick to the skin. This has mesh layers so you can actually interact with the water. Sun shade, too (not pictured).)


My favorite part is how much love you have for those who love you. You're my precious lamb.

Love,
Mama

http://www.zangzing.com/hannahrae/easter8-months

Attention Blog Reader...(s?)

Apple is discontinuing their MobileMe services. The photo host site I will now be using is ZingZang. Please update your bookmark to the following: http://www.zangzing.com/hannahrae

It's still in an early development phase so there are a few flaws (ie: at the moment the photos imported from MobileMe are sorted by date, which means the captions sometimes don't make sense; there is a random album called "ZingZang Favorites" that is a default album I'm not allowed to delete; etc.), but it will do.

I will link to individual albums within blog posts, so you won't miss anything! Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave your comments. It's nice to know you're still following us.

XOXO
H

7 Months

Dear MJ/Lovey/Sweet Pea,

What a gift of a baby you are, my dear. You remain good-natured through thick and thin. You have smiles for everyone, even when you get short-changed on naps, or when you have to wait for a bottle, or when your brother squeezes you a little too tightly. You've turned into to a sitting-up baby, instead of a lying-down baby this month. In the past few days, you've gone from sitting up for only a few seconds, to long stretches of sitting and playing with toys. When you fall over, you try so hard to right yourself again. That'll take some time, my love. (In fact, I distinctly remember when your brother learned to sit up, I used to wonder in amazement how babies ever figure out how to get themselves to a sitting position on their own. I guess it happens eventually!) What this sitting endeavor means is that we've brought out a new batch of toys, and your play mats have become a little hazardous, as you like to pull them on top of yourself. You're fully "over" the bouncy seats because you can't sit up in them properly. You continue to adore the Jumperoo and we're getting ready to raise it up a notch. Funny that only a month ago your toes barely touched the floor, and now you stand in it flat-footed. I also think it's funny that even though you can roll over, you have absolutely no interest in doing so. Learning to sit up has eliminated the need for rolling, evidently. We still find you in your crib in the same position as when you went to sleep.

We still haven't seen any teeth pop through, even though the drooling has increased. The absence of teeth seems to be irrelevant for eating, since you're currently trying to consume everything in sight. Having enjoyed purees for a few very short weeks, you're now officially eating 98% table food, with the occasional cereal/vegetable puree thrown in. You happily nosh on bagels, noodles, any kind of soft fruit, peas, and an assortment of cereals and puffs. You make a funny sound when you eat, like an undulating hum. You're still taking four bottles per day (~24-28 oz.), but you sometimes don't finish them anymore.

You are FINALLY sleeping allllllll the way through the night. And, let me tell you, those 12-13 hour stretches are a welcome change for your tired mom. (Now if mommy could only sleep through the night...) You're taking two solid naps per day, though the morning nap is usually short-changed two days per week. And remember that pacifier you stoically gave up last month? Yeah, it's back. You have a much easier time getting to sleep for naps when you have it. And you're still able to get to sleep (and STAY asleep) at night without it! What a champ!

I think I can officially declare that your worst spit-up days are behind us. Occasionally you have a day where nothing will stay down (often when other people are taking care of you--stinker), but I've definitely washed fewer burp cloths in the last few weeks. What a relief.

Things you love:

- "Trot, Old Joe," from the Music Together collection. It's the song Big Brother uses to get you to smile. And it works like a charm every time.

- The Most Annoying Toy Ever Created. (A ball that rolls by itself when you turn it on. Which would be fine except it also TALKS and SINGS in the worst V-Tech voice you can imagine. Kill me. Then again, I only have myself to blame. I bought it.)

- Any toy of SIR's you can get your hands on. Much to his dismay.

- Tags on burp cloths.

- When your brother or your dad visits you, cribside. Your little face lights up like a beacon and you kick your legs like mad.

- Miss Mary's music class.

- Patting whomever is carrying you. I think it's just a knee-jerk reaction to having a drum like surface at your disposal, but I like to think you're patting me on purpose, snuggle bunny that you are. :)

Things you dislike:

- Avocado. (Sigh...I tried.)

- Grass. You've gotten your first few tastes--er, figuratively (for now)--of grass on your bare tootsies and hands and you were not at all amused. You actually cried. And you rarely cry about anything. Unless...

- Other distasteful foods. I can tell you really don't like something when you cry about it.

(That's a mighty short list of dislikes for such a small person.)

I love you so much, Peanut.

Mom

http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100874

SIR: Version 3.5

Dear SIR,

I see huge changes in you, even since your third birthday. You sparkle and shine as a basketball player, and in Miss Mary's music class. You're sweet and engaging with your sister, and you have plenty of affection for your school friends. You've lost almost all traces of "baby talk," fully pronouncing your Rs and Ls and double checking your pronunciation of words. You're OBSESSED with telling the time (and the date) and know the big hand from the little hand, and what they represent. Your other fascination is with pre-reading. You point out letters everywhere we go and are showing signs of recognizing words ("S-T-O-P...that spells 'stop!'"). Here are some funny SIR-isms from the last six months...

Sept-Dec:
- Saying, "Zerio"(zero), like it rhymes with Cheerio.

- Calling the stuffed dog Beethoven, "Bay-TOH-ven"

- "Pian-ee-o" = piano

- Looking at autumn berries squished all over the ground outside: "Mommy, that's a miracle! There's stuff all over the ground!"

- After a gust of wind, "That made my heart shiver!"

- At a friend's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, you called him "Chunky Cheese," and wondered where you could get more "cokens" (tokens). Eventually you started calling them "cokes."

- At Mimi's you were pretending to nurse your baby. You pulled up your shirt and said, "Ouch!" At home you use AhAh the Monkey as your chosen baby. You rock him to sleep and feed and burp him.

- Discussion about Thanksgiving:
Me: I'm thankful we have a house to live in. You know some people don't have nice, warm houses.
You: Yeah, they have DRY houses.
[rim shot?]

Me: Who are you thankful for, in your life.
You: Mila and Jolie.

- Star of the Muppets: "Krimet" the Frog. And when we say "mahnah mahnah" you respond with the doo doos. It's like a new game of Marco Polo.

- After we saw a Christmas light display we told you we were going to the Olive Garden for dinner.
A few minutes later...
You: Where are we going now?
Us: To dinner.
A few minutes later...
You: Where are we going NOW?
Us: Uh, to DINNER.
You: .....But when are we going to pick olives?
[rim shot]

- The look of amazement in your eyes when you saw your new drum set from Santa. Playing with such glee.

Jan-Mar:
- You corrected your pronunciation of "comPLOOter." "It's comPUter, mommy, isn't it." And then you used Avery's toy to pretend you have an iPad.

- At the beginning of your obsession with the calendar, you confused your teachers by telling them you were going to school again on "six day." You meant on the 6th.

- You're fascinated by maps. You wanted to keep good track of Dad when he traveled to Australia.

- You say, "certainly" and "actually" within a context that isn't quite accurate.

- You cried at the end of your first live Bulls' game, when they lost.

- You call your sister's play mat a "place mat."

- "Mom, do you hear that clickey clack from my slippers?"

[Side entry:
Brad: I'm so tired all the time. I wonder if I have mono.
Me: You don't have mono, you have children.]


I read about an idea where parents interview their children on their birthdays. We'll start this tradition now and hope we remember to keep up with it.

SIR INTERVIEW 3.5
Favorite Color: blue
Favorite Toy: basketball hoop
Favorite Fruit: blueberries (because they're blue)
TV Show/Movie: Jake and the Neverland Pirates/Willy Wonka
Lunch: Hummus sandwich
Outfit: Dragon shirt
Game: iPhone basketball game [it's a new generation, kids!]
Snack: peanuts/raisins/M&Ms
Animal: elephant
Song: "ALL the songs."
Book: Curious George
Best Friend: "Theo, Gus, Matilda, and Daddy...................and you. And Avery." (Thanks, bud.)
Cereal: Special K (lie)
Favorite Thing to do Outside: run to the park
Drink: orange juice and apple juice
Holiday: "Trick or Treating" and Christmas
Breakfast: Honey Nut Cheerios
What do you take you bed at night: "the guys" (Pooh bear, blue blanket, doggie, AhAh, Benny the Bull, etc...)
What do you want for dinner on your birthday: Mac n cheese
What do you want to be when you grow up: a fireman


(SIR and "Krimet")