sympathy pains

Yesterday, we went nursing bra/maternity clothes shopping for Tali and me and Malia found the little pregnant belly belt.



She said her "baby was kicking".

happy birthday malia and kina!

August is our BIRTHDAY MONTH - my birthday is the 9th, Kina's is the 21th, Malia's is the 25th and baby Tali's is now on the 13th. I've often said I'm gonna have ONE party with ONE cake and ONE present for all three girls to share every year for the rest of their lives. lol This year, however, something went awry and we had THREE mini parties for the two of them. Humph. We'll see how next year goes.

(Feel free to scroll down to pictures. The following is a mother babbling about her kids.)

Malia is 3! She is smart, beautiful and caring. She likes to read books, swing on swings, build towers with blocks, do puzzles, and pretend she's different animals. She talks a lot and asks a lot of questions. She likes to eat spagetti, her grandma's homemade bread with a LOT of butter, toast, cereal, chicken nuggets, juice, string cheese, pizza and tuna sandwiches. Her favorite movies are The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh. Her favorite songs to sing are primary songs, the Little Mermaid songs, Are you Sleeping?, and nursery rhymes/songs. She gets sad/mad when her parents scold her or tell her she can't have something she wants. She doesn't like taking baths, bedtime and sitting still in church. She throws tantrums sometimes when she wakes up from sleeping. She loves her family and says her mommy is "her best friend". The thing I love most about Malia is her personality and her sense of humor. The thing Wayne loves most about Malia is that "she looks just like her mother".

Kina is 2! She is sweet, cute and wise. She likes to play "mommy" with dolls, play dress-ups, color, play outside, knock down Malia's block towers and most of all Kina likes to EAT. She likes to talk and separates each of her syllables. Her favorite food is. . . hmm. . . her favorite food is anything that fits in her mouth. She has a very good appetite and will eat anything that is put in front of her. Her favorite movie is Annie. Her favorite primary song is "Follow the Prophet" and she loves to sing. She gets sad/mad when others are mean to her or when she is scolded. She throws tantrums when she is tired or feels outnumbered. Kina doesn't like putting on lotion, brushing her teeth or fixing her hair. Kina loves her family and wants to do and say anything her big sister can do and say. The thing I love most about Kina is her sweetness - she loves to uma and hug and is always concerned when people around her are sad or hurt. The thing Wayne loves most about Kina is that "she is just so good natured".

And here's some random pics from their three mini parties (aka excuses for the family to get together)


Ita and Vai, Wayne's youngest sisters, also have summer birthdays. We had a little party for all four little girls on Kina's birthday. They loved their cakes. So Tongan, huh. lol

Happy Birthday Girls!

Wayne's eldest sister, Kalo, ALSO has an August birthday so we celebrated again on Sunday. Don't you love those star-shaped cakes? I found the cute pan at D.I.

For their last little celebration, they helped Grandma Ann make their favorite - homemade pizza - on Malia's birthday.

After making some big ones, they got to make their own personal pizza's. Malia preferred her's with a lot of pepperoni and Kina (as you can see) liked a lot of cheese.

After pizza, they got to open Grandma's present. We sat on the couch and just watched them play with it for an hour. So fun.

We've made a goal to have our next baby ANY month but August. haha And I think next year, we really are gonna try the ONE party thing.

Happy Birthday to my little girls. I love you both so much. I love being your mommy!

baby tali

Thanks for the cute pics Candice!!

what's in a name

Last week, we brought our new baby girl home from the hospital. One day, when I was feeding her Malia came up to us and asked me, "Mommy, what's her name?" "Baby," I said. She rolled her eyes and said louder, "No Mommy. What's her NAAAME?!?" Haha

Yes, our baby has been nameless for over a week. The state gives 10 days for the hospital to submit a birth certificate for a baby and we were definitely stressing because we had come down to the line. For nine months we've been thinking, praying and talking about it and had never been able to make a decision. Today, at LAST we can breathe a sigh of relief because we FINALLY have a name for our little girl. Her name is
TALI LOTOMATA LATU.

Baby Tali is named after my only sister, Tali. I've always loved the name. . . I was actually always a little jealous of getting such a boring sounding name when she had such a beautiful one. It means patience in Samoan and Tali, my sister, is named after our Aunty - Uncle Harvey's wife who passed away - and though I've never met her I've been told she was an amazing and beautiful woman. Wayne choose the name Lotomata for his first cousin, Mata Pope Uale. She was named after her Aunty and Wayne has always been close with her and her family. She is an angel and we love her so much. I'm so happy we can use her name in our baby's name. I love the way the two names sound together - all the L's and T's - it rolls so nicely, it's perfect!!

Picking THE name which a person will be known by is a big deal and we definitely don't take that responsibility lightly. Because of that it's always kinda difficult for us. Of course, it will always involve a lot of thought and time - but I think next time we're gonna try decide the name before the baby is born. :)

big sisters

It's been a busy week!! I'm recuperating at home and have been absolutely spoiled by the people around me. My mom, who's here from Hawaii, has been amazing. I haven't touched a piece of dirty laundry or a dirty dish all week. It was a few days after baby was born that I even changed a dirty diaper. She's on night duty every night and won't let me do anything but feed baby. Wayne's mom, Vai, has also been incredible. The girls have been living between our two houses and she is ALWAYS willing to take them, feed them or do anything to help out. Our siblings have also been fabulous. Wayne's sisters have taken the girls on outings just to get them out and they have loved it. Our cousins and friends have made our days bright with visits and sweet gifts for baby. Thank you! And, of course, Wayne has been great. He is extra helpful and has made many a groggy midnight run to Walgreens for different things we need for baby or me. Words can't express how grateful I am for this overwhelming outpouring of love, help and support. I feel so blessed and so humbled by the family's love and service to me and our little family. I hope I can someday repay you for your unselfish kindness and sacrifice. Thank you to all of you. I love you and am eternally grateful.

We are adjusting to having a baby in our family and in the house. Malia and Kina are awesome big sisters. They love the baby. Since I know this love may be short-lived once they see how much time I need to spend with her, I thought I'd blog about a few sweet moments I saw this week.

They LOVE to hold her and kiss her . . . almost too much. Sometimes I think they may smother her. As soon as they hear her cry they run to me and tell me to feed her "mommy's milk". One time I was in the middle of doing something and was trying to finish before going to pick her up and Malia actually started to cry and said, "Please mommy. HURRY. Baby wants mommy's MILK!!" Sheesh!

While we were eating dinner last night I put baby on the floor by the table so I could see her while we ate. Kina and Malia jumped down to the floor to be with her and both grabbed books to read to her. Malia was reading aloud and Kina was holding her hand and giving her kisses for the next ten minutes.

There was a huge thunderstorm yesterday in Provo (yeah, I thought it was summer too). There was lightning, thunder and a lot of rain. Baby was laying on the floor and after the first couple thunder claps Malia ran over to her with her pacifier and just held it there. Whenever there was thunder she would cover baby's ears and say something like, "Shhhh. It's okay. Don't be scared." She's looking out the window at the storm in this pic.

This pic was taken when we were still in the hospital. The LOVE started early!! :)

I love my little girls! I try to give them lots of hugs and love whenever I can, but I know it will never be exactly the same as when there were only the two of them. I'm so grateful they love their baby sister - I hope they always will!

wordless wednesday - COUSINS

AJ, Malia, Kina, Jack and Baby

she's HERE!

Yay!! A quick rundown of events before I forget.

All month, Wayne was planning to miss the USA Rugby National Championships that his 7's rugby team was playing in. The tournament was on the 14th and 15th of August and my due date was on the 15th. I had been encouraging him to go all along and after a doctors appointment on the 10th in which I was told I was only dilated to 1 and would most likely not give birth for another week, I told him to GO. The team was set to start the road trip to San Francisco early Friday morning and all night Wayne was debating whether to go or stay. He finally left around 3 am. He said something like, "I love you. I really think I should stay." And I, mostly asleep, mumbled something like, "K. Love you. Bye." lol

I woke up about 4 hours later because I was having contractions.

Anyways, to make a long story slightly shorter, Wayne caught a flight from Reno and arrived in Provo around 4 pm. We checked in at the hospital around 8:30 pm and baby was born at 11:25 pm. Wayne spent the night with me in the hospital and then left the next morning to the airport where he caught a flight to California where his team ultimately finished third in the tournament. I'm SOOOO grateful/happy/relieved he was able to be there.

Enough about rugby though! - my LABOR experience this time around was AWESOME! Though I started laboring in the early morning, the whole day was very relaxed and calm. I spent the day at home - I took a long nap and long shower, packed a hospital bag, tidied my house, ate good meals, and went on a frozen yogurt date with my husband. About an hour and a half after arriving at the hospital I got an epidural (the earliest I've ever received it - very nice) and after about 30 minutes of pushing (I ain't gonna lie - that part KILLED), baby was born!


We were all smiles after she was born - it was a great labor and delivery (well, as great as labor and delivery can get haha) - must've been the lucky Friday the 13th birthday.

Baby weighed 9 lbs. 2 oz. and was 21 inches long. By far, my biggest baby yet! She has big hands and feet and a lot of black hair.

Three reasons why this was the best birth experience - 1. Orem Community Hospital - very small and relaxed. I had a huge room that I stayed in the whole time. First time here and definitely not the last. 2. Dr. Weibell (in green) - patient, helpful and a great bedside manner (AND it was HIS birthday). We love him. 3. Our nurse, Nancy (in purple) - She was my nurse for Malia's birth. She's a close Latu family friend and came in on her day off to be my labor/delivery nurse. She was amazing! Love you Nancy!

Only Wayne was in the room for the birth, but shortly after we got some visitors. It was fun to visit and celebrate with the family. (Kika, Nancy, Melba, Kina, me on the phone with my dad in Hawaii, mom and Tali.

Wayne and Inoke - proud daddy and daddy-to-be

Nope. She still doesn't have a name. Poor thing. I'll keep you posted.

Highlight of my 2 day stay was DEFINITELY the visit from Malia and Kina. They stayed the weekend at my mother-in-law, Vai's house. It was so peaceful knowing someone was caring for them while I wasn't able to (THANK YOU VAI!!) The girls LOVE their new sister. Malia hugged her and Kina kissed her over and over. I hope this love lasts. I think they're gonna be great big sisters.

We're so happy she's here! Welcome to the family. . . err. . . BABY!! lol

summer fun

Just clearing off my phone and found some random pics of the fun we've been having this summer.


Kina, Talai, Malia, Spencer and Tau
We went to Tina and Adneys house and Wayne was exposed to Tina's incredible cupcakes. Since then, he can't stop talking about them - seriously. He sounds like a pregnant woman at all hours of the day. . . "Man! I'm craving some of Tina's CUPCAKES right about now!!" haha Because we live so far away from Tina he's tried to satisfy his cravings with other cupcakes here in Provo. Hed buy it, bring it home, take a bite and then throw it down and say, "Nope. These ain't got nothin' on Tina's." lol Looks like we're gonna have to put an order in soon!!


Maddox, Inoke, Kina and Malia
Tali, my mom, my SIL Shan and I went to the park for a picnic the other week. Inoke met us there and as soon as he arrived was nominated the official child chaser while we sat in the shade and talked and ate. Poor guy. The kids were running EVERYWHERE! Here they are walking back from the other side of the 10 acre park. haha Thanks Noke! They were sleeping before we got out of the parking lot. You're the best uncle EVER!

I wish summer would never end!

5 things i love about Mary

So today is Mary's birthday and I thought I'd write a post about her on the blog. As some of you know, I've been married to my best friend for 4 1/2 years. She really is my hero and best friend. I thought that for today I'd post 5 things that I love about her:


1. Mary is ALWAYS happy. One of the things I admire most about my wife is how she faces life always with a smile. No matter how bad things are, she always walks forward with a smile on her face. She has a witty humor that keeps our marriage enjoyable and interesting. For example, when Mary and I were dating, we got engaged and she had to go back to BYUH for her last year. Honestly, I was a wreck. I used to make fun of Saia Hafoka who would always cry for Line when we traveled for football games, but when Mary left to Hawaii, I didn't think it was so funny any more. Anyways, Mary made me a quilt to sleep with, a picture book of us to read at night, and a music video she and her friends made. side note- Saia will probably deny this, but as his roommate, I stand by my story. bwahahahaha











2. Mary is super talented. Okay, so a lot of people don't know this about Mary, but she's a concert violinist. She can beat me in basketball and throws a better football spiral than I can. We used to take ballroom lessons together, but the teacher got frustrated because she was so coordinated and good at dancing and I wasn't. She walks on water, wrestles bears, and has over 647 facebook friends.
















3. Mary is the prettiest. Soooooo, maybe I'm a little biased, but I think Mary is the prettiest girl in the world. She's definitely the prettiest girl I've ever seen. My mom and sisters all tie for the 2nd prettiest girls I've ever seen. The first thing that attracted Mary to me was her smile. I met her in passing at BYU in the Wilkinson Center. When I saw her, I knew I'd better hurry up and date her. On our first date, I knew I'd better hurry and marry her. I proposed to her on our 2nd date, which was the day after our first. Some say that that's a little quick, but what can I say? It's true love.

















4. Mary is a Spiritual Giant. So my wife is super righteous. I sometimes "rationalize" things. Mary never waivers - I mean, I'm not the devil or anything, but I do sometimes let convenience cloud my principal. There's this taco cart that opens only on sundays. The taco's are DELICIOUS. When we used to live by DI, the Taco Man would push his cart by our house yelling "TACOS....$1!!". Sometimes I'd succumb to the temptation and buy a couple (sinning never tasted so good). It got to the point where the Taco Man would push his cart to the base of our window, stop and yell "TACOS....$1!". Mary challenged me one Sunday to not sell my soul for $1 tacos. The next Sunday that the Taco Man came by my window, I waived him off and told him, "Not today". I swear I saw horns, pitchfork and tail as he pushed his cart down the road. side note- If you see the Taco Man, buy a few extra for me and I'll pay you back on Monday.








5. Mary is a devoted friend. I've never had a more devoted friend. Mary is dedicated to our marriage, to our children, and to the gospel. Anyone that is a friend of her's knows how good of a friend she is. What you see is what you get. She's the same whether she's by herself or in a crowded room. She's my eternal companion and my best friend. I guess the thing I love most about this is that I have a partner with whom to dance ballroom and throw footballs or play basketball with in heaven. I love you Babe!!

one man's trash

. . . is two little girls treasure.

Tali and I found these at a garage sale this morning.


Wayne and I used to watch Toddlers and Tiaras in our old house. We used to make fun of them, but now we're thinking it's a definite possibility! lol

green thumb

Wayne's garden is flourishing.


And he likes to pretend the squash are guns.

If anyone needs squash, peppers or tomatoes PLEASE stop by!

pregnancy update

For the past few weeks, I've been telling people that I have "about a month" left of pregnancy. Just now, when I opened my blog, I was shocked to see my little pregnancy ticker telling me I have 13 DAYS LEFT TO GO!! Oh my goodness! Start . . . panicking . . . now . . .

I'm just not sure if I'm ready for it. I'm mostly freaking out about labor. And delivery. And recovery. Seriously, those three things have been giving me nightmares lately. For some reason, I always thought it would get easier the more children you have. I actually think it gets worse - I now know exactly what is going to happen and it's scaring the heck out of me.

A little pregnancy update - Lately, I've been very hot and very uncomfortable. I can't sleep at night or nap easily in the day. I feel very crampy, inflexible and fat - NOT a very good feeling. Needless to say, there aren't too many things, unfortunately, that bring me much comfort, but just to be positive I'll list some of the things that DO-

(after posting this without pictures I thought it looked too boring, so I've reposted it with random pics that I found on my phone, camera and the internet - sorry for the randomness, but hopefully, it makes it a leetle less boring! lol)


Wayne - he's been a trooper and has made changes with his schedule to be home or with the girls in order for me to nap, rest and/or just do nothing.
(Here they are killing flies)


AC - I'll load the kids up in the car just to drive around with the AC on full blast cause I'm too cheap to cool down my whole house.


The Pool - It's the only time I feel weightless and cool.
(This is their favorite thing to do in the shallow part)


Pandora's Radio - "Mormon Tabernacle Choir" channel - Seriously, check it out! I started listening to it just on Sunday's, but now put it on everyday because it's so soothing.


Being pregnant with my sister!! I don't know - just knowing that she's going through the same thing that I am right now and will soon have to go through labor too makes me feel better. ha ha! Love you seester!
(Me and Tali trying to get our sexy back. Oh well. It was worth a try, right?)


Treats! - Ah! It brings me so much comfort - chocolate, ice cream, candy and my FAVORITE, Cinnabons!! (which I got last week thanks to Saia and Line and this week thanks to Wayne!!:) )

Friends/Family - I'm so grateful for all the love and support I receive. Whether it's taking the girls for a few hours, doing a playdate or gno with me, making a meal for my hungry husband, or even just a listening ear - I'm SOO grateful for you. Thank you!! Thank you!
(The girls helping Wayne's dad clean a cooler).

and lastly,


Looking at pictures like this - Sorry. I found it on my phone and just had to post it.




ps. A small follow-up - after reading my last post Wayne was like, "Wait. So do you want to divorce me like, every day?" ha ha My first thought was, You read my blog?? Horaay!! And my SECOND thought was, of course not! I love Wayne and am soo grateful for the wonderful husband and father he is. Though we've had hard times and will probably continue to have them throughout, we love each other enough to work through them . . . and all the good times we have make it all worth it. K. Just had to put that out there. ha ha Love you Wayne!!