Mānoa Benjamin

It's hard to believe a week has passed since we welcomed our sweet baby boy into our family. Mānoa Benjamin Vakameilalo Tu'ifua arrived at 10:09 a.m. on March 7th, at 8 lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long. I feel so blessed that I was able to carry him to 38 weeks and that we are both healthy and doing well.



My doctor and the nurses and staff at the hospital were SO good to make sure my delivery this time around was easier emotionally and physically than when I had to have an emergency c-section with Jacob. It was a much better experience all around and already I am recovering so much better than before.


Mānoa is an angel baby. I don't want to jinx myself, but it appears he will be much calmer and easier than Jacob was. He is already on a schedule, and is a great sleeper at night and only wakes every 3-4 hours to eat. Some unique characteristics - he has a small patch of blond hair above his left ear and long fingers and fingernails. Other than that, I feel like I am looking at Jacob as a newborn all over again!


Jacob had a hard time the first day adjusting to his new baby brother, and said several times at the hospital "No baby Mānoa ." However, by the time we checked out, he actually smiled while holding him. Now that we are home, he has turned into a big helper and pats his head when he cries, helps change his diaper, holds his binky in his mouth and gives him lots of kisses. He does however still have bouts of jealousy where he wants attention - the funniest to me has been that he demands he get HIS diaper changed first. All in all, he's handled the transition great!


Having a new baby is a little slice of heaven. I don't know that there is anything better in the world than snuggling my baby in my arms!