Our first morning in Hawaii at sunrise. Alex didn't exactly adjust to the time change, so I was up at 3:30am with him. Shortly afterwards, Oneea was up so we decided to go on a walk. We headed over to Waikiki beach for this picture.

Waimea Bay close up...Although a busy spot, you can still find some areas on the Haleiwa side of the beach to claim and feel as if you've got a secluded tropical paradise all to yourself. The water here was incredibly clear.

Oneea and Alex at Waimea Bay. This backpack that Oneea bought right before the trip was great to have on vacation. Very easy to pack, and Alex really enjoys being close to Mom.

Another shot from Lanikai Beach looking towards the Mokulua Islands. It's pretty easy to see why this beach is consistently rated as one of the world's best.

Another one of those pictures that can best be described simply as "happiness".

A boat anchored off the shores of Lanikai Beach with one of the two Mokolua Islands in the distance. We had a great time at this beach, and really enjoyed the beautiful waters and fine white sand.

The snorkelers paradise, aka Hanauma Bay. This is one of the main events on Oahu and for good reason. Calm waters, lots of coral, and fish everywhere. It's a great spot although a little bit annoying getting in (had to wait in several lines as this place definitely draws in crowds). Once we finally found a shady spot on the beach, we spent the entire day snorkeling, swimming and playing in the sand with Alex.

Little Alex enjoying the beach at Hanauma Bay. We were able to make enough room in the luggage to bring his sand toys home so that he can use them in his sandbox and remember Hawaii!

The Kaneohe sandbar at high tide. We booked a day trip from one of the local tour companies to visit the Kaneohe sandbar. This is a famous spot located in Kaneohe Bay where at low tide, people come out to the sandbar, bring out their grills and spend a day in the middle of the bay enjoying the views and swimming off the sandbar. We weren't able to time a visit during low tide, but still visited the foot deep water and waded around. This picture was taken as we were leaving the sandbar, which glowed when compared to the deeper surrounding waters.

We stayed at the Embassy suites Waikiki for our entire trip...this is a picture of the pool taken at sunset. It's a good (not great) hotel that we chose for several reasons: 1) Breakfast included - lots of fresh fruit, omelettes made to order, juice, coffee, etc. Great way to save some $ and start the day off right. 2) Managers reception at night. Free drinks, food and entertainment from 5:30 - 7:30 each night. Nice to come home from a day of sightseeing and have a beverage near the pool (which is what we were doing when I took this picture)\ 3) Just across the street from Waikiki Beach. 4) Lots of restaurants and shopping nearby so very convenient when you've got a little one traveling with you. We ended up doing a lot of carryout from the nearby Yardhouse restaurant (great food).

Another shot from the Waianae coastline.

The Waianae Coastline with the rugged Waianae mountain range serving as the backdrop.

The lightly visited Waianae Coast. This area is incredibly scenic, and I was immediately drawn to it when our hotel staff said "don't go there, it's not very safe." While I never felt in danger, this is definitely a side of Hawaii many don't see. The towns along this stretch of coastline are littered with trash, and the area has a real problem with homeless people. It's clear that all of the glitz and glamor of Hawaii has taken it's toll on some of the people who try to simply get by on the island. I wish that more people would take time to visit this area....it's absolutely beautfiul and with more awareness, might help bring about some much needed change.

The peacful Ko Olina lagoon. Oneea and Alex off in the distance.

Palms trees and lagoon at Ko Olina Marriott resort. Beautiful grounds, excellent frozen drinks served out of frozen pineapples, and really nice lagoons to swim in. We even saw a few hammerheads and string rays swimming around in their man-made lagoon that surrounds the hotel property.

The heat and humidity had their way with Alex's hair. It was so nice to spend time with him, play with sand toys, and watch him take his first steps on his own at our hotel in Waikiki.

Sunsets on Hawaii are spectacular, and a major event where people stop what they're doing, and congregate on the beaches to watch the sun melt into the Pacific. This was probably our favorite sunset from the trip, and was taken near the Ko Olina lagoons.

Sunset at Ko Olina. The tide pool has some cool reflections of the clouds, and my favorite part of this picture is how the wave was just big enough to start filling the pool.

Looking down at the Diamond Head lighthouse from the top of the iconic Diamond Head summit. This is a pretty straightforward hike, but a few things to be aware of. 1) There's a narrow tunnel that you must walk through. Some people who are closterphobic might not enjoy this part. 2) There's a very steep stair case of 100+ stairs near the top....don't fall or your going to wipe out everyone beneath you and it'll be a long fall! 3) Once you're at the top, there's a bunker that you have to crawl under. Don't hit your head as I saw one person do. Great hike and a must do if you visit Oahu.

Rabbit Island seen from a lookout along the Windward Coast.

The little sand crab...

Our favorite beach in Oahu was definitely Three Tables Beach on the North Shore. Why? Well, first off, the sand was great...a bit more coarse and a lot easier to wash off. Second, not as busy so we were able to find a little cove all to ourselves. Third, the snorkeling is outstanding. Lots of relief underwater, colorful coral, crystal clear water (unlike Hanauma Bay) and loads of fish. This is a great spot and somewhat of a secret in my opinion. If you're up there, you must stop by Ted's Bakery for some lunch. You won't regret it.

Looking down on Waimea Bay. This beach is a popular spot in the Summer due to the calm, crystal clear waters. There's also a big volcanic rock that many people climb up to jump off. During the Winter, these calm waters completely change into legendary surfing waters. Either way, it's a great place to visit and spend the day.

Paradise Rock in Waimea Bay