1st few Days at home...

Cannon came home on Saturday, March 31st.  We got home just minutes before General conference began, and enjoyed holding our little baby while we listened to the leaders teach us how to be better disciples of Christ.  Something about a baby causes you to want to be better.

 Tema and Ame were there to watch conference with us and enjoy the new baby.

Nancy and her family came after conference to meet Cannon and delivered a BEAUTIFUL blanket that Nancy had made for him... I love the rich green color!

My 'brand new' baby... still haven't cut the tags off.

 

Mom came and helped out with Cannon and gave him his first bath, just like she did for his 3 sisters before him.  I love having a loving and knowledgable mom during times like this.

 

One of his first captured smiles.  He seems to be a happy baby and has smiled from the very beginning.  Kea was also a smiley baby and would smile after every feeding.

Grammy and Cannon 'kickin' back' after a long baby day.

Auntie Siona came and visited... I also have a picture of her with all of my other children at this age.  So nice to have good friends who are constant in your life.

All 6 of us!... wow.

Welcome to the world baby boy Hopoate!!

March 28th was a hard day for me.  I was really tired, big, and just had a rough day.  I asked Tino to pick up a movie (something funny) so I could just 'get away from it all.'  We watched the movie in bed and finished it at about 11:30.  We talked about if this baby was ever going to come, and I rolled over to my other side (which is a big feat when you are 3 days overdue,) I heard a *pop* inside my lower stomach...  made some comment about being gassy and backed up to Tino to cuddle  All of a sudden I was wet, a very strange feeling.  If I moved, more came out.  After a few seconds I realized my water had broken.  This was a first for me.  I was having no contractions and so decided to wait it out awhile and see.  1 hour later we called my doctor (who sounded very tired) and asked her if we could remain home and see how I progressed.  She counseled us to not wait too long as I had never broken my water on my own and she was unsure what would happen. With her advice, Tino went and picked up Tema (the girls older cousin) to stay with the girls. 

By 3am I was checked into the hospital with little to no contractions.  I walked around for a bit, lay there, and finally fell asleep with Tino sleeping on the small couch beside me. Hours passed and nothing really happened and so the pitocin was administered. Still not much... so another couple pushes on the pitocin button.  This happened a few times and pretty soon I was REALLY feeling the contractions.  :)  I had decided to go without pain meds for a few reasons... I wanted to know how bad the pain gets and if I could tolerate it, (I've become aware in my life that I am not as TOUGH as I thought I was),  I wanted a more alert baby, I wondered about side effects for me and my baby, and although the epidural is SO NICE, I hate the process of getting it. I stayed sitting up, pictured the beach, bounced and rolled arond on a big ball and worked through the pain remembering it would all eventually stop.

Dr. Savage came in to check me and was excited to tell me I was at a five, and the baby was still pretty high. 5?!  I normally came into the hospital at a 6 or 7, and I could not remember pain like this.  She offered her advice... "It can be done but going natural while on pitocin is the hardest way to do it.  However once it happens you'll go pretty fast." and headed off to her office 2 minutes up the road.  After she left I had about 3 terribly strong and close together contractions... and feeling like a quiter, pushed the button to ask the nurse to call in the anesthesiologist.  Within moments he was there, had me signing my life away, and intstructed me to lay on my left side to recieve the shot (with my other epidurals I was seated).  As I rolled to me side I had a REALLY strong contraction, and the urge to push.  I told them, they asked if I had been checked, I said strongly I NEED TO PUSH NOW!  And commenced doing so :) 

Code White calls rang out over the speakers as the nurse looked and saw the baby crowning.  It was very painful, and over in seconds.  Doctor Reece rushed in and kept my baby from falling on the floor, (as I was laying on my side near the end of the bed to recieve the shot).  I felt almost desperate for it to be over, and then he was here!  I never even saw him until he was wrapped up and in my arms which was also a new experience.  I called out Nani being a girl, and watched my other 2 be born in the mirror... but this time I was laying flat, on my side, with my eyes squeezed shut.  :)  Dr. Savage showed up about 2 minutes after delivery, checked him out and congratulated me. His birth time was 9:09am, just 10 minutes after Dr. Savage had left.  I was thrilled to have not gotten the epidural, and to have that sweet baby with his dark hair and puffy lips in my arms.    

Last pregnant picture- Early Thursday, March 29th 2012

The 'calm' after the storm

Cannon Quicio Hopoate

Mach 29th 2012 - 9:09 am

Dr. Reece and Dr. Savage

9lbs. 5 oz.

21 inches 

The girls came to meet him at lunch time and fell in love with him right away.

He was a SLEEPY thing that first day(remember my reasons for wanting to go without pain meds??)  This was one of the few moments his eyes were open!

Our first family photo... That is a lot of kids!!!

He was lucky to have a lot of visitors, He is a very loved little boy.

I had THE NICEST stay at the hospital... felt like a 4 star resort!  But we headed home Saturday morning and I got to watch conference cuddled up with my new little baby.

Now comes the real work!

Marvelous things happening in March

A few of my favorite Gold's gym daycare workers.  We decided we needed a girl's night out and headed to a place in Orem called The Chocolate.  It is a casual setting where groups choose a room to themselves to chat and eat/drink chocolate.  I had THE BEST cup of cocoa ever!

Happy Birthday!

Cody and Jess invited us over to their place to celebrate the March Birthdays.  Jess broke out mustaches for everyone in honor of Cody's infatuation of facial hair.  It was so fun to watch all the boys pick up accents... and Chris looked like a natural!  The only one not wearing a mustache?  Aubree.  She was FAR to girlie to sport a catapillar under her nose.  :) 

Auntie Jess, Samara, and her unibrow. :)

The birthday kids... Katie, Cody, and Jess

Tino had bishop duties and had to take off early... but we werer sure to bring home a stache for him to try out.  He LOVED it and started considering growing his own...  Reminds me of Luigi.  :)

Samara was able to stay with her Aunt Jess while I went to the doctor... and I came back to a little princess!  She looked and felt very pretty.

I woke up on my 32nd birthday and started the day off right.  Donuts and orange juice.  :)

Siona and I went and got our toes done at Walmart (of all places), and I loved the company and the time the workers spent pampering me.   

Continuing on with the pampering... I had the night off from making or cleaning up dinner and we headed out to Texas Road House.  The girls were so fun and the food... so good.  :)

Thanks for a lovely day Tino!

We were able to watch the Vea cousins perform in their dance team at uvu... The girls were glued to the stage and loved all the performances.

It is warming up in Utah, and you know what that means... BBQ time!  Tino, Louis, and cousin Mapeli cooking... Stamis, well... he's just waiting.

Cutie cousins playing on the tramp

Hungry no more...

-Accomplishments-

Samara has been trying to not suck her fingers anymore... a hard habit to break.  We created a chart, sticker, reward system and WOW is she doind well!  SO well that she already got to go ride the Merry-go-round at the mall and get a candy from the machine.  Amazing what $1.75 can help he acheieve.

Some of the BEST news of the month???  Tino received his LCSW - He is now a Licensed Clinincal Social Worker!  This has been YEARS in the making with many attempts, frusterations, and growing oppurtunties.  How sweet is success.  This month Tino also passed his CPAT test for applying for becoming a firefighter.  He is physically fit enough to become one.  :)

I made it!  This baby should be more than ready to come out...  My due date was March 25th, today is the 28th.  Come on lil' man... we're all waiting!

It's a boy - baby shower

I had a few people ask me if I was going to have a baby shower... and I responded no, and that I really didn't like a situation like that where all the attention is turned on me, and gifts are pretty much expected. Some sisters in my ward still decided to do a baby 'sprinkle' after Samara's music makers class that the RS sisters hold together.  It was sweet, simple, and I felt so loved.  :)

Siona, my dear friend since college wanted me to have a shower as well, and together with two of my friends in the ward planned a beautiful baby shower.

My family that was available, and my friends from work and church were all there to offer their love, support, and presents to me and this little baby boy.  The food was AMAZING, and the place was decorated so nicely.  I have great people in my life.

The hostesses with the mostesses... Jessica Pauni, Siona Tejada, and Belki Tolman

It was so much fun to have the girls carry up, and then re-open all the gifts that were given to their baby brother.  It was better than Christmas!  Although I was a bit uncomfortable with the idea in the beginning, the shower, and sprinkle were both such a blessing in our life to get this baby diapered, clothed, and strollered in style.  :)  Thanks everyone!

Jackie was in town for a funeral and was able to stop by on her way home.  She is such a sweet friend and I was showered once again with presents for baby, and me... I am now a 32 year old woman.  :)

Feeling the love in February

February is a month for love... When kindness and sweet gestures of affection take place.

Valentine's Day doesn't exist in Tonga!  :) 

Believe it or not, the girls LOVE this torture, and Tino is somehow VERY willing to dish it out.  It typically takes place after a long day of work, and a busy and noisy family dinner.  Such a sweet dad to play with his kids...

Valentine's Day

We were going to create heart pizza's like all the other years, but the day before Valentine's day I was VERY tired and declared it a pizza night. I didn't want to feed my family pizza two nights in a row, so we made heart-shaped meatloaf, asparagus, and rice instead.  Siona and Kaiona joined us for dinner to make it EXTRA special.

Cheers!

In the summer of 2011 a wonderful family, the Sharps, moved in across the street.  They had 3 girls, and were expecting their first boy... Sound familiar?  :)  We all hit it off right away and the girls would play together daily.  They loved to be outside, but also enjoyed making crafts, dressing up, playing house, and dancing.  They just moved, and we all miss them terribly.