Puerto Vallarta

Land Ho.

We hired a van and driver to escort us around.  

Tequila tasting.

Shannon and I managed to find 13 matching t-shirts for our crew.

Kai

A Kai update for those that are worried about him. Things are improved today thank gawd.  The holiday is back on track.

I layed down the new laws this morning.  And then followed through.  He knows I mean it and he has been great all day.  No weirdness!

I equated his poop games and manipulation to over eating.  So, any more weirdness and the snacks and treats have to end.  Also that bathroom trips will be all the way back in our room, with me, not Dad and there will be no screens.  

Dagen had Lucky Charms yesterday so Kai has been focused on having some.  Knowing this I ordered him a yogurt parfait and Cheerios.  He cried.  So I cancelled his breakfast order entirely.  He pulled it together and we put the order back in.  I told him little boys with upset tummies and pooping problems get fiber not treats.  

There was banana cream pie in the dining room so after he had sat through breakfast without further fussing I shared a piece with him.  And a new better behaved boy was created.  With the threat of losing treats he magically made it through the day without yelling to everyone including strangers that he had poop in his butt or needed the bathroom now. 

He did so much better today.  Shannon and I met and went to high tea in the dining room and Kai joined us and did fabulously.  He really enjoyed all the classic high tea treats but wouldn't even taste the tea ;)  However the part about having him eat less hasn't happened yet.  Haha.  There is just so much food.  

My plan in this moment is for Kai and I to do a sandwich for dinner and skip the dining room.  Jia and Luk are both wanting fancy dinner so I hope Eric is up to taking them tonight.  I did suggest they go on their own but apparently that's scary.  

Eric, the boys and I did get some quiet time on my lanaii again.  Whales today!  Kai fell asleep.  He never naps so he's clearly exhausted.  Luk is struggling to keep up to Dagen and his feet are hurting.  So definitely an early night for both of them tonight.

Our first port day is tomorrow.  So exciting.

Sea Day

A restful sleep with the ships swaying movement under heavy duvets, watching the sunrise from bed.  A decadent sea day brunch in the dining room with all of us except Jia, of course.  Then we all seperated for different activities.  I hit a hot tub and stayed in for a long long time.  I met a fellow China adoptive dad who is on board with his wife and 14 year old daughter.  Shannon hung out with me and made another duck.  She's having fun gifting little kids with her ducks.  Jia is hoping for one of Shannon's cuties.  I'm slowly hiding my ducks each time I head out.  Eric and Ken went on a brewery tour that they both enjoyed.  I found my favorite lanaii with the big round beds and had a lovely lounge around in the sun.  While dolphins went by.  Cruise magic.  It was a formal night so we got gussied up and did family pictures after dinner.  Tons of fun.  Everyone going in different directions.

Kai is struggling.  Poop issues again.  He needs his routines and home.  He's not happy, he's had enough holiday.  I hate to use respite but all four kids are asking me why we bring him.  Sigh.  Eric got called on the special needs phone to go get Kai from kids club.  He was locked in the bathroom for 50 minutes.  When Eric got there he came out with his shirt on backwards and his underwear on inside out.  So, ya, that's weird.  He then proceeded to yell loudly to everyone that he pooped and used a lot of paper.  We skipped attempting kids club tonight.  He wasn't looking great at dinner.  He's eating too much.  He was not impressed with family photo time.  It's another early night for Eric and I stuck in the room with Kai.  Disappointing for sure.  Both of us are encouraging the other to head out but choosing to hang out together.  

Funny thing.  Also a bit perplexing or frustrating.  People decorate their doors.  It helps identify your door in long hallways.  I made six ducks with magnets.  They're cute.  One was stolen on day 1.  Fei found it on another door down the hall so we stole it back and put it back on our door.  Today another one has been stolen.  They're clearly not hiding since they're decorating a door.  Part of me thinks if someone wants them badly enough to steal them then they can have them the other part is like no way man, I'll just bring them inside and skip decorating the door.  The problem is clearly that they're ducks. 

Another sea day tomorrow.  

Cruise!

Ok, I still can't get this dang app to work.  Admittedly, I don't really have time to try very hard.  

Well today was the most chaotic cruise terminal day.  The drive into the port was painfully slow and backed up. Once we met up with the Hayes and got in the line it was super chaotic but fast.  

Slight glitch with Luk's saline.  They wanted a Doctors letter.  Uh, he has an appliance built into his body isn't that enough?  Then I was told at guest services that they could escort our whole group directly up to guest services on the ship on a Kai pass except our group was seperated and in three different spots ;)  

The sun was lovely, we made it on for lunch and the fellow singing on the lido deck was doing all songs from my playlist super loud so I could sing out loud woth him.  Joy.  

My entire goal of the day was to hit a hot tub. It didn't happen.  Eric, the boys and I are all in our room for the night.

We managed 13 of us for dinner in the dining room.  Kai was dropped to his club and 8 of us went to the comedy show.  Love it.  Luk and Dagen are in the club for 12 - 14 year olds.  We moved Zoey down to join Jia in the same group but then it was switched to Jia joining Zoey in her group.  The four of them are all enjoying freedom away from us.  Kai was moved down to a 8 - 11 group behind a gate that he can't check out of.  He had fun there tonight.

We're exhausted but happy.  All of us trying to figure our way around again.

pictures

Crazy.  I'm too tired to try and figure this out.