We decided to close out 2017 and begin 2018 with another trip to Maui! (We go to other places…I swear!) We had a lot to celebrate in a very short amount of time: Dec. 30 was Leon’s 50th birthday, Jan.1 was Brayden’s 1st birthday, and Jan. 4 was our 4th wedding anniversary! And don’t forget New Year’s, too! So, a trip was the best way for us to capture all of these amazing moments.
Our flight was uneventful, and that’s the way I like it! And don’t worry-I remembered Brayden’s birth certificate this time! I worried a lot about entertaining our almost 1 year old on the five hour flight, but he did fairly well! Lots of snacks and the iPad, of course. He napped a little, and went straight for the boobie (he was still nursing) when he got fussy. It also helped that we sat in First Class. The extra space is a lifesaver!
The day we arrived was Leon’s birthday and I had made reservations for the three of us at Merriman’s. For some reason, I had the ridiculous idea that we would all manage to make it through a nice dinner after a long day of travel. Boy, was I wrong! Brayden starting getting crazy as soon as we were seated! So, we did what any parents of a toddler learn to do; improvise, adapt, and overcome! We promptly left the restaurant and headed back to the condo! We ordered take-out sushi from Miso Phat and enjoyed our meal at home while Brayden ran around in his pajamas. It was a perfect night!
The rest of our trip was filled with more realistic expectations on my part. We took short outings that always involved some space for running around, playing on the beach, or strolling around looking at the sights. We kept meals pretty short as they became less enjoyable when Brayden was “done.” And once again, we made sure that we included nap time into every day. This worked for us and we had zero meltdowns!
Two notable stops for us this time around were our tried and true favorite spots: The Plantation House at Kapalua and Roy’s Kaanapali. We are always treated so well at The Plantation House, and they accommodate our little guy with no problems. And don’t forget those views! We had our New Year’s Eve/Brayden’s birthday dinner at Roy’s and it was great. They had a prix fix menu and it wasn’t outrageously priced! They even brought out special snacks, a dessert, and a birthday hat for Brayden. It was a very special night for all of us.
As always, Maui does not disappoint! We did have one minor hiccup in regards to our accommodations on this trip though. Again, we stayed at the Kahana Villas because we are creatures of habit, and we just feel at home there! Unfortunately, the owners of the unit above us were doing construction during our stay and we could not handle the noise! They were grinding down their cement floors in order to install new tiles, which means they were grinding on our ceiling! We asked to be moved, but there were no available units since it was the New Year holiday. We ended up getting moved to the property across the street (read OCEAN FRONT!) and even though packing everything and moving was a hassle, I think we made out like bandits! We had a gorgeous one-bedroom condo at the Kahana Beach Resort on the third floor and it had complete ocean views from every angle! We were so blessed to be given this unit for our last three days! Another amazing trip to Maui is in the books! Can’t wait to share our next adventure with you!
Check out this view!