Showered with Love

This is a feeble beginning at writing my life history but also trying to tell you all about the life of the most influential person in my life, my mom Mele Tilini Fonua Finau. The reason I do this is that I am trying to kill 2 birds with one stone, the one to fulfill a church goal of starting to keep a journal and the other (my own personal desire) to start writing about the many adventures and lessons I learned from my mom.

To start off, I was born on a Friday morning, September 23, 1966 to Saula John and Mele Tilini Finau. I was the youngest of 6 girls and weighed well over 9 lbs. My mom tells me that I was the most beautiful baby in the nursery because I was so big and chubby...too bad that doesn't apply to adult life. My dad wasn't present at my birth but according to my sister Janie she told him mom had another girl and from what she says he replied back with, "I don't wanna hear it." Glad to report that I did grow on my dad and he sorta thought I was a big deal many years before his death.

My mother tells me in a handwritten journal that I was the first baby she ever had a baby shower for. It was a surprise given at a buffet style restaurant in Hawaii by the women from church. Mom said she received everything a baby would need and that she was so shocked and grateful that they thought enough of her to do that for her. She would eventually use all these items for me but ones that stick out most are my "Johnny Jumper" and my harness. Yes, I said harness apparently I was a very active child and when I was outside my mom and dad would have to put me in this harness contraption and tie it to the tree. I can hear all the giggles now so QUIT!

The "Johnny Jumper" they had for me was attached to the top of a doorway and I would jump and jump until one day I pulled a spider baby attempt and was almost hanging upside down from the top of the doorway. Needless to say that was in the trash that very day. The other baby stories I can remember is this one from my sisters. They would all be in the living room watching TV and I would just walk casually up to the TV and turn it off. They were so annoyed with me because I did this every chance I got. I look at it like this, I was just trying to break them of what potentially could be a very bad habit.

Another story mom used to tell me was that as a baby it was very hard for me to fall asleep, they tried several tricks in the book which seemed to help. First trick was "rocking and rolling" to sleep. I had a transistor radio attached to my crib and my mom said she would turn it on and I would dance until I just fell over asleep. The only problem with this is when they came in to turn it off to save the battery, I would instantly wake up. Their next trick was the "ride and fry" trick. This is when they would put me in the car go to the closest McDonalds and order my all time favorite French fries. I would eat and ride in the back seat till I fell asleep and someone would carry me in.

Lesson learned here is this...all women deserve a baby shower and should be spoiled because we can all see that once the baby comes. there is plenty of stress and craziness for the poor mommy to deal with. Thanks Relief Society sisters of the ward back then who loved my mom and spoiled her for the day, she sure did deserve that after me!