is that a ...

tooth? great scott it is!!! like i said, he's getting one tooth. looks like 3 more are gonna 'hatch' soon. the other day my mil told me that i after i dropped off kainoa, he started to cry. that hardly happens. she kept saying he's lonely when the kids aren't around and lonely when i leave. i know he's 9 months, but he rarely cries when i leave, i sometimes think he doesn't really know i'm his mom. but i guess he does:) call me weird, but i smiled when my mil told me he cried for me.
he's getting big so quick, i hate that i'm missing it all.
ps-bloody photoshop. i am still trying to figure it out. until then, just put up w/the pics.

happy 5th birthday, kymora

sweet. funny.big sister. kindergarten.beautiful.smart.soccer.daughter.lovely.big laugh.comical.no longer a baby. my first born.

happy birthday, sweetheart. i love you.

9 months (and 2 days)

late on my count down to 12 months post for kainoa. the boy is now 9 months old! how fast is this going?! he is officially a toddler. he crawls alllllllllllll day long, puts everything in his mouth, is getting his FIRST tooth (bottom of course), and pulls himself up on the couch, crib, play pen. he is all over the place. i still crack up when he cries. instead of getting frustrated, irritated, i laugh. the boy cries like some wounded cat. it's not loud, and if you don't know him you may think he is laughing. whenever he cries, my family says 'that's it?!'

he's still my good boy though :)

happy father's day

i couldn't do it with out you. thanks for working so hard for us, for making us feel special by doing the little things. quick stops to my coffee shop, cold stones for the kids. thanks for being such a strong father figure and partner. but, don't get too comfortable on that couch, father's day has officially ended ;)

we love you... xoxo

how about a pick me up?

i know i’ve only blogged about the sad things going on, but there has been some exciting things happening with us too!

first, kyks graduated from pre-k. i can’t believe she is going to be in kinder next year. i can’t believe she is going to be 5. i wish someone would just stop time so i can enjoy my babies while they are still babies.

kymora's friends brandon and jade, my good friends eileen and shannons kids. i'll miss them :(

the kids and my mil

after the ceremony, we all went to kymora’s favorite restaurant, panda inn, which she calls panda bear. honey walnut shrimp.. mmmm mmm! it was nice because tuki and lawrence made it. kinda sad because lawerence leaves friday to go back to Samoa :(


second, mr. man is CRAWLING! Ha! it’s a lazy crawl (both legs together, pulling himself around with his upper body only) but it’s getting better everyday. it’s kinda cute because kymora gets all nervous if i leave him on the floor to crawl around. she sits infront of him and tells me ‘mommy, could you just please put him in the playpen. i’m scared he’ll hurt his head’. She is so protective of him. she never gets mad at him when he pulls her hair or slaps her (in excitement of course). she just says- it’s ok, he’s a baby :)

btw, just made a discovery-kainoa is terrified of grass. lol lol

*sorry if pics are dark, i can't tell on my computer at work. shhh.

not so good news

just a little update... Saki passed away on June 7 around 8am. he ended up having another stroke that put him in a coma, without any brain activity. thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. it was definitely a hard time for the whole family, but all your prayers and love made things a little easier to cope. love you...

Faamalua 'Saki' Niko

on Friday, June 1, we got some bad news. Saki, muelu's nephew was taken to ER due to a major stroke. he is only 19. dr's are unsure of why such a young, healthy man could have a stroke.

saki came to california, from samoa last year, to attend long beach city college and play football. he had to redshirt his freshman year due to his residency. needless to say, he was excited to play next year.

although saki has only been in our lives for the past year, he has had a major impact on us all. he willingly comes to our house on weekends when we need a hand with the yard, the garage, or if muelu just needs some company. he is such a respectful, loving young man. he is quick to stand up when i enter a room and ask, 'auntie , do you need anything?' he playfully teases kymora as if she were his younger sister. at the young age of 19, he is as responsible as a man in his 30s.

only kind thoughts and memories come to mind when i think of saki. he was often behind the video camera at 6 am at any of the girls sports events. in many ways he was a much needed presence at the salanoa house. not only as a brother figure, but as a caretaker of the family. saki is truly a kind spirit and it truly breaks my heart to see him lying in the hospital bed, unaware of his state. the dr's say he has no brain activity and is relying 100% on machines.

so when you read this blog, please say a quick prayer for our cousin, Saki. we love him so much.
thanks.

as promised...

more pics from the bbq. this is from my cousin jamie's camera. i don't think we were at the same bbq, b'cuz her pics came out waay better than mine. haha.

we had a great time. the group pics came out really good. we sure do know how to procreate. we have a lot of kids between the 5 of us (catch up jenn! haha)

of course i have to include some cuuute pics jame took of my kids.

kainoa so adorable...

kymora so pretty. man, she's getting so big...

cousins unite!

malaya, kymora, tala and zay.

caleb
jayden
sammie and part of kira

i haven't posted pics from our memorial day bbq galore, so here it is. didn't take as many pics as i thought, but a few shots of the kids are what's important. us younger yu's are trying to do an annual bbq so the kids can get together play, swim, bond. just like their momma's did when we were young.

seeing our kids play makes me happy since we were so close growing up- jenn, chanda, jamie, and amihan and jay.i hope we try a little harder to get together. and not just once a year.

(i am missing some of the waters kids and alexa in these shots, jame pls. send!!!)

it was nice seeing you girls. :)