We finally made it into the ocean!  After being here for nearly 3 weeks, the weather was good enough at a time when we could go.  Joshua & I went to the tiny little beach at Hickam AFB because it’s safe & calm.  Joshua didn’t seem to like it at first but he gradually warmed up to it & started spashing around & having fun.  A few grandmotherly-type women came up to us & Josh got to do his flirting thing with them.  He especially liked throwing rocks into the water & watching them splash.  I’d pick them up with my toes (not an easy thing to do in the ocean while you’re holding a toddler!) & then he’d toss them back in.  By the time I thought we should get out of the direct sunlight, Joshua didn’t want to leave.  He had a very nice nap when we got home—he wore himself (& me) out with all the “swimming” he did!

Yesterday, we went to the Waikiki Aquarium, which took all of 30 minutes.  It was only $6 to get in with their military discount, & it seems like even that little amount was too much for what little they had.  I knew not to get my hopes up after reading about it in the guidebooks, but it was still disappointing.  Joshua liked seeing the sharks & big fish but didn’t seem to care much about the other exhibits.  I would’ve spent more time there to see things myself & read the displays but Josh kept waving his hands back & forth, saying “done” or “go” whenever we’d get to a new tank.  There was one monk seal in the outdoor tank that looked so depressed Erick could’ve done a paper on it for his psychiatry rotation.  So this is one place I don’t recommend visiting unless you have your heart set on going (& have low expectations for seeing aquatic life on an island).

After leaving the aquarium, we walked down the Waikiki Beach & strolled along the sidewalk to check out the touristy beach scene.  It was just as I remembered it from our last visit a couple of years ago.  Joshua’s favorite part was watching all the pidgeons.  We stopped at a park bench at one point so he could sit & watch the birdies until his frantic waving caused them to scatter.  One thing we’ve done several times lately is visit the park.  There’s a nice playground at the Navy housing complex on the way to the commissary, so we’ll stop by to play for awhile.  Josh loves running all over looking for sticks (surprise, surprise…).  He’s also gotten pretty good at climbing up & going down the slides all by himself, although he doesn’t like when I make him put his sticks down first.

I got our reservations to visit the Big Island this weekend.  I’m very excited since I’ve never been there before.  The air quality hasn’t been all that good since the most recent eruption last month but it’s better than in the last couple of weeks.  We take off tomorrow as soon as Erick gets home from work.  That’ll be his first time flying with Joshua–he’s getting off easy since it’s just a 45 minute flight (not to mention my being there to help as well!), but at least he’ll get an idea of how his son travels.  I’m excited about getting a window seat & not having a kid on my lap for the first time in a long time!