Janie and Jack

So, I walked into Janie and Jack about a month ago searching for an Easter dress for Darby, and happened to come across their brand new Sunny Hawaii line. I think another trip to Ala Moana is in store. Darby MUST HAVE the hat and maybe a suit for our trip to Maui. Oh, those shoes...maybe the swim coverup...UH OH...WAY. TOO. CUTE! Check out the collection!

http://www.janieandjack.com/shop/dept_mixandmatch.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374303717730&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443463039&bmUID=1269908883081

Letter to My Darbs

View of the K-Bay Marina.

View of Kaneohe Bay, the sandbar, Koolau Mt. Range, and the runway.

Dear Darby - Doo,

I'm writing this letter in hopes that you'll read this when you're 16. You have no clue right now how cool it is to be a little Hawaiian princess. We will have sailed this ship back to the mainland long before you are old enough to appreciate all of our daily adventures in paradise. So, here's for you to always remember...

I decided to finally document our nightly walks up KT Tower...the highest point at K-Bay. I've always been captivated by the beauty that surrounds us throughout the whole hike, but today for some reason, was extra awesome.

Maybe it was all of the whales breaching in the deep blue waters. They were going CRAZY!! This time of the year, sunrise and sunset, is the best time to whale watch. The babies have all been born and the whales are very active as they prepare the trek up north to Alaska for the summer. Too bad you were way too preoccupied with holding Sadie's leash. You took the job of walking Sadie very seriously. Screw the whales :)

Or, maybe it was the sight of the two 53Delta Helo's (that dad flies) hovering over Kaneohe Bay, causing the water to mist out around them. My camera wasn't ready to capture that...maybe next time. Dad gets to fly over these waters and get paid for it...although it comes with much sacrifice. Pretty cool!

Or maybe it was just a combination of the perfect weather, the perfect time of day (5:30pm), and the fact that this base is surrounded by the most beautiful beaches in all of Hawaii - and we get to see it all every night close to sunset. I would say this is motivation enough to get my butt up that hill, not once, not twice, but three times a night! Hey, I've got to lose all of that baby weight :)

From the top of the hill if you look southeast you see our little town of Kailua, Kailua Beach and the two little islands called the Mokes. Look south and you see the Koolau Mountain Range, the Marina full of all the boats, and of course Kaneohe Bay. Work our way North and northwest, and you see the never ending Pacific Ocean where the whales were dancing around. Pretty cool wouldn't you say? And this is where we call home!

Can't wait for our next little walk!!!



Just through the brush you can see Kailua beach...didn't get the Mokes in this shot.

All you wanted to do was hold onto that leash!

Money, Money, Money, MONEY!!!

Citrus Vino....delish! Courtesy of some fellow Pegas"i" who brew their own wine and beer. I'm way too lazy right now to fix the sideways pictures. This will have to do.

I love the hula~~~~~~

Tony and "Lunch Box" Katie's going to pop any day now!

Preparing that YUMMY fire cooked PIG!

Our trustworthy "Tiki Man" cup took care of us the whole night!

Check out all of those High and Tight haircuts!

Well, Monday night was the first time Tony and actually had to pay for babysitting services. I got a list of names from some friends and made the calls! I'll have to admit that I as a tad bit nervous leaving Darbs with someone other than a friend or family member, but a babysitter of my friends is a babysitter of mine :)

Germaines held a private Luau for Pegasus and their families...their way of saying "thanks" for a job well done in Afghanistan. This was the first time they held a private Luau, which was AWESOME! Some local business raised money as well, so everyone could enjoy the festivities for FREE! Luau + a lot of Marines = Good Times. A ticket to a Luau can range from $45-$85, so Tone and I figured the cash needed to pay the babysitter would equate to one ticket to a Luau...plus, we wanted to let loose!

Valerie, (babysitter extraordinaire) turned out to be FANTASTIC, but the going rate out here is around $10/hr...MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!!! She made an easy $60 off the D'Amicos, since the Darbs went to bed around 7 and she had 3 hours of Dancing with the Stars and what not. Oh well...the peace of mind was worth every penny!!!

The night turned out to be a blast...good Kalua Pork and many a Mai Tai!! Not to mention a glass Tiki Man cup of which was our "investment" for the night. We got a lot of good use out of him...

Slow Down Darbs!

February 2010July 2009

I was sifting through the farewell and homecoming pictures and couldn't believe how much Darby changed from the day Tony left in July until he came home in February. Please slow down little munchkin...you're growing too fast!

She's a 19 lb crawling/standing machine! I'm thinking she's about to start walking here in a few weeks. YIKES!

HOMECOMING!

Back together again...

Darby waiving her American Flag as we wait, and wait, and wait! The plane just landed. OOOHHHH the anticipation! View of Hangar 105 with Kaneohe Bay in the background. A PERFECT DAY!

Tony's home after an almost 7 month long Afghanistan deployment! The anticipation was great as the families waited around in hangar 105 on February 10th. The ETA was supposed to be between 5-6 pm, but as most homecomings go, it ended up being around 8pm when their plane finally landed (an hour past Darby's usual bedtime.) This was three days later than the first ETA. Spontaneity is what comes with the territory in the military. I didn't even blink an eye.

There are always some expectations with homecomings...that usually aren't met. Spouses and their Marines are briefed on how to act, what to expect, suggestions, blah, blah, blah. Spouses have been running the show and living their lives for 7 months. There is a transition period that is different for everyone.

The week prior to Tony's homecoming was spent getting everything ready. Christmas presents wrapped (as he didn't want me to ship anything to him out there), and household projects completed (thanks to mom and dad coming for a last minute visit). We knocked out some deck work, security doors, curtain rods, and last minute cleaning. Banners were made for the hangar and for our front yard, and of course dresses were purchased for mom and babe. It's exciting! The best part was knowing Darby was going to finally get to see her dad again!

Back to Hangar 105. Darb's and I got there around 5. You CAN'T be late for a homecoming, so you arrive an hour earlier than the first time given on the hot line. I loaded up the stroller with all kinds of things to keep the Darb's busy. Kids were running around in their nice clothes. A bouncy house was set up for some entertainment. Food and drinks sat on a table set off to the side and the Military Marching Band was playing patriotic music as we all impatiently waited thinking that this day would never come. What a 180 from how it felt 7 months ago in the middle of the night.

I've been around long enough to know now that bringing a cooler full of beer isn't a bad idea, in fact, I'd like to think it's encouraged. The guys haven't had beer for 7 months, and the wives need something to just take off the edge of anticipation...just a bit! I enjoyed a beer with a few of the ladies and there was plenty to share with the boys when they stepped off that plane.

One has to actually experience a combat deployment farewell and homecoming to really grasp all of the emotions involved. Adding a child into the picture changes things a bit as well. I was so proud to be standing on the red carpet that led out from the plane, holding Darby, on what was a perfect Hawaiian evening. Nothing compares to what I felt that night seeing Tony come down those steps as the Marine Corps Hymn chimed in the background. There's nothing like being a part of something GREAT!

Semper Fi!

Welcome home Tone and the rest of Pegasus! THANK YOU and JOB WELL DONE!

Almost Complete

I love an organized closet!!! To the right is the perfect painting by Aunt Court.

I took a stab at decorating the walls with this wall art purchased online. The yellow paint is "rubber ducky"...perfect! Ok, so it's only been 5.5 months, but the nursery is almost complete. I've got some more pictures to frame, still need a night stand that can hold books, and would love the finishing touch of a rug in the middle since we've got the worst color of carpet ever...white!!!

I LOVE Darby's room...not necessarily because of the way it looks, but because of the way it FEELS. Her room is full of so much love it's not even funny. The Darbs is one lucky little munchkin that's for sure...I find myself just sitting in the rocker pondering the day's thoughts...just because...

Let me explain...

1. A handmade crib made by Grandpa Z...absolutely beautimus!

2. Bedding/quilt/bed skirt was hand crafted by Nana D'Amico. Her design fit my vision perfectly and looks splendid on the crib!

3. The pillowcases on the rocker were made with love by Aunty T.

4. That once boring, cluttered closet was transformed with the built-ins designed by Tone (Dad) and Grandpa Z. The closet is just full of thoughtful gifts all for the Darbster!

5. The curtains above the crib were hand cut and "crafted" by Grandma Z and Aunty T...I was over 9 months pregnant and didn't have the patience to do such work :)

6. Let's not forget the adorable water colored horse rocker that was painted and framed by Aunt Court. She wants to "instill a love for horses..."

7. Artwork from Darby's Great Great Aunt sits on the white shelves, painted in Germany, by hand, just for Darby. A BIG Piggy bank also rests on the shelf courtesy of Grandma Z. Loose change will be filling that up for years to come I have a feeling...

8. Finally, Great Grandma Mimsy gifted her First Communion Rosary Beads that hang on the wall by the crib. They must be almost 70 years old...

Everything else that fills the room either comes from friends and family, or from mom and dad's hard work...actually, It's been so much fun seeing the room slowly evolve!

To be continued...I'm going to go rock the Darbs to sleep :)

FIRST timers...

Burger night at the O'Club...Darby's first adventure in the restaurant highchair. A big girl thing for sure!!! Darby's first time sitting in her NEW crib...specially made by Grandpa Z! More crib pictures to come...

Darby's first time sitting like a big girl in the Babies R Us cart...she thought that was the coolest!

Darby's first time digging up the grass and mud.
The past few weeks Darby has enriched her little life with some first time milestones, if you will. We've documented these exciting adventures for all to see. Having Darby has brought new light to the way I view the world. Everything is simple, fascinating and TOTALLY new.