Introducing...

Juneau Iris Stickley...legally and officially! We recieved our readoption paperwork in the mail yesterday. It is awesome that this process finally got completed, and with only a few days to spare before we leave the island! We were super excited to get the paperwork in the mail. In Hawaii, you don't actually need a court appointment to re-adopt, and finalize etc. Just a whole bunch of paperwork (which we are fortnately experts at, like most adoptive parents!)


Congratulations little Juneau Iris on legally becoming a Stickley in the eyes of the U.S. Government.
Monday was my last day of work as a resident. I have spent the last 3 days getting to be a full-time mommy, and it is awesome! Today we went to the Children's Discovery Center with Aunt Bets. I'm never sure who has more fun, Juneau, Nova, or Betsy. I think it is probably Betsy, as she was actually considering having her 21st birthday part at the Discovery Center.

The girls are really learning to play pretend. It is so cute. They even appeased Betsy by letting her dress them up in all the little costumes. Juneau practicing T-Ball

Nova didn't quite get the hang of it, but she was eager to try!

mmmm....pretend sushi

delicious!

Juneau has the very widest feet i have ever seen. And that coming from me, who has the second widest feet i have ever seen. Her feet are literally perfect squares. In fact, her flip-flops (or Slippahs in hawaii!) often get shifted between the wrong toes because her feet don't really fit properly

picking pineapples

aunt Bets and juneau practicing making stir-fry

Juneau the Firefighter (and Betsy, the wardrobe manager)

Nova, the breadmaker

And, of course, Nova had to find the very heaviest thing in the museum.

soooooo heavy

but not too heavy for our little bodybuilder

1st load of stuff is on the way

On Friday we packed up our first load of stuff to go to colorado. When the military moves you they let you send a bunch of stuff by air to get there faster, and then the rest of the big furniture and everything goes later.

Goodbye Stuff....see you in Colorado

ahhhh....the cart. Nova's favorite toy in the whole wide world

sooooo cute!

daddy and nova playing rough before bed

we love nova's "split tooth" on the bottom

Nova's mischevious look

As you may know, Nova LOVES to pick up heavy things. Here she has two tupperware containers full of coins (they were indeed HEAVY!). She found this ice-pack wrap thing of cris, and was wearing it like a weight belt.

the ice-pack wrap thing also worked nicely as a hat

We have had a super weekend with the girls. Nova had a breakthrough with her sand issues, and on saturday she actually had FUN at the beach! So, nova is finally learning to be a beach baby 10 days before we move to the mountains!

Last night of call and Beachtime fun

Last night the 6 senior residents took call together for the very last time (at least as residents!) We had an aboslutely fantastic night. We got to do a few deliveries, a couple of c/sections, and lots of food and fun. Fortunately it was a pretty slow night, so we got to enjoy the time together. The senior residents with the Colonel. Dr. Salminen was my attending for my very first c/s 4 long years ago! He has taught many many residents and is a fantastic teacher.

With one of our very favorite labor and delivery nurses, Diane

Another one of our favorite attendings, Dr. Boyle

Auntie Saioa with baby nova

Juneau and Nova playing with the Vacuum Extractors - future OB/GYNs?

The Seniors - do we look ready to graduate or what?

We also have been spending a LOT of time at the beach the last couple of weeks. This is a dream come true for Juneau, but rather nightmareish for her less adventurous sister. Nova DESPISES sand. she hates everything about sand. she hates when she has to stand or sit on the sand, and even when sand just touches anywhere on her body. I thought after spending so much time at the beach this month she would get over it, especially since we haven't really been catering to her demands in regard to the issue. but she still screams her head off. We got an little floaty , and she tolerated sitting in that on the sand, as long as she wasn't actually touching the sand. ridiculous. Anyway, aside from that little issue, we have been having a great few weeks. Tomorrow the packing and shipping begins, then next week we check into a hotel. Fun times are ahead! Juneau wiped out after a long day at the beach

Every girl's worst nightmare

Nova happy on her float (on the cement, mind you)

Nova Unhappy on the sand

Nova tolerating the sand, as long as her skin didn't touch it.

our very very dear friends, Tracy and Jeremy

Juneau thought she was a big girl when these girls were playing with her in the water

Jbug LOVES the beach

mama and J

First Annual Vietnam Picnic

Hawaii International Child hosted the First Annual Vietnam Picnic. Of course the Stickley family was in attendance! Many of the kids are from Tam Ky, the same as Juneau. there are also a few from Thanh Hoa. There is one little boy that is Juneau's age that came home the month before Juneau did. His name is Van, and we usually see his family at the HIC functions. Van was there again. he is super sweet and cute. He is on left of juneau in the group pic. Our VN coordinator sent us these adorable group photos, which I love:)

Our most recent visitors

We had an AWESOME week with our company last week! My super cool Aunt Cheryl (affectionately known as Nutkie, nutkin, squirrel, fluffy squirrel, squirrel nut) came to hawaii, and brought along with her my youngest brother, Drew. Drew is in school in New England, and we rarely get to see him, so it was a real treat to get to have him in Hawaii for over a week! The girls adored nutkin (they called her "pop-pop" due to the neverending supply of lollipops she kept on hand) and they loved their Uncle "Dew".


I had to work most of the days they were here, but they certainly kept themselves entertained exploring the island, floating around in the ocean, eating Shave Ice, and, of course sitting in traffic :)

Here are some pictures of their visit: Nova actually enjoying the water!

see, she really loved it!

Juneau can never get enough of the water

Uncle Drew with the girls

We visited the USS Arizona on Memorial Day

The fam checked out the Polynesian Cultural Center, and came home with Tribal Tattoos

The Best part of Nova's Day - her Bottle

Matsumoto's, the Best Shave Ice in the world!

i love this pic of Drew and JBug chillin' out in their sunglasses