i weigh over 12 lbs. now. my daddy and mommy are busy preparing for our departure this sunday. they received my passport in the mail last week friday. i feel like a proud american...WOO HOO! my daddy is relieved that he has received and has all my official documents in his possession. (i'm sure my mommy is too.)
you should hear these two brainstorming how they are going to travel with me. how much of my mommy's milk to save, do they buy a travel stroller, how much formula and diapers are they going to pack, whose suitcase they are going to pack it in, what store they're going to buy my clothes from, which blanket to take on the plane, are they going to check my car seat in with the luggage or at the gate, what will i wear on the plane from LA to honolulu, from honolulu to pago, who will hold me when this happens, where is the best seat for them to sit since they have me, what is the plan if this happens...and it goes on and on.
my mommy updated the "what to pack" list on her computer since i'm a new addition to she and my daddy's travels. (a list? come on mommy!) my daddy is constantly asking her if this is on the list, take that off the list, bring the list when they are out running errands...these two are a riot.
i continue to hang out with my grammy and my uncle during the day while my parents are both at work. i love hearing them sing the old samoan spirituals and hymns to me as they rock me to sleep. my grammy took me to finish my "fofo" last week since i had what samoans call the "ila." my mommy had a samoan doctor growing up so i guess i will too. they don't have medical degrees, but they do take care of us when we get what my grammy calls "ma'i samoa." (samoan illnesses) i also saw my pediatrician last week because my parents want to make sure that they had all of their questions answered before we flew out to samoa. my pediatrician was impressed by my daddy's typed up notes/questions. (what is up with that dad?)
i pray that all is well with you and your families. if not, i can only tell you what my mommy and daddy do when they are in a bind. my daddy gently grabs my mommy's hand and i hear him say, "let's pray." my daddy leads out in song and they both just worship. sometimes my mommy stops singing...but my daddy just keeps on going. sooner or later, i'll hear them talk about how God answered their prayer.
until next time, hugs and kisses over cyberspace from none other than my daddy's all-star and my mommy's prince...stephen-fua faatai.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
a poem for stephen-fua
(the women at our church gave my mommy a "spiritual" shower and this poem was read to her. amazing!)
Your Mommy and Daddy prayed for a child from God for many days and nights,
The months and the years went by and still no sign of a child was in sight,
Finally your Mommy and Daddy had thoughts of adopting a child from Samoa,
But God found favor with your Mommy and Daddy and gave them you, Stephen-Fua,
The Bible tell us of a woman named Hannah who had prayed for a child for many years,
She spent time in the temple crying out to God with all her heart and with many tears,
God is not slack concerning His promises, He gave Hannah her child and called him by name,
God gave you to your Mommy and Daddy because His promise to them was the same,
God’s promises are “yes” and “Amen” and His timing is not according to man,
His ways are not our ways and He had you, Stephen-Fua in the very palm of His hand,
As you grew and grew in your Mommy’s tummy, sometimes you would kick and cause lots of pain,
But your Mommy never complained, she kept praising God for you Stephen-Fua and counted it all gain,
At the time of this poem you are not yet born and your Aunties and Uncles which are not a few,
Continue to thank God for the promised child, Stephen-Fua which is you,
We welcome you with our hearts overflowing and are anxious to see your sweet little face,
We are honored to be part of God’s family and rejoice with your Mommy and Daddy at God’s unfailing grace.
You are the promised child, Stephen-Fua
Your Mommy and Daddy prayed for a child from God for many days and nights,
The months and the years went by and still no sign of a child was in sight,
Finally your Mommy and Daddy had thoughts of adopting a child from Samoa,
But God found favor with your Mommy and Daddy and gave them you, Stephen-Fua,
The Bible tell us of a woman named Hannah who had prayed for a child for many years,
She spent time in the temple crying out to God with all her heart and with many tears,
God is not slack concerning His promises, He gave Hannah her child and called him by name,
God gave you to your Mommy and Daddy because His promise to them was the same,
God’s promises are “yes” and “Amen” and His timing is not according to man,
His ways are not our ways and He had you, Stephen-Fua in the very palm of His hand,
As you grew and grew in your Mommy’s tummy, sometimes you would kick and cause lots of pain,
But your Mommy never complained, she kept praising God for you Stephen-Fua and counted it all gain,
At the time of this poem you are not yet born and your Aunties and Uncles which are not a few,
Continue to thank God for the promised child, Stephen-Fua which is you,
We welcome you with our hearts overflowing and are anxious to see your sweet little face,
We are honored to be part of God’s family and rejoice with your Mommy and Daddy at God’s unfailing grace.
You are the promised child, Stephen-Fua
Written with love by: Pat Jackson (Aunty Pat)
August 1, 2007
2 month update
my parents sang "happy 2 month birthday" to me today. (they're strange...)
well...i will board my first airplane in a couple of weeks with my parents to american samoa. they took me on my first road trip yesterday to oceanside to visit my great aunt on my daddy's side and my uncle and aunty on my mommy's side. it was fun spending the day with relatives. apparently times like this are rare and so my parents savor them when they come around. we didn't get in until late so i've actually been out past my curfew already.
my mommy is enjoying her last week at home with me because she will go back to work next week. i am feeding more from a bottle now than from her. she still pumps in order to give me her milk along with feeding me formula. she took me to the church where my daddy grew up this past sunday for white sunday service (lotu a tamaiti). she loved hearing the kids and choir sing and told me that my daddy used to sing in that choir and recite memory scriptures at that very church. one of my cousins led the service while the other two did the prayer. it was fun to watch my other cousins do actions to a song and then hear all of them sing a song together to end their portion of the service. it seems that my daddy's family has a lot of talent.
my daddy is busy, as usual, and yet still finds time to hold and feed me. he's busy prepping for our church's american samoa missions trip in a couple of weeks along with getting things done at home. he took me for my doctor's appointment last week and i was weighed in at 10 lbs., 8 oz. i got more vaccinations and didn't cry as much as my doctor predicted. my daddy was proud of me. (i heard him tell my mommy when we got home.) he was a little bummed when his nfl team lost this past sunday to the new england patriots but is thankful that they are doing better this year. yes...my daddy is a cowboy fan. LA doesn't have a football team so that's the team that he and my mommy have considered "their" team for quite some time now. they're funny.
love and blessings from alexandria avenue in torrance, california...stephen-fua faatai reporting live until next week...back to you!
UPDATE FROM BABYCENTER.COM: Hello, Diana !Coos are your baby's way of expressing delight, as well as exercising his vocal cords. You can carry on a "conversation" with your baby now. When he gurgles or coos, say something brief or coo back at him. Then wait for him to "say" something back to you. This kind of conversational turn-taking may not sound like much to you now, but it's actually the beginning of learning how to talk!
>> Read more about this week
well...i will board my first airplane in a couple of weeks with my parents to american samoa. they took me on my first road trip yesterday to oceanside to visit my great aunt on my daddy's side and my uncle and aunty on my mommy's side. it was fun spending the day with relatives. apparently times like this are rare and so my parents savor them when they come around. we didn't get in until late so i've actually been out past my curfew already.
my mommy is enjoying her last week at home with me because she will go back to work next week. i am feeding more from a bottle now than from her. she still pumps in order to give me her milk along with feeding me formula. she took me to the church where my daddy grew up this past sunday for white sunday service (lotu a tamaiti). she loved hearing the kids and choir sing and told me that my daddy used to sing in that choir and recite memory scriptures at that very church. one of my cousins led the service while the other two did the prayer. it was fun to watch my other cousins do actions to a song and then hear all of them sing a song together to end their portion of the service. it seems that my daddy's family has a lot of talent.
my daddy is busy, as usual, and yet still finds time to hold and feed me. he's busy prepping for our church's american samoa missions trip in a couple of weeks along with getting things done at home. he took me for my doctor's appointment last week and i was weighed in at 10 lbs., 8 oz. i got more vaccinations and didn't cry as much as my doctor predicted. my daddy was proud of me. (i heard him tell my mommy when we got home.) he was a little bummed when his nfl team lost this past sunday to the new england patriots but is thankful that they are doing better this year. yes...my daddy is a cowboy fan. LA doesn't have a football team so that's the team that he and my mommy have considered "their" team for quite some time now. they're funny.
love and blessings from alexandria avenue in torrance, california...stephen-fua faatai reporting live until next week...back to you!
UPDATE FROM BABYCENTER.COM: Hello, Diana !Coos are your baby's way of expressing delight, as well as exercising his vocal cords. You can carry on a "conversation" with your baby now. When he gurgles or coos, say something brief or coo back at him. Then wait for him to "say" something back to you. This kind of conversational turn-taking may not sound like much to you now, but it's actually the beginning of learning how to talk!
>> Read more about this week
Monday, October 8, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
7 week update
by the mere fact that my mommy is sending this update means that she survived our first solo weekend without my daddy. (whooh!) it seems that my mommy is stepping up her plan of attack with my feedings as her time at home with me dwindles down to just a few weeks. i feel two different elements in my mouth during the course of one feeding and am learning how to adjust depending upon which one i'm given. this lady just won't let up.
after all the footwork my daddy went through to get my passport, the very people who told him what to do denied my passport until i get my birth certificate. go figure. it's only a matter of a month or two before i get my real birth certificate. so, i guess he's not worried about it. i think both my parents just want to get it done. at least i got my social security card! (WOO HOO!)
if you don't see yourself in a photo here on my blog it's not because i don't love you...it's simply because my mommy doesn't have a photo of you with me. the solution? just catch us after one of the services. my mommy has her camera in my diaper bag. (who does that?)
until next week...reporting live from torrance, california...stephen-fua faatai. back to you in your studio. blessings! :)
Update from babycenter.com: Hello, Diana !Your baby's hands should be mostly open now — ready to reach out to the world. Although she can't really grab objects just yet, she can hold things placed in her hands. And, once she wraps her hands around something, she might not let go so easily. She'll also begin to try to bat at objects, so keep potentially dangerous ones far from her reach. This means not holding hot liquids or sharp objects while you're holding her.
Your 7-week-old
How your baby's growing:You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning: Your baby's brain will grow about 5 centimeters during her first three months!Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless.New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding life.• Learn more fascinating facts about your 7-week-old's development.
Your life: Guilt over not breastfeedingToday's society puts a lot of pressure on new moms to breastfeed. No doubt breast milk is the perfect first food. However, there are many reasons why breastfeeding just doesn't work for some women and their babies, including illness, discomfort, and frustration.Guilt over not breastfeeding can hit especially hard if you had planned all during pregnancy to do so but then circumstances, such as having a preemie or a c-section, made it impossible or more difficult than you'd expected. Some moms find that after hours and days of breastfeeding attempts, their breasts simply won't produce enough milk to satisfy their newborn.Both breast milk and commercial formula nourish growing babies. If you've given up on breastfeeding — or are thinking of doing so — be sure to discuss your choice with your doctor or a certified lactation consultant. Talk through your feelings and don't be too hard on yourself. The main thing to remember is that how you feed your baby is ultimately not as important as providing her with love and care.
after all the footwork my daddy went through to get my passport, the very people who told him what to do denied my passport until i get my birth certificate. go figure. it's only a matter of a month or two before i get my real birth certificate. so, i guess he's not worried about it. i think both my parents just want to get it done. at least i got my social security card! (WOO HOO!)
if you don't see yourself in a photo here on my blog it's not because i don't love you...it's simply because my mommy doesn't have a photo of you with me. the solution? just catch us after one of the services. my mommy has her camera in my diaper bag. (who does that?)
until next week...reporting live from torrance, california...stephen-fua faatai. back to you in your studio. blessings! :)
Update from babycenter.com: Hello, Diana !Your baby's hands should be mostly open now — ready to reach out to the world. Although she can't really grab objects just yet, she can hold things placed in her hands. And, once she wraps her hands around something, she might not let go so easily. She'll also begin to try to bat at objects, so keep potentially dangerous ones far from her reach. This means not holding hot liquids or sharp objects while you're holding her.
Your 7-week-old
How your baby's growing:You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning: Your baby's brain will grow about 5 centimeters during her first three months!Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless.New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding life.• Learn more fascinating facts about your 7-week-old's development.
Your life: Guilt over not breastfeedingToday's society puts a lot of pressure on new moms to breastfeed. No doubt breast milk is the perfect first food. However, there are many reasons why breastfeeding just doesn't work for some women and their babies, including illness, discomfort, and frustration.Guilt over not breastfeeding can hit especially hard if you had planned all during pregnancy to do so but then circumstances, such as having a preemie or a c-section, made it impossible or more difficult than you'd expected. Some moms find that after hours and days of breastfeeding attempts, their breasts simply won't produce enough milk to satisfy their newborn.Both breast milk and commercial formula nourish growing babies. If you've given up on breastfeeding — or are thinking of doing so — be sure to discuss your choice with your doctor or a certified lactation consultant. Talk through your feelings and don't be too hard on yourself. The main thing to remember is that how you feed your baby is ultimately not as important as providing her with love and care.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
some "shower" scenes
this shower was given by our son's c.c.south bay aunties on august 4th. pastor steve gave a message and mama's worship team blessed us with worship. pastor kevin was the emcee (MC Kevin) and kramer's daddy took good care of us while we were there (Lutheran Church in Torrance).
i almost didn't make this shower due to the doctor placing me on bed rest the day before. leave it to the coordinators to figure out a way for me not to miss it. it was so much fun seeing the men have fun being that it was a "baby shower." 0ne of the men got a call on the way to the shower and chose to say that he was on his way to a "family event" instead of a shower. (hee! hee! hee!) aren't they cute?
tuvai and i were SURPRISED at the whole thing! thank you all for coming and blessing us not only with gifts but with your presence. it spoke volumes to us!
i almost didn't make this shower due to the doctor placing me on bed rest the day before. leave it to the coordinators to figure out a way for me not to miss it. it was so much fun seeing the men have fun being that it was a "baby shower." 0ne of the men got a call on the way to the shower and chose to say that he was on his way to a "family event" instead of a shower. (hee! hee! hee!) aren't they cute?
tuvai and i were SURPRISED at the whole thing! thank you all for coming and blessing us not only with gifts but with your presence. it spoke volumes to us!
..
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