Virtuoso Life - March/April 2009 - 64
Iconic Kauai: Pineapples at the West Side farmers’ market in Kekaha and a surfboard at rest. It had been t he longest year of our lives – and the shortest. “Well-rested” was a mythical land that existed only in distant memories, a mirage that flickered across miles of nighttime feedings. Any new parent can relate: It was hardly possible to recall a time when we weren’t consumed with baby talk, baby breakthroughs and worries, baby paraphernalia. And yet, somehow the red-faced, bleating little stranger who had arrived to stake his claim to our hearts a mere 12 months before had transformed in an eyeblink into a babbling, crawling, miniature human. To celebrate Oliver’s one-year milestone, my husband, Ben, and I could think of nothing more appealing than an entire week together with our son and no set agenda. Sure, we’d had long weekends visiting relatives, but those were mostly shoehorned in between work deadlines. It was time for a real vacation. We decided to strike out in search of respite from the Seattle winter, hoping for some family time and maybe, just maybe, a little sleep. Kauai seemed ideal. A relatively short hop from home? Check. Guaranteed warm weather? Check. Kid-friendly culture and accommodations? Check and check. Add to this the island’s mellow pace and egregious natural beauty, and you had the recipe for an idyllic week of bonding. Probably, I thought, bathed in the constant attention of both of his parents, Oliver would take his first steps. Maybe even say his first word. Our BASe fOr The WeeK WAS The KeOnelOA SuITe AT The GrAnd hyATT KAuAI reSOrT & SPA In Poipu on the island’s south side. A generous foyer, dining area, and living room opened onto a balcony that put us eyeto-coconut with the tops of palm trees and framed a vast network of pools and the crashing Pacific. A separate bedroom meant that while Oliver snoozed, Ben and I could lounge on the balcony or relax by the pool with the baby monitor. 64 VIRTUOSO LIFE