We're back!!!

I wrote this post about a month ago, but didnt post it... here it is...

Man I have to tell ya, I have really been neglecting this blogging thing but I am happy to say that, once again, I am taking up my blogging duties.  

We just got back from Hawaii.  This time we went to the Big Island.  I was really wondering what it was going to be like, I have herd that it is not as fun as the rest of the Islands, maybe because most people that go there, actually get to sere the Entire Island.  We were there for eleven days and ended up putting over 1400 miles on our rental car.  We were on the move pretty much the whole time, with a few really nice beach days scattered throughout.  

What is really crazy about this island is its size... All of the other islands  put together are still smaller than it is.  

One interesting fact that I found out is that Hawaii is actually the biggest mountain on the entire planet!  It actually starts miles  below the surface!

Mount Everest (in the Himalaya Range near Nepal) is the world's highest mountain peak. When measured from sea level to its summit, it's 29,029 feet tall.

Mauna Kea (in Hawaii) is the world's tallest mountain peak. When measured from the ocean floor to its summit, it's 33,476 feet tall, but only its top 13,803 feet extend above sea level.

 Right now the Volcano is erupting all over the place.  There is steam all over the island, and there are lots of cool places that you can go to.  Lava heated tide pools that are 95 degrees.  Lava tubes that you can explore that are miles long, ancient petroglyphs (drawings in stone), massive rain forests, entire towns wiped out by lava, black, white, and even green sand beaches, 1,500 ft. waterfalls, and lots more.  Between my wife and I we have been to all the Islands, and this one is the coolest.  Its just so big that it takes forever to get there.  So if you have more than a week, go there.   If not, go to one of the other Islands.  They all have the same stuff... except the Volcano.  If you want that... go to the Big Island.

So How Did The Kid Do?

Now that Marley is 13 months... traveling is much different.  A week before we went to Hawaii, we went to Palm Springs... it made a nice test run for the big trip to Hawaii.  We noticed that quite a few things have changed since the last time she was on a plane, when she was for or five months old.  She used to sleep the whole time, it was nice... but I guess those times are over.  We are lucky if she sleeps for a half hour.

This is what we did.  I think that Marley is a exceptional travel, so this might not work for all babies.  

She loves books, so that was the only toy that we brought for her.  If there is something that your kid really likes and will sit with for hours, bring it.  If there is nothing that does this for your kid, you better take them to the store and find something... or your in for one, nasty, ride.

Bring lots of diapers and wipes-  for some reason, babies like to drink a lot on the plane, maybe because that is all that there is to do, I don't know.  But if they drink a lot, they pee a lot.  On our trip to Hawaii, Marley must have peed at least five times. Wipes will come in hand for all the throw up and mess that they most certainly will make

Milk, Water, and Juice- Be sure that the kid is drinking or sucking on a sucker or something during takeoff, until your ears stop popping, and on the decent to land.  This is when the air pressure build up is the greatest, and can be really irritating for lots of babies.

1 Year...

Wow, I would really have to say that one year really goes by fast.  Looking back at all the pictures over the last year... its really hard to believe that I am looking at the same kid.  So much has happened and changed is such a short amount of time.  I can tell that now is when thing will really start to get interesting. 

We had a cool Disco Party for Marley.  Disco Ball, flashing lights, bubble machine and all.  The kids danced hard.  Loved the cake.

Here's a little something that we learned from a bunch of our friends... if you get your cake a Safeway, and ask them... they will make a little cake just for the baby to dig into!

Getting Out

This week, I decided that it was time to whip myself back into shape.  I joined a Gym.  LA Fitness.  I am so out of shape, and Marley is getting really fast, and I need to be able to keep up.  I love this gym, because, there are tons of them all over the place, they have pools, basketball courts, racquetball, and a kids club and daycare.  This makes it really nice.  

Marley is almost one, and I took some awesome pictures for her invites... enjoy.

If you need some time away from the kid for a little while and also need to get in shape... join the Gym and you get both.

Eleven Months or Terrible Two's?

What is worse?

I think that were raising a little hellraiser...

Now that little miss Marley is eleven months old, her little personality is really starting to show.  And she has the personality of a DIVA.  This little girl is super sassy, and defiantly has an opinion about stuff.  She is not scared to tell your what she thinks.  Everything that she does right now is so funny... most of the time.  

Running, walking, climbing and thievery are her new favorite things to do.  During the coarse of about a week, we started to lose things left and right.  One day the remote control disappeared, then another one was gone.  i lost several coasters, and tons of socks.  I lost one of Marley's shoes, some books and magazines... where was all of this going.  Then one day while I was working on the computer and Marley was wondering around the house.... I heard some giggling coming from the bathroom.  When I  went in there she was looking into the bathtub.  When I looked in the tub, I found all of the stuff that had gone missing.  Marley is a little pack rat!

I have been taking her all over the place, WITHOUT the stroller!  I just let her walk everywhere now.  I took her to the Pike Place Market the other day and she walked the whole thing.  Really.  A few days later we went to the mall, and she pretty much walked the whole time then too.  

The best thing is that, after a nice long walk like that... she crashes and gives me some nice time to myself to get some stuff done.  

Some new teeth are giving her hell lately.  Her eye teeth are coming in and this is making her go crazy, biting things sometimes.  Yesterday, I thought that she was coming in for a kiss... Wrong! She bit me right on the nose.  Ouch!  We have been trying to get her to stop biting people, she is slowly learning.  

Marley and I just got off of a really long week.  Ashley was in New York for the entire week.  This was the longest that she has been away from us so far.  Luckily for me, Marley slept great every night.  The days were long though, with no breaks.  I was able to have Ashley's aunt Gail and Uncle Al, watch her one of the days, and I was actually able go and make some money.

Since Marley  is becoming so independent, I thought that it was time for her to get her own little princess couch.  She loves it, and sits on it all the time.  But she also uses it to push around and put next to other things like the ottoman or couch so she can climb up on stuff.  Advanced Problem Solving Skills is a sign of geniuses.  At least I like to thing that.  

We start swimming lessons this week....

Marley 10.5

If I knew what was going to happen to my life after having a baby...

This has been a especially tough month. This little girl is crazy. Now she is completely mobile, and wont take no for an answer. There is no stopping her, no getting in her way. If you do, there will be hell to pay.

She seems to know exactly what all the things are, that she not supposed to do. Play with toys, she does not. Pulling lamps over, going up stairs and falling down them, drinking the dogs water, eating the dogs food.... while he is eating it...( you can guess the outcome). Tossing all the stuff out of any cupboards or drawers that she can get into, tearing up books. Grabbing the toilet paper and dragging it all through the house... and then eating it. Only going for knives in the dishwasher... I don't know how she knows? (I put them in blades down). She knows how to pinch you and bite too. Anything to inflict maximum pain is what she like best.

The other day she bit the wife's boob so bad that she broke skin and drew blood. Ouch!! I don't even like people to touch my nipples, I cant imagine what it would be like to have a little monster biting them all the time, and then keep feeding them... knowing full well that you are going to get bit again. The wife plans on breastfeeding until Marley is one year old, but I can tell it's getting harder and harer to do. I have to hand it to her though, she has done one hell of a job keeping this girl fed, with all the work and traveling that she has done. She is a really good and determined mom, and I am so proud of her.

So the dog bit her on the head the other day... a scuffle of food. Happens to lots of people with dogs right? What are you supposed to do. I beat the dog profusely and tossed him outside. He was lucky that I didn't kill him. I have always told myself that if the dog ever bit anyone that we would get rid of him, but know that this happened... I just don't know what to do. I love my dog, and hate to see him go. I had a place for him to go, or somebody wanted a old dog (he's 8), I would take him there. But I have tried for months to find him a home... no takers.
If I take him to the humane society... they will just put him to sleep, and I don't want him to live in a cage for the rest of his life.

I need the dog whisperer of something...

What would you do?

The Many Faces of Marley

As she gets older, the faces just get funnier and funnier.  I sit and wonder what is going through her head.  She has such a funny personality, I just cant wait any longer to see what she is going to say.  

She has entered the Destructo Phase.

She runs around the house, trying so hard to destroy everything in her path.  If its food she eats it, then throws it.  Books and paper, get eaten and torn, then tossed.  If something is standing up, then she will push it over.  Anything that she can do to destroy things, she does.  But does it with cuteness.

She figured out the stairs, and some how figured out how to open up the gate.  So just to be sure, I had to bust out the duct tape.  We just need to step over the gate now.  

Been a While

I know that its been a while since the last post, but we have just been so busy.  

Marley is really walking all over the place and now, i really have to keep an eye on her.  There are not too many places, and things that she cant get too now.  She also is finally getting some hair.  i will post some pictures up really soon... i promise.