Growth spurt

Is it normal for a child to actually feel discomfort when he’s going through a growth spurt?  Oscar has been stiffening his body while he sleeps, clenching his fists at his thighs, with his arms straight as can be, and groaning.  He’s also been signing that he’s hurt, although I cannot for the life of me figure out what is huring him.  He’s grown at least an inch in a very short amount of time (he’s 34″ tall – amazing), so he’s definitely going through a growth spurt.  I think it’s all related, but his ped doesn’t think so, although she doesn’t have any idea what could be the cause of the night-time frustration.  Any suggestions?

Thoughts on our vacation

We’re back.  We’ve been back since 4:35 AM Tuesday.  Brilliant move to take the red-eye, genius.  Actually, Oscar was such a great traveler this trip.  The man sitting next to us on our outbound flight actually asked me if I had Benadryled him when we were getting off the flight, and the woman sitting next to us on our inbound flight kept remarking how “remarkable” he was.  “Not a peep the entire flight”.  He really was fantastic.  I, however, am just too old for red-eyes, especially when I’m holding a toddler.  If you’re doing this, though, it’s great for your kid in terms of getting them back on mainland time quickly (if you can stand a really tough day when you return).

Thanks to everyone who suggested the condo – great choice!  We actually stayed in one that was smaller than the one in the photo, in an attempt to “save” money, but it was absolutely perfect for us.  Honestly, though, it became clear to me on this trip that all we need for a vacation is a heated pool.  It’s likely we’ll stay closer to home for the next vacation, since although Oscar is a top-notch traveler, lugging everything I need for the two of us (even for a 4 day trip) is a nightmare.  And I had the grandparents around to help on this trip.  

I also don’t know that we’ll return to the Big Island.  This is kind of a big deal for me, as aside from Oahu, I’ve never disliked one of the Hawaiian islands before.  I shouldn’t say that I dislike it, it’s just that I don’t like it as much as Kauai (or maybe even Lanai).  The landscapes are diverse – stark (desolate) and arid on the west coast to green, rolling farmland in the hills, to the more tropical coast on the east.  I never imagined the extent of the lava floes, so I’m glad to have had a chance to see it.  It’s just that the island seemed to big for me, and I never really got that feeling that I was on vacation.  This, of course, could be because I have an active 22 month old and was also checking my blackberry for work fairly constantly.  I also did not realize the beach situation on the Big Island. There really is only one great beach on the west side of the island – and it is a fantastic beach – but I guess I’m spoiled in the sense that I expect to go to Hawaii and have my hotel or condo situated on a good beach (doesn’t need to be extraordinary like Hapuna, but at least a good one).  The beach next to our condo was quite pathetic, although the development where our condo was located was beautiful, and the pool areas were highly utilized by us.

The other thing about Hawaii right now is that it feels practically empty, although with the cut back in number of flights, the planes are oversold.  I would not go thinking that you’re going to get amazing discounts, though.  It seems like every vendor is milking the few tourists for all they’re worth.  One place we went to (a botanical garden) had recently almost tripled its ticket price from just a few months ago.  And, while hotel prices appear lower, even some moderately priced ones are tacking on resort fees and charging for amenities previously included in the room rate.  You get the feeling that everyone is in survival mode, although they seem to forget that the very few people who have traveled to get there might be struggling as well and are just determined to eek out a few days relaxation.  Of course, I have never considered Hawaii a great value, but it seemed like now it is anything but.

Regardless, it was a great trip, but we’re very happy to be home.  Oscar has been overjoyed with being back in his room (to play, of course, not to sleep), and I’m just happy to be back in our house with Nanny Norma and the dogs. Aloha.

Wordless Wednesday

Best $5.47 EVER spent

The week before I left to pick Oscar up in Vietnam, I made many a run to T*rget.  On one of those trips I happened to see a package of swim diapers on clearance.  Feeling compelled to be prepared for anything on my upcoming adventure, I grabbed a package and added it to one of my two ginormous pieces of luggage.  Can I tell you how brilliant that instinct was?  That package has traveled with me (now us) from San Francisco to Hanoi, to Nha Trang, to Da Lat, to Ho Chi Minh City, to Hue, back to Hanoi, to Kuala Lumpur, to Bali, to Ubud, back to Kuala Lumpur, back to Hanoi, to San Francisco, to Lanai, back to San Francisco and now to the Big Island.  Now that we are down to the last diaper in the package, I thought it time to express our thanks.  I am pretty sure I will never spend $5.47 as wisely again.

Rico Suave

 

My little man working his look.  Do I need to tell you how sad I am that the last few are blurry?   And for those of you too young to understand the reference in this post’s title, I am so sad for all you have missed, so I leave you this.  Enjoy.

Just ‘cuz he’s so cute

even when throwing a fit.

7 hours 45 minutes

In a car.  Driving from one side of the Big Island to the other and back again.  With grandparents who wanted to stop and look at pretty things like waterfalls and botanical gardens.  And know what happened?  Not much.  The kid was phenomenal.  Not a single meltdown, which I’m still finding amazing.  He was clearly not thrilled, but the day went extremely well.  He hung out in the car pretty calmly on the road to the falls, and was a trooper when we hiked in the rain forest. We celebrated at a playground in Waimea on the way home, and we’re off to the pool yet again.  Pretty action-packed day.  I’m hoping for an early bedtime with a little boy who sleeps past 4:00 am tomorrow.  I can dream, can’t I?

Quiet day on the island

After yesterday’s marathon travel adventure (flight plus drive up coast, drive back down coast and to condo), we decided to take things easy today.  Kind of a necessity as we got up at 3:00 this morning, although Oscar and I did manage a 2 1/2 hour nap this afternoon.  So awesome.  We hung out at the complex today, walking to the quite crappy beach and then over to the beautiful club house, which has a fabulous keiki pool.  Spent a few hours there, napped, went to the grocery store that had a bonus water feature (score! we made quite the spectacle of ourselves) and then came home to watch baby signing time and climb on the furniture.  What a great day.

How to eat ice cream on vacation

Step 1 – arrive on island and put pretty flowers in the pretty boy’s hair:

Step 2 – pick up rental jeep and start sight-seeing:

Step 3 – see extraordinarily beautiful sights:

Step 4 – find adorable ice cream shop after a certain little monster starts maniacally signing “ice cream” when his mother utters the word “scream”:

Step 5 – start licking:

Step 5 – rinse and repeat

Fruit of my labor

I’m still seeing the dividends of my spending spree (economic stimulus plan) last week, which is fantastic.  Not as fantastic?  I’m betting that will be seeing my credit card bill.  Ouch.  Anyway, that’s for another day. 

Today for show and tell I’m sharing my new, fabulous earrings.  When I went to Russia a few years ago the “police” at the airport in Moscow absconded with all of my jewelry, which was in a jewelry carrier in my purse.  Yeah, not my favorite travel story.  Ever since then I’ve been trying to restore my collection, but it takes time to acquire unique pieces, and add that to the fact that I really hate to spend money on jewelry (since, you know, the police might steal it), and I really don’t wear much anymore.  I always have my eye out for great stuff, though.  Last week, I found this designer on Etsy (shock of shocks), and I actually shelled out the cash for a couple of sets of earrings.  Have to say, for a girl who doesn’t like to spend more than $40 on an article of jewelry, I’m not minding that I paid far (far) more for these. . .

I adore both, but I uber love the first pair because they remind me of some great jewelry my grandmother had when I was a little girl.  The blue-green of the stones are almost exactly the same color and clarity.  Made me almost cry when I saw them.  And I love the second because I have always loved the combination of blue topaz and peridot.  So happy.

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

I did it.  I’m not thrilled about it, and I’ve spent pretty much the entire day wondering if it was the right decision, but here it is.  I had Oscar’s hair cut.  Not even just a slight trim, but a full-blown cut.  The “stylist” and I had a bit of a communication issue, which is bound to happen when a trip to the salon takes no more than 8 minutes total, but thankfully there was no bowl involved and he looks pretty darned good, with one little problem.  He doesn’t look remotely like my child.  Hopefully by tomorrow I’ll recognize him again, but for now I’m missing his curls.  He, by the way, seems to be happier now that he’s not having to brush his hair out of his eyes anymore, but really, since when did this become about him?

I’m including pics of him on Saturday morning, which was the impetus of the salon trip (that and two weeks of Grandpa and Grandma “suggesting” it might be time – well, two weeks in person, they’ve thought it was time for many months now, pretty much since they got Skype).  Anyhoo, here it is, including a bonus glamour shot of me working a polyester cape . . .

What would you do?

I’m a little frustrated here.  My car dealer just called to tell me that the rate they gave me in my contract is not actually valid for Mini convertibles, so they’d like me to sign up for a higher rate (2.3% higher than what I had – still a really good rate, but not a fantastic rate like I have in my contract).  I’ve convinced them to drop the price of my car a little and give me an accessory I wanted for free, but I know I could have gotten more.  In fact, I could have forced them to give me what I have in my contract.  Since IT’S A FREAKING CONTRACT.

When I asked the sales manager what would happen if I simply told them they had to honor my contract, he said that basically everyone involved would have to give up their commission and the dealership would have “a black mark against it” with BMW finance.  What do you think?  Was I too easy on them?  I mean, if I had called them today to say, oh, gee, turns out I can’t actually afford this car, think they would have worked with me on it? [that was rhetorical, of course.]