The Life and Times of a Monkey Girl: Norah's Summer Travels

Hi everybody! I apologize for the long 9-week absence. NINE!? Simply inexcusable. Nevertheless, despite the lack of posting, Norah's Summer has not been lacking fun activities.

To recap our last visit, Norah and Mimi had a great weekend together in Arlington on June 18-21. After the wildly successful girls' weekend, it was only a matter of time before Norah demanded to see Mimi again. I obliged, and we visited Mimi from June 29-July 1. We took a trip to Mimi's school, and promptly climbed into one of the students' desks. We also had a fun trip to the Rockport beach, which is only about 12 inches deep a good distance from the shore, thus allowing Norah to play in very cute and non-threatening waves. We also made a trip to the pool where Norah showed off her swimming skills to Mimi. It was a fantastic trip, and Norah had a great time with Mimi and Papa (not to mention playing with Dexter dog and chasing Mimi's two cats). The three days flew by, and Norah was very very sad when we had to leave.

After returning from Rockport, we relaxed for a couple of days in preparation for 4th of July weekend. Karen's friend Sasha and her family were in the area staying at the massive -- and awesome -- Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine. They generously shared an extra pass to the waterpark with us, allowing us to enjoy the awesomeness with them. Norah got to be very good friends with the toddler area. Especially the two slides.

Norah very much enjoyed playing with Hannah and Misha, and by the looks of it, the three of them just may be up to many hijinks together in the future.

Norah and Misha in identical adorable poses.

Norah and Hannah celebrating the 4th of July!

July 10 brought the big event of the Summer. The Denney/Coomer Maui trip. Norah was rightfully excited the day we left, trying on her swimsuit (or, as she said it at the time, "zoooot". As of August 25, it is now known as a "babing soot." Not bad.) Friday morning before we left for the airport.

Here is a glance at how things went on the trip:

Day 1: Can you consider a travel day an actual vacation day? Either way, Norah rocked the 7 hour flight and 1 hour drive, adjusting to the five-hour time change better than pretty much anyone else, staying up until past midnight Texas time and sleeping until almost 10am Texas time the next morning.

Day 2: Easing into the vacation with a walk on the boardwalk, one of five trips to the local safeway, and naps for everyone not named Paul.

Day 3: The first trip to the beach! Norah quickly determined that the taste of Maui sand was preferable to Rockport sand (no offense, Mimi...I think it was just the texture). We also found a nice little park on the water. It was easy to determine that it was in fact an excellent park when we noticed locals were actually there. Locals!

Day 4: A ride on the train! Norah loved riding the "sugar cane train" Monday morning. It was a nice little hour-long trip that was fun for all. That afternoon, I went to play golf with Mr. Coomer at the gorgeous Plantation Course in Kapalua. Fun was had by all on certain holes. Certain holes were just plain mean.

Day 5: The Coomers took the sunrise bikeride down Haleakala volcano, which I hear was fun. As you need to get up at 2am to take part in that exercise, I politely declined. Norah and Karen hung out in style on the balcony before we headed to the Westin kids pool to freeload on their awesome kid-friendly pirate ship. It may not be too much of a reach to say that the hour she was running on and around this pirate ship full of slides, stairs and tunnels was perhaps the greatest single hour of Norah's 21 months.

That night, we went to a luau. I don't want to be harsh, but it was pretty much a beating. That being said, Norah was much more entertaining than the folks on stage, as she spent the better part of an hour dancing and twirling in her patriotic dress.

Day 6: Up bright and early for a snorkeling/dolphin watching cruise. The snorkeling was OK, but the big hightlight was watching the bottlenose dolphins that joined us just in time for Norah to learn to say "meah, ...fins," while patting her chest (translation: "come here, dolphins!"). It broke the dial on the cuteness meter.

Day 7: A fun helicopter tour of Maui for the 5 of us. While the tour company promised us Norah would be passed out within 10 minutes of takeoff, we were skeptical. We were right. She did eventually pass out, but after 50 minutes, not 10. Still, it gave her a chance to see some beautiful sights, and munch on about 50 gummy bears that helped her survive the 10,000 foot elevation change from the volcano to the rainforst.

Patiently awaiting the helicopter ride.

Up and away!

Thank you for the gummy bears!

Day 8: On our last full day of vacation, the Coomers drove the Hana Highway while Karen, Norah and I headed to the beach. Norah still hasn't met a beach she didn't fall in love with. She sprinted up and down this one, digging and eating sand, and running over and around a few unsuspecting sunbathers.

Day 9: After a quick game of hide and seek with Grandmama, we packed up and headed out. We stopped by the Maui Aquarium to let Norah sprint some energy out before the 8 hour flight home, and I'd say it worked pretty well. Norah slept for 4 hours, watched Diego for 3 hours, and was well behaved for about 55 of the remaining 60 minutes.