Happy New Year 2013-14!

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!  Happy New Year!  2013 seemed to last forever and fly by all at the same time.  Looking back on photos from the year, I can't believe how much Cameron has changed.  Watching children grow is the true measure of the passage of time.

We did not go out for New Year's Eve this year but we did stay awake until midnight for a kiss.  I started out New Year's Day photographing the sunrise from the east side of the island with a friend while Johnnie and Cameron had some daddy/daughter time.  We ended the day with a family trip to the west side of the island to see the sunset.  Photographing the sunrise and sunset on the same day was a big item on my Hawaii bucket list and New Year's Day was a monumental day to do it!  To be honest, the photos are still on my memory card but luckily I have some Instagram photos to share :)

*** 2013 in Review***

In January Cameron learned to roll onto her side, I stopped breastfeeding her, and we joined some friends on a whale watching cruise.

In February, Cameron began rolling from her back to her stomach and began moving across the floor.  She also experienced her first Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day!

In March, Cameron started eating baby food and became a champ at moving around.  We went on an excursion to the Byodo-In Temple and she enjoyed her first St. Patrick's Day and first Easter!

In April, Cameron was still low-crawling and was able to sit up unsupported.

The best event of the year was in April - Johnnie returned from his six-month deployment!  We were very glad and thankful to have him return safely home to us.

In May, Cameron started pulling up on things and was pulling up to standing by the end of the month.

In May we also took a trip to Pennsylvania to introduce Cameron to my family.  The photo below is my parents with my three brothers and myself, our spouses, and our children.  Our family of six has grown to a family of 16.  It's so special when we can all get together!

In June, Cameron began cruising along furniture and walking with her learning walker.  She was able to stand unsupported by the end of the month and also got her first two teeth.

In June we also took a trip to Seattle to introduce Cameron to family and friends, and Johnnie and I both ran a half marathon.

In July, Cameron took her first steps, began climbing stairs, and took swimming lessons.  We also celebrated Dulce's 4th birthday!

In August, Cameron was walking everywhere - no more crawling for her!

In September, Cameron turned one year old and we had a house full of visitors to help celebrate!

Also in September, because family was there to help watch Cameron, I took an impromptu Space-A trip to Japan with some friends!

In October, I took a weekend trip to San Jose to run a half marathon with a friend and we had fun dressing up as a family of pirates for Halloween.

In November, Cameron's birth story was published in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine, Cameron and I took a ride on the Hawaiian Railway Society Train, and we had a great Thanksgiving at our house with friends.

In December, we picked out a Hawaiian Christmas tree, went the Hickam Freedom Tower Lighting where we saw some celebrities, Johnnie and I both celebrated our 36th birthdays and we also celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary, we had a wonderful family Christmas, and we went to the North Shore to watch the Pipe Masters Surf Competition.

2013 was a good year for running!  I completed three 5K races (Cameron rode in the Bob stroller for all of them!), one mud and obstacle Spartan Race, and two half marathons (Rock N Roll Seattle in May and Rock N Roll San Jose in October).

A few goals for 2014:

Continue to blog! I will continue with our weekly posts and hope to get a few extra posts up as well.  I would love to get caught up on the dozens of blog draft posts I have started...

I am attempting a 365 photo challenge on Instagram.  I'm going (to try very hard) to post a photo every day with the hashtag #2014daybyday.  Tag your photos with #2014daybyday if you want to participate - I'd love to see them!  If you're a phone photo kind of person then you need to check out one of my favorite apps, PicTapGo.  I almost always edit the photos on my phone with it before uploading them to Instagram :)

My photography portfolio is growing and I would like to get a collection of prints/products up for sale this year.  Choosing and preparing the photos takes time so we'll see how it goes.

I will definitely run at least one half marathon this year and hope to run some other races as well.

This will be our final year in Hawaii so we are going to enjoy it as much as possible!

*******

"Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day."

~Michael Josephson

Family Friday: Jan 4

17 Weeks Old

On New Year's Day, we went to across the backyard to our neighbor's house for brunch.  They had a real Hawaiian Christmas tree in their house!  It is technically a Norfolk Island Pine and is characterized by symmetrical branches in rings that are evenly spaced on the trunk.  They are beautiful and unique looking trees but the branches are quite flimsy so you need lightweight ornaments.  Many islanders just buy the average evergreens that are shipped here from the mainland.

Cameron only went to the neighbors to say hi and to show off her snazzy outfit and then she went home for a nap.  She slept in her swing in the kitchen and I rigged up a "baby monitor" using my iPhone, the iPad, and FaceTime - that was Johnnie's idea.  Genius, right?!  With Cam sleeping and the monitor on, I went back across the yard (only about a 40 foot distance) to enjoy some food and company on my neighbor's back porch.  It was a lovely relaxing way to enjoy the start of the new year.

When Cameron woke up and started to cry, we heard it on my iPhone.  But it turns out that I didn't need that monitor set up with Dulce in the house!  As soon as Cam started crying, Dulce came bursting into the backyard and started barking loudly at us.  She knew where I was and she was letting me know that Cameron was awake and crying!  What an amazing dog :)

In the early evening, we often walk Dulce over to the dog park behind our house.  Dulce actually doesn't care to stay very long at the park but it's a good chance for all of us to get some fresh air and delay Cameron's fussy time.

Thankfully fussy time has gotten shorter and we've been able to establish a nightly routine.  Fussiness begins around 6:30 and I simply do what I can to keep her from screaming.  At 7:15 Cameron gets a bath and dressed for bed.  At 7:45 she eats one last time and then she's in bed before 8:30.  It's so nice having some quiet time to myself before I head to bed as well.

Cameron seems to constantly have fingers or a fist in her mouth but I'm starting to see more and more thumb sucking and usually with her right hand.

Here is a short little video of Cameron grabbing and pulling on the plastic rings hanging from her play mat.  I guarantee she would have them in her mouth if they would reach!  She doesn't seem too sure of what I'm doing hovering above her :)

The photo on the left below is from an iPhone app called KitCam that I stumbled upon this week.  It has a ton of really cool features for taking and editing photos and video.  Cameron really resembles a baby Johnnie, don't you think?

*******

"Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons."

~Author Unknown

Happy New Year 2012-13!

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!  Happy New Year!  Cameron was asleep by 8:30 so Mr. Glass-O-Champagne and I watched the ball drop on a web video and then I went to bed shortly after midnight.

Last year, we suited up for New Year's Eve 2012 in South Korea.  January was spent doing last minute shopping, packing, and saying goodbye to friends.  Johnnie flew his final flight in the A-10 fighter jet, finishing with over 2,000 flight hours!  When he landed, I climbed up to give him a kiss and then he climbed down and got sprayed with water and champagne :)

At the end of January, we packed up our things and moved from South Korea to Hawaii.  I was 5 weeks pregnant with Cameron, so this was technically her first plane ride!

Dulce had to spend 35 days in Animal Quarantine when we first arrived on the island.  We visited her as often as we could.

We lived in a hotel for two months when we first arrived, waiting for a house to come available.

In March we announced that we were pregnant!

In April we finally were assigned a house on base and moved in.

In May, Johnnie's family arrived for a visit and we all took a trip to the Big Island.  I never blogged about this trip but I will eventually because it was so beautiful and we saw so much!

Johnnie arranged for my best friend to visit in June while he was away!  We toured the Arizona Memorial, went to a luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center, went to the beach, and went hiking.  I will be blogging about some of those things eventually as well.

At the end of June I traveled to Pennsylvania to visit family (who threw me a surprise baby shower!) and then we went to New York (where Johnnie joined us) for a cousin's wedding.

July 17th was Dulce's 3rd birthday and she celebrated with a cake and a martini ;)

In July, my parents arrived with two of my nieces and a nephew for a visit.  This was an action packed trip touring all of the memorials and Ford Island, going to some beaches, riding a submarine, going to Waikiki, touring the island, seeing the Dole Pineapple Plantation, going to a luau, and going shopping.  I will definitely be blogging about some of these adventures eventually as well.

I recorded my growing belly each week with the Family Friday blog posts from March to September.

At the end of August, my amazing neighbors threw me a Tea Party themed baby shower and Johnnie and I took our own maternity photos with a tripod and self timer.  All of this was just in time...

On Sept 7, I was unexpectedly induced 3 weeks early due to high blood pressure.  Johnnie was away on a trip and miraculously arrived in time for our daughter, Cameron Cecelia, to be born on Sept 8.

Johnnie's sister and parents arrived in October for a long visit and were here for Cameron's baptism and for Halloween.

Cameron was baptized on October 21.

At the end of October, Johnnie deployed.  We miss him every minute of every day.

In December, my mother arrived for a visit and was here for my 35th birthday on 12/12/12.

Cameron is growing fast and is becoming such a sweet and personable little individual.  So far we've had her first Halloween, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas, and now first New Year's!

When Johnnie and I were dating, the number 13 came up often.  We even ended up getting married on the 13th of December and Cameron was 5 lb 13 oz when she was born.  The number 13 has always brought us good luck thus far so I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be an amazing year for us.  I hope that this new year brings you all many blessings, bountiful opportunities, and exciting adventures!

*******

"May you have love that never ends,

lots of money, and lots of friends.

Health be yours, whatever you do,

and may God send many blessings to you!"

~Irish Blessing

Happy New Year 2011-12!

Happy New Year everyone!  Johnnie and I hit the town with friends last night and rang in the new year in style.  We suited up this year!

It was such a fun night and we actually do remember most of it ;)  This is the 5th time we've celebrated New Year's together and it's been in a different place every year!  Here's a look back at our New Year's past...

In 2007, we were dating and celebrated in Savannah, GA.

In 2008, we had recently gotten married and celebrated with friends in Valdosta, GA.

In 2009, we were on our honeymoon and celebrated in Sydney, Australia.

In 2010, we were in the midst of moving from Georgia to South Korea and celebrated

with family in Seattle, WA.  We ran a 5K race with Dulce on New Year's day!

This year, 2011, we celebrated with friends in South Korea!

2011 has been an amazing year!  It wasn't always easy but it was always interesting.  Johnnie moved to Korea last January and I joined him in February.  This was only a one-year assignment for us and it's quickly approaching the end.  We'll be moving at the end of January to an incredible new location for a three-year assignment.  I'll do a blog post recapping our year in Korea before we move.

Here's to the changes, opportunities, and adventures that 2012 is sure to bring!  Cheers!

*******

"We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are 

going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called 

Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce