Day Seven: 4/29/14

I always hate the last morning of Hawaii.  There was just enough time to get something to eat, pack up our stuff, and say goodbye to all our favorite things at the hotel.  In the morning, I tidied up and then took the kid downstairs for breakfast as we had done for the past week.  This time, we grabbed some udon from Lawson Station and sat down at the pool bar by the water.  I love this time of day when it’s quiet and all you can hear is the ocean and the hotel staff prepping for the day.

Our shuttle picked us up at 10:45 and while we waited, I got this one last photo of Kumquat free and happy with no shoes on.

On the flight home, the Lams sat next to us again and the flight started out well for us.

Kumquat even took an hour-long nap shortly after take-off.

Unfortunately, once she woke up, she had some tummy problems and had to poop just about every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours.  At one point, we had just returned to our seats from pooping when she said, “Mama, poopoo.”  I thought she was just recalling the yucky experience she just had but it was too late when I realized she was pooping again!  There was so much that it went up the back and we had to change her entire outfit!  Thankfully, it all settled down by the last hour and Kumquat sat quietly with her Blue’s Clues before landing.  We arrived in SF around 9:45pm so I’d have to say she was quite a trooper.

Some of my favorite parts of our vacation:

• Early quiet mornings with my little girl by the pool or at the beach.
• Spending an extended amount of time with old friends.
• Watching all our kids play together.
• Seeing our usual vacation spots through a toddler’s eyes.

Things I’ve learned (or had reinforced) during this trip:

• Always pack extra clothes for yourself and the kid.  Also bring more diapers than you think you’ll need.
• You can never have too many toys and games on the plane.
• Sunscreen that comes in spray form is awesome when you have to apply it to the kid 2-3 times per day.
• Renting an umbrella is always worth it in Hawaii.
• You really don’t need a car in Waikiki.
• Sheraton Waikiki is a fun place for families.
• Taxi drivers are usually willing to take your toddler without a carseat.
• Having clothespins in the hotel room is really helpful when you’re at the pool or beach everyday.
• Having a seat for your toddler on the plane is totally worth the money.

I can’t wait for our next trip.  Next Spring really can’t come soon enough.

Oh and here’s a collage of 12 out of the 13 Mai Tais that I had over the course of the week.  They were awesome.