Chucky Face

So, this started a while back - probably when Elyse was about seven or eight months old. She would make this funny face, scrunching up her nose and breathing in and out. It took me back to about 1990 - when the Chucky movies were out with the little cute doll that turned all scary. I started calling her Chucky whenever she did it and soon, she was doing it on command. Still does. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this to the world - that I lovingly compare my sweet angel to a killer doll. Haha.

OK, so remember Chucky? He looked all sweet and then would turn into this:

OK, here's my Chucky.

Oh, Chuck. I hope you do this face for me forever. It makes me laugh every time. We love ya!

Signing with Baby

Add sign language to the list of things I thought I'd never do. It seemed too complicated and a waste of time. Why not just wait for baby to talk? Well, here's the thing! They are ready to communicate you with way before they are in a place to have words.

I didn't start signing with Elyse until about two to three months ago. I wasn't super consistent and at first she never signed anything back. And now, she is a pro.

Lots of Moms start signing much earlier, but I'm here to tell you - it is never too late. Elyse's favorite sign is definitely "more". She signs it all day long and often combines it with more, eat and even a more, eat, milk... It is great and very helpful to know what she wants. However, it can be hard when you get "more" "more" and you don't know what she wants MORE of. Or, when you know she can't possibly be hungry and/or doesn't NEED anything else to eat. That is where the power of distraction comes in. Or, we just sign "all done."

Above is Elyse demonstrating her own version of two signs, but here are some other babies and/or pictures of the signs she knows and does or at least understands.

MORE

EAT

SLEEP OR NIGHT-NIGHT

MILK

ALL DONE (or finished)

And we are working on HELP, PLEASE and WATER (per conversation with another another Mom (thanks, Sam!).

HELP

PLEASE

WATER (PS: this pic is a little dorky, but it demonstrates the sign really well).

There you have it. Chalk it up to the list of things I thought I'd never do. But, now I'm a fan being able to communicate with my daughter!!

Turkey Cranberry Wreath - The Best Thing Since Thanksgiving

Turkey Cranberry Wreath

I've been making this post-Thanksgiving recipe for over ten years now. It is an old Pampered Chef recipe I've adapted along the way. We sometimes cook a turkey at other times during the year JUST to have the turkey for this recipe. It is so good with the sweet and savory combo. Easy to throw together after a day of shopping and putting up your Christmas decorations.

2 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. honey mustard
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 C. cooked turkey or chicken, chopped
1/2 C. Onion, diced
1/2 C. dried cranberries
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (1cup)
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center arrange triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend one inch beyond of baking stone. Arrange remaining triangles in center matching ends. Seal seams. (Points will overlap in center; do not seal.) Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into a bowl. Grate cheese into a bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangle, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first. Separate egg over bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Aloha Mahalo: Part Five - the Final Aloha

We read that you could watch the koi being fed each morning at 8 a.m. We packed Elyse up in her jammies only to find a pretty actionless pond. So, we watched some ladies feed them their muffin crumbs instead.

And we fed Elyse!

Honua Kai really was beautiful.

Here are rooms with an ocean view. We had a beautiful mountain view instead.

My baby has so many teeth!

Bath in the sink while Marcie fed her yogurt! The good life!

Her sweet curls!

My little budding photographer.

Last night - dinner at Hula Grill. YUM!

Our last mai tais!

The whole gang!

I'll leave you with this. This is a first - ladies and gentlemen. Elyse fell asleep in her stroller. She hasn't done that since she was in an infant carrier in the stroller!

Snuggled up with her new Hula Girl - Malia, her newest baby! Must help being pushed along a boardwalk oceanside.



Aloha Maui! We hope to see you again. Amazing trip with people I love!

Aloha Mahalo: Part Four

We even went to a wedding in Maui! Bill's cousin, Taleni, was getting married on 11/11/11. Only problem? Arriving to the beach to see family I've never met and Bill hasn't seen in many years. There were FIVE wedding parties on this small beach at the same time. Wow, the eleven-eleven-eleven thing was quite popular. We had to search through the groups of people.

 OK, here's the couple we were looking for. And we arrived just at the start of the ceremony - perfect!

Beautiful bride.

Bill's Uncle David, his son and wife.

It is crazy how much David looks like his brothers. Elyse takes to everyone really, but I'm sure she liked him extra because he looks so much like her Grandpa Fred.

The beach was beautiful for photographing.

 My sandy girl had a fun time. And by sandy, I mean SANDY. We took a lot home with us. I even dumped some more out of the diaper bag yesterday.


Beautiful day. More to come!