Honolulu City Lights

We took the Honolulu City Lights Trolley Tour! The trolley was a little scary, not being buckled in and driving in Honolulu traffic was a little nerve-racking for a worry-wart mommy like me. I could tell Cora was a little nervous, but she loved it at the same time. We had fun, but now I feel bad because she's been sick ever since :( I exposed her to some cold bug somewhere down there, grrr.

Now she keeps asking to go back to the "elf store" and "watch them make toys for her." SO CUTE. I am so excited to see her on Christmas morning, it is going to be a beautiful thing! I hope everyone out there has a great, GREAT Christmas! Much love!!

Mommy & Me Tea

Cora and I went to our first "afternoon tea" today! It was such a beautiful little tea room and we had a blast!! We met new friends, ate chocolate covered strawberries and bananas, had cute flower shaped tea sandwiches, muffins, and cupcakes, and of course, delicious tea. The best part was crafting and that Cora got a magic wand (star shaped and everything!) so she can be a temporary fairy just like Alice (in one of her favorite books!) It was the perfect afternoon tea, and we can't wait to go again! Dressing up for tea has never been more fun.

Nightlife

I'm posting a few photos of nightlife in the Turner house. I love my life. I can't believe how beautiful my little girl is becoming. She is growing so much every day and is a complete parrot. She repeats EVERYTHING we do and say. Lucia today, taught her a little something. Cora came up to me and said "Mommy, this is my finger and THIS is you" then she twirled one finger around her other finger... get it? I'm wrapped around her little finger. I cracked up. It was so cute, but if Lu had been home she mighta got hit! We are getting decorated and really excited for Christmas. Cora sat on Santa's lap and let him read her a book and talk about what she wants for Christmas, it was a really priceless moment, AND we got it captured on film. I can't wait for you all to see it.

Anyway, off to bed and to watch The Holiday... I hope you enjoy the photos of a really great evening :)

Halloween '09

Let's start by saying, trick-or-treating with a two year old isn't the brightest idea, but, after a few failed attempts, she started to have a good time. Stranger Anxiety (anxiety isn't quite the right word)... Stranger Anger, is strong with Cora. She doesn't like strangers and she's not nice about letting them know that. At one house a lady leaned down to put candy into Cora's witch basket and she yells "NO!! That's MY witch!!" We tried to explain that she wasn't going to take her witch that she just wanted to put a treat in it, and Cora's response? To bend over her witch (to protect it, I presume) and start bawling. All we could do was laugh. But like I said, eventually she got the hang of it!!

When we asked her what she wanted to be for Halloween she said, "DADDY!" So, she was daddy, a nurse, as you can see. She was so cute! (but doesn't have the best bedside manner)

Celebration & Family

Wow. It's been awhile, eh? It's hard to update my little "journal" lately, we always have such a houseful, I have no downtime! It's fun though, I've spent so many years away from family, I'm soaking up every second I have with my cousins while they are here. I love them (Cora LOVES them, also.) This morning Cora was telling Sophi, "No Sophi, you no go to work today, stay here with me!" And every day when they get home from work she runs into their arms like she hasn't seen them in years! It is so cute, and I'm so happy that she has family around (besides boring ol' mom and dad!) The picture above was taken while Gramma Deana was out visiting. We went to Kaneohe Sandbar and chilled on the ocean for the day. Lucia and Cora were loungin' together, gettin' some rays!

August was a good month! Mel and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary on the 24th. We went out on a little date while Gramma, Sophi, and Lulu stayed home with Cora. It was nice to get out alone and just focus on one another for a few hours. But alas, we missed Cora, and didn't want her to go to bed without us telling her goodnight, so we came home early... as it turns out, being parents is our first priority, above a night on the town. Six years into marriage and we are so connected, so "on the same page," and it was great to go out and talk, just us, to reaffirm our commitment to each other and to our FAMILY as a whole.

So yeah, a couple days after our anniversary I turned 32, not happy about it, so let's just skim over that little particular (Mel bought me a gorgeous painting, some beautiful flowers (pink lilies,) and he and Cora made me a gorgeous, GORGEOUS cake!) I got to blow out the candles with my babygirl, that was the best part of the day. Seeing her excitement in celebrating my big (OLD) day made turning 32 fun (almost!)

July was INSANE

July flew by! I was absolutely INSANE. Cora turned two (woot woot!) Mel turned 28 (woot woot!) Cambria, Scott, and Brooklyn came and stayed with us for two weeks (BIG woots!) Then Sophi and Lulu flew out to live with us for the summer (I discovered they are my soul sisters!) So, it was busy, busy, busy all month long, I didn't have time to blog AT ALL. So here are a few photos of the highlights of the month... ENJOY!

Guess Who's....

POTTY TRAINED!!!

Big congratulations to Cora for being a big girl now!! We decided that when she turned two it was time for her to learn how to use the bathroom like a big girl, in the toilet. We read an e-book a friend had called Three Day Potty Training, really liked the concepts and ideas (no punishment for accidents, no coercions, just positive reminders, LOTS of praise and rewards for success) of the process described and decided to go for it and in three days she was potty trained! I am so amazed, so impressed with her (and us) for being so successful! She is in big girl undies all day and hasn't had an accident in her underwear since day three of potty training (it been two weeks.) She still wears a pull-up at night but those too, will soon be gone, we are going to start that phase of the training soon. It was a stressful first three days....

..but we are all smiles now!!! Congratulations Cora, on your big success!!

Mamaw & Papaw

Bubbles!!

Thank you soo much for the money to buy my bubble mower!!  I went through two bottles of bubbles already and I just got my mower! (because Mommy and Daddy took FOREVER to get it for me!) 

It is a little hard for me to push by myself but I still love it, Mommy says that when I get the hang of it I will probably go through ten bottles of bubbles a day!  I think it's really fun and its the first noisy toy I've ever had that doesn't scare me :)  Probably because it makes bubbles, nothing that makes bubbles could be scary!!

Anyway, I just wanted to send you both a little thank you note to let you know that I got it, that I love it, and that I love you!

Love, 

Cora

Cora & Phoey

Boating at Kaneohe was so beautiful. We had a great day! The tide was low so we didn't see very many fishies but the turtles were around (they never disappoint!) so Cora and Sophia (Phoey) got to see them for the first time! We even saw a baby one!! We got a lot of sun, checked out some reefs, hunted for seashells, played in the water, and played in the sand. We all came home with big smiles and pink cheeks (and can't wait to go again!) 

Easter!

 

Happy Easter!! I woke up bright and early on Easter Sunday to Cora saying "Happy Easer Daddy!" He had gone to get her out of her crib and that was the first thing out of her mouth. I had no idea that our 21 month old would be speaking in full sentences! She is incredible. The Easter Bunny was very good to Miss Cora this Easter, she got a little flower shop, a flower shaped sprinkler for her backyard playground, and a basket of goodies! She made chocolate chip cookies with her daddy and then went to her friend Riley's house for an Easter egg hunt and dinner. She loved opening the eggs to see what was inside, money (meme!) was her favorite find. She loves to put coins in her piggy bank and give it a sweet kiss on the snout after she makes her deposit. 

We had a really good morning, but really, would it be "real life" if there wasn't a small catastrophe to attend to. Cora had a little meltdown because she was ready to go and Mommy and Daddy were taking too long to get out the door ... oops (my own childhood memories came flooding back in this moment so I had to get it on film.) 

Once we got out the door and on our way, all was fine. I'm afraid of the things that are going to come out of her mouth when her vocabulary expands to a place where she can verbalize her thoughts and feelings towards us (me, particularly) and the way I do things. She is very opinionated and I fear it will be a battle of wills from a very young age (no worries though, I have been prepared for her to hate me since before she was even born!) So yeah, Easter (Easer!) was good and I hope everyone enjoyed their celebrations as well.  

Other than that, school is good, work is good, the weather is improving and starting to resemble Hawaiian weather and not the Pacific Northwest! The rain is on my last nerve, I'm glad to see it dissipating. Anyway, enjoy the snaps of our day and... 

Happy "Easer" everyone!!

Snaps from Kauai

Sand and water fun...

Getting dunked!

Taking time to smell the flowers...

Kauai and Stuff

Hmm, things have been good (I guess.)  I always sit down to write with my head full of things to share and by the time I get here to do it my mind goes blank (Gingko anyone?) So, I guess I'll start with Kauai. We took a little vacation to the outer island for Spring Break.  Our first "official" family vacation so to speak.  We had a great time! We stayed at the Sheridon Resort and did absolutely nothing!  It was perfect. Cora played on the beach, swam in the pool... we ate great food and watched cool hawaiian luaus while sitting on our lanai drinking wine and eating creme brulee cheesecake.  What more could you ask for? 

I have to decided (after almost seven years of refusing) that I'm open to the idea of a king-size bed (not sure it was the size as much as it was the canopy that I fell in love with at the Sheridon, but still) (not that Mel cares why I've changed my mind, only that I have changed it) he's happy.

Speaking of Mel, we went to the pool the other day to do a little "meesa aw"... "Co-cor meesa aw" (which is "Cora wants to swim in the water" in Cora-speak) and Mel ended up getting offered a lifeguarding job on the spot. So that was kinda cool. He'll be working as well as going to school but it's a fun job for him and Cora and I can hang out with daddy while he's at work so it's not taking away too much time from us in that respect. The best part though, is that it saves us the 175$ that we were going to pay for him to get his lifeguarding certification. The company that hired him is going to pay that for us, so yay! School is going really well for him as well. 

Cora's gymnastics class is great. She is getting really good at following the coaches instructions with very little or no help from Mel and I.  I can't believe how fast she is picking it up. I'll try to take some video soon so you all can see her in action... 

speaking of Cora, she has woke up from her nap so I have to go (don't worry moms, I will put pictures up later this evening, so check back!)

Our Island Tumbler

So, we finally got into a gymnastics class! Cora had her first day today at Island Tumblers. I think she's going to have a ton of fun there once she gets over her shyness. Both the coaches are male (which is a bonus since she tends to like/trust men more than women) and they seemed to be great with the little ones and teach a pretty structured, fun, varied class. She learned how to do her stretches, walk sideways on the balance beam (walking backwards was a bit advanced for her) and jump down and yell "ta-dah!" (which might have been her favorite part.) She was apprehensive but by the end of the class she was willing to give her coaches a high-five and say "bye coach!" (she wouldn't get near them or talk to them at the beginning of class.) I'm hoping that next class she might be willing to let them touch her to help her do her skills!! I am so happy we decided to enroll her so young, she is going to love it and I can't wait to watch her begin to learn some skills (there are 2.5 year olds who can stand on their heads and do handstands!) Stay tuned for more photos and stories of our island tumbler!

Cora Lue

Here are some recent pictures of Cora (for those of you giving me grief about posting text sans photos) ... I hope you enjoy them!

Telling Mommy "No more Mommy, no more!"

What do you want?

Showing off her "treasures" (rocks from the flower bed)

She fell asleep coming home from Whole Foods (she had a cold and didn't feel well)

Playing in the rain water and couldn't be happier about it!!

There.  (All you cry babies.) There are your pictures. She's as beautiful and amazing as always.  

A little update: we went to our first St. Patrick's Day Parade today. After the first band went by she said "no more pease, mommy, no more" (her favorite thing to say right now!) And tomorrow morning is her first day of gymnastics class... wish us luck!!

Target!

Ok, I know its pathetic, but the biggest news in our world is that Target opened on-island!! It's just like a mile away from the house and I am soooo happy. We bought Cora a new doctor kit so she could practice playing doctor (and maybe not be such a little crybaby at her next appointment!) We also got her some new wooden puzzles and she has learned her numbers from them. She can count to four unassisted, then if we say "five" she will say "six, seven" and if we say "eight" she will say "NIIIIINE!!"  It's really cute. She loves to point out the number two. "Two birdies" "two turtles" whenever she sees a pair of something she loves to announce it to the world. Anyway, life is good here.  Mel has started his clinical at Po Hai Nani Retirement Community and is really enjoying school.  Cora will start gymnastics soon and we can't wait for that!  She is crazy and has no fear so it will be a great, safe, place for her to explore that side of herself.  More soon... I have to go color!

Valentine's Day

It's funny how when you have children Valentine's Day takes on a whole new meaning, it becomes more about familial love and less about romantic love (although we did find time for a few glasses of wine after she went to bed!)

We went to breakfast in the morning and took her to her favorite little play park to run around.  Then we went to Borders and got some new books (one for each of us.) Most importantly though, we took Cora out for her very first ice cream experience (a DQ cone!) To say she loved it is a huge understatement! She gobbled it down squealing "NUMMMMY" after every bite. It was so cute (and she didn't even make a mess on the little Valentine dress Gramma bought her!) She's such a big girl. We just love her, she was the best part of our Valentine's Day!

Honolulu Zoo

Zoo days!! So, it had been a few months and it was high-time we took Miss Lue to the zoo! She had a lot of fun. Her favorite things were the turtles, the fishies, the lions (kitty kitties), and the hyenas (ruff, ruff, doggies) She loved the lizards too and tried to give them kisses!

18 Months

Cora had her 18-month "well baby" appointment. She's 50 percentile in height and weight. And "very advanced" (according to her doctor (proud momma)) in both language and gross motor skills. He went so far as to "warn" us that if/when we have another child to not expect our next baby to meet milestones as quickly as Cora has. Whatev. He (or she) will be just as brilliant (how could they not be!) but anyway, we were so proud to know that Cora is doing so well, I really didn't think she was ahead of the curve, statistically.

Mel has started his clinicals. I think he's enjoying them (he has to physically assess some cute, young, co-ed next week!) and I'm trying to support him, but I miss him. Cora and I have gotten so used to having him around all the time, its an adjustment. Cora and I did bath and bedtime by ourselves for the first time in MONTHS. She did well, but when I was rocking her before bed she kept yelling for daddy. I just kept telling her "daddy is at school, you'll see him in the morning." It was sad, but she's adjusting pretty well.

She has fallen in love with the dolly her Uncle Everett and cousin Makayla got for her. She has to have her in bed with her to go to sleep. She carries her all over the house and feeds her and rocks her to sleep. It's so sweet. Anyway, that's it for now! Ta ta.