Happy Birthday BIG BOY!!

His birthday clothes from
his Aunties Krystal & 'Ana

The line for the food.
It was so good!!

Blowing out his candle in his tongan outfit,
thanks to Siutiti

Some of the TVA kids that hang out with Finau



The table with his birthday cakes from
Aunty Sheila & 'Ava

Turning one is a big deal in Polynesian Families....or so I've been told. I've seen a lot of Hawaiian kids having these huge parties with bands and music and feasts all for a little kid. I didn't want to spend heaps of money but everybody knows and loves Finau so I knew we had to do something even if it was just our family. Once everyone found out he was turning one they all volunteered to help out. There were so many people that helped so I don't want to exclude anyone but I do want to say thanks to Uncle Viliami for blessing Finau. He always takes care of Filipo since he's so far from home and he's the family member that we live closest too. When Finau was born he let us have a feed at his home and we're so lucky that he takes care of Finau the same way he does Filipo. I always want to thank all those that came and brought Finau gifts. He loved the toys and his dad loved the money so a big MALO 'AUPITO to all those that came! Like Filipo told me, "WE EITHER GO BIG OR DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL" That's basically the reason we had a big feed and it was nice spending time with all our friends and family. We love you Finau Leka and we're so lucky to have been blessed with a son like you. You're definitely the highlight of our day and our life, we love you heaps!!

Finau turns one!

October 2, 2009 Finau Falanike Saipa'ia celebrated his FIRST BIRTHDAY! He was so sick though that it's a good thing we're having his party next week so that hopefully he will be feeling better by that time. Filipo stayed home with him all day while I went to my classes and work. We went to the doctor and got some medicine for him and then we went back home. We finally got an air conditioning unit in our house but it doesn't even make the room cool so I'm going to take it back on Monday. If I'm paying $40 on my rent for the unit then it better work! After that we put a candle in a piece of cheesecake and sang Happy Birthday to him and then he blew out the candle. That night my aunt and uncle (my dad's little sister) came to visit. We all went on the Haunted Lagoon ride at PCC (not Finau since he was sick) and that was fun. It was nice to just talk and catch up since it's been a year and a half since I'd seen them last. They were really happy to meet Finau but he wasn't really happy to meet them. Once he's not sick they said they'd fly out to meet him for real since I told them he goes to anybody and then he'd go to them. After they finally left we met up with Filipo at one of the Tongan Families homes and ate cake and sang to Finau. Once I post the video everyone will be laughing. Finau was sleeping while we were singing to him and you can see him struggling to open his eyes to see what's going on. It was so funny. After that finished we came home but his breathing got worse. At 2 a.m we drove to Castle Hospital in Kailua. We went to the Emergency Room and spent all morning there and finally got home at 7:00 a.m. They had a little chair thing to take his x-rays and they said most babies cry but Finau loved it, he didn't cry at all. I think he was just too tired from crying to really do anything anymore. That was pretty much how we spent his birthday. I just wish it could have been a more pleasant experience for him instead of him being so sick. The good thing is this morning we took him to the Tonga Family so they could watch him while we slept. They gave him some Tongan medicine and he threw it all up along with all the mucus so now he's sleeping really well. Hopefully he's as good as new by the time his party comes around next Sunday. Thanks to Mom & Dad for his birthday cards/birthday packages and Aunty Kilo & Aunty Ana for his new clothes!! He loves it all and is so lucky to have all these people to spoil him!!

Haunted Lagoon

Going through the haunted lagoon ride
(Those five girls throwing up the shakas on the second to the last
row were the ones scared out of their minds and screaming
like little kids. Of course the guy next to Uncle Joel
kept trying to push him into the water because their little
kids were pushing into them.)

Right before we went on the ride

Yesterday my Aunt Susan and Uncle Joel came to visit from Virginia! It was so nice to see some family. Besides my grandma and parents they're the only ones that have visited me and it's been a year since family came so it was nice to see someone from home. They came over and were able to finally meet Finau. Since he was so sick he wasn't very happy to meet anyone but then again Aunt Susan said it's hard enough for them to get their own kids to come to them lol...Always the funny ones their family. So we chatted for a while at the house and then we headed over to PCC to go on the haunted lagoon ride. It was fun even though I thought the whole thing was kind of lame. I just kept thinking about how nasty the water is and I couldn't really be scared by anyone because I kept thinking how they're all gonna be in the hospital at the end of the month from skin rashes. We all wanted to sit together but they shoved us onto the small spaces they had on the ride before us. We all got separated and I was worried about the youngest girl. These teenagers were all sitting on top of her and they said the reason they were doing that is because they were "trying to protect her and keep her safe". I kept telling them to get off of her because they're just crushing her little body and not keeping her safe. Thankfully she didn't get too scared and was okay at the end of the ride. It was so good to have some family come for a visit and I was so happy to see them! If Finau was better he would have loved it too. Thanks for the visit!! Oh yeah they asked Nelson if he was named after Finau's great-grandpa Nelson Ellsworth and he kept saying "Yes!" So he was a definite winner with them!

CHEESE!!!!!!

Just a little photo of Finau and his teeth. He's got 8 right now and two more coming in & he sure loves to show them off since he's ALWAYS SMILING! Love you bubbaz!!

Super Citizen

Laie Elementary has a thing called "Super Citizen". I'm not really sure what it is but they give the kids awards and they get some lei's. It's a big deal but I don't really know all the details as to why they pick the people they do. So one of the Tongan families had three kids chosen at the same time. Finau went with the parents and then he went on a bike ride on the way home. I just wish we could afford a bike and a carrier for him because he loved it!

Just cruisin along...

Kaloni & Baby Nau

This picture was too funny not to post.
I love Finau's little crinkled nose, so cute!

Tolofi with one of the Tonga girls.

Ace & Soni

Via with Nau & Soni

Labor Day

I know this is a bit late but I haven't had any pictures to blog with and it's kinda boring if you don't include any. For Labor Day Finau & I went with the Tonga Family to Kakela Beach. It was nice to have a little break before finals started. Which I just have to add I got an A in my Business Class and a B in my Astronomy Class!! Woohooo!!! Finau loved watching all the people and going swimming. Here are some shots of the kids and some of the activities they did.

This little girl is so stinkin cute!!
Her name is Nini & she LOVES Finau.
She was catering to his every need all day.

Sia with one of her girls.
Their whole family is so cute
& so talented! They love Finau.

They had a donut eating contest. One of the kids
was crying since Soni (the one in yellow) ate two donuts
instead of only his one.

He was so relaxed in his little chair

Then the girls all started to pamper him.
He is so spoiled but at least he's not
too much of a whiner because of that.

Finau's first sleepover

Finau is currently having his first sleepover. It's 11:45 p.m. but I'm too nervous about him being over there to even sleep. I should put up a picture of him with the kids that he's partying with but I don't have one right now. So while Finau is off partying like a rockstar Filipo is stuck on the side of the road somewhere trying to get their dead car to run. A few of the boys are getting married so the tofisa boys decided to go clubbing lol...I think they're just going to eat and just 'eva around waikiki so I'm home alone! Anyway just wanted mum & dad to know about that. Hope you all are enjoying the beach house in Nags Head! I wish I could be there. Maybe you can start Finau's t-shirt collection now mum!! Ok I'm gonna go mohe already cos I am so dead tired and I just got done eating & partying with the people that Finau is having a sleepover with so I'm even more tired than I was before. Tomorrow we're going to waterpark!!!!!!!! Finally a reward for all those late nights Filipo had to spend at work!! Look out for pictures tomorrow!