Aloha, Oahu!

We recently went to Oahu for Dave and Winnie's wedding. It was our first family vacation as a family of five. The flight over wasn't so bad. I sat next to a couple with a 9 week old, who was awake more than Mathis but calm at the same time. Hansel for the most part sat with Maile and Beck. We realized early on that we had forgotten the kids' DVDs despite remembering to bring the player. Luckily there was a family sitting behind us, and we were able to borrow from them. Thank you, whoever you are.

We got in around 12n, so we ate at the Wahaina Coffee House, right across the street from the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and later went grocery shopping. There we experienced some of the pains of shopping with three kids. At one point, Hansel ran back to get milk while I was at the checkout with all three kids. The baby, who I had in a sling, was crying while I was trying to unload the groceries, and Maile and Beck were running in and out of the front door and looking at bakery items. During the latter, the checkout lady said, "Your son is touching the bread."

That night we ate at IHOP, and the kids had pancake for dinner. The next morning we decided to eat at IHOP again. The kids had pancakes again but a different kind.

That day Hansel wasn't feeling so hot, so I took the kids to the Waikiki Aquarium as part of the Girls Day Out that Winnie's matron of honor organized while Hansel watched Mathis at the hotel. We took a bus to the aquarium. It was the kids first real bus ride, and they had a great time. At the aquarium, each paying customer gets an audio-tour wand. I gave mine to Beck, and Maile had her own. Maile was listening; Beck just liked putting it to his ear.

In the above photo, Beck had just held a hermit crab. He was commenting on how it tickled.

Afterward, we all, including Winnie and Liz, took a bus to get to Halekulani hotel to have tea. Beck fell asleep on the bus less than 5 minutes before our stop. I carried him two long blocks to the hotel. Boy is he heavy. Hansel met us there to hand off Mathis and to take Maile and Beck back to our hotel.

Tea was nice. The portions weren't huge but filling. Liz ended up asking to take a couple of her small tarts to go. When she got the box, there were about six items in there. The waiter explained that the box was too big for just two. He was afraid they would slide around and get ruined, so he put more in as filler. So remember if you're ever in Waikiki and like afternoon tea, go to Halekulani and get a couple of your dessert items to go.

The next day I wanted to go to the Ala Moana Center to get a camisole-type tanktop (sans lacy trim). I had spent a week before the trip looking for a tanktop with spaghetti straps and no built-in bra, which makes it difficult to breastfeed, and I didn't want a nursing tank. I eventually found one but then proceeded to leave it at home. While we were at the mall we ran into Stew, Vicki, and Cameron in the food court, who were later joined by Alex and Roberta. They didn't eat at the enormous food court. They ate somewhere a little more civilized.

We headed back to the Hilton Village since the Yaus were coming and would be staying with us that night. After two days of not having a nap, Beck was very willing to have one even with Hannah, who's like his second big sister, around. Later while I hiked myself and Mathis over to Ala Moana Park for the rehearsal, everyone else hit the lagoon and pool.
Rehearsal dinner was at a Chinese restaurant. Hansel, the kids, and the Yaus came. The kids must have been hungry because they gobbled up the typical, visually unappetizing but good appetizers -- jellyfish and fatty beef slices. The meal was very good, especially the fish.
Dave's older brother passed out these blinking light things to the kids, which they loved and which did not cause any epileptic seizures (thank goodness). As a thank-you gift Winnie gave me a couple of bracelets and a necklace to go with the bridesmaid dress. Very thoughtful, especially since I didn't bring any jewelry or accessories.
Below is a photo of Cameron at the dinner, bringing new meaning to "double fisting."


I'm going to write a separate entry about the rest of the trip.