Happy Birthday T.T.

T.T.- Tristyn Talaesea (Name given at birth)

T.T.- Tinky Tinks (Nonsense nickname given because of her resemblance to Tinkerbell according to us...lol)

T.T.- Terrible Twos (That came about six months early!!)

What’s in a name? –W. Shakespeare

Tristyn Talaesea Lauitiiti Alo-Suliafu was born on Monday, February 8, 2010 of goodly parents (First Nephi anyone? lol).  Leading up to the time of delivery and about her first hour of life here on Earth, she was originally named Brooklyn Talaesea Alo-Suliafu.  My mum liked the name Brooklyn as well as Filipo (just a few hours back) and we thought we might as well keep the whole city thing going on with our kids (Dallas-Patrick and Jimmy-Phrisco).  However, when her daddy looked at her, he said, “Hi Tristyn.”  Tristyn comes from two different people.  I LOVE the movie Legends of the Fall and I absolutely love Brad Pitt’s character, Tristan (yeah, I know it’s a boy’s name!).  I wanted it to look more feminine and I like how my mum spells my youngest sister’s name, Jordyn.  So instead of naming her Jordyn, we named her TRISTYN!

Talaesea is my maternal grandmother’s paternal grandmother (Got it? My grandma’s grandma.)  Her name was Talaesea Leiataua Lesa of Manono.  I have yet to see pictures of her if there were any taken.  Talaesea was the second wife of old man Ah Mu.  He was an orphan child in China who won the hearts of some English sailors (any family can correct me if I’m wrong) who took him aboard their ship (a.k.a. CHILD SLAVERY!!! Hahahaha juuuust kidding ;).  Anyway, he was “found” playing near a river -à AhMu- river in Chinese.  He was raised with the influences of the English and eventually ended up in Samoa where he became a very strong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He was a hard working brilliant business man during a time when Chinese people were frowned upon in the Islands of Samoa.  Ironic when he became one of the most wealthy.  For his wife, Talaesea, he built a huge, beautiful home that I plan to replicate one day.  That home was donated to the church and became a Mission House.  Because I haven’t seen any pictures of Talaesea, I’d like to think that she was as pretty as her name sounds (lol…vain much!).  I do know that not just anyone in our family can be named Talaesea and it is actually a title name.  So because of the rich history behind this name, since she was born we all call my daughter TALAESEA.  Being the only girl in our family, this titled name is just fitting.  Fit for our princess.

Lauitiiti is Filipo’s maternal grandmother’s paternal grandmother (his grandma’s grandma as well).  Her name was Lauitiiti O Manono Leiataua…of Manono [see above information! lol].  I have to be honest when I say that I absolutely did NOT want this name for my daughter.  Filipo has issues with Samoans (something almost all Tongans have- thinking they’re superior to Samoans…don’t get offended, you know it’s true!).  So I was very shocked when he said he wanted to name our daughter this as well.  In his defense however, he did say that he likes my family and claims his Samoan side only when we’re around them hahaha.  And what does all that have to do with her Samoan name?  Just that it comes from his Tongan hard family.  So I compromised with him and signed Lauitiiti instead of LauitiitiOManono.  Holy DEVIL EYEBOLOS!!!!!  My sweetheart was so pissed that I didn’t put her whole first name.  So now in my defense, I wanted a name that would suit my daughter and come from LOVE.  I still threaten him that I’ll drop the name when he bad mouths Samoans.  Think what you want, don’t talk shit about Samoans and then pick and choose the days you want to claim it (and that is not just to my husband)!  But this is part of my daughter’s name and lineage so I have to learn to love it.

Alo-Suliafu is my maiden name (duh) hyphenated with Filipo’s last name.  So many people still think his legal name is Filipo Mokofisi.  Nope, it’s Phillip Suliafu hahaha.  Our daughter is the first of our children to carry this surname (other kids to follow).  Plain and simple, I know my kids will do great things so I want them to have obvious ties to a name I wore so proudly for 21 years, ALO.  It’s just in the blood, not cocky but confident :)

This is the story of how our daughter received her name.  Today we celebrate her,

TRISTYN TALAESEA LAUITIITI ALO-SULIAFU.

She loves all of her brothers and can be quite bossy to her big bros as well.  She’s such an awesome big sister and adores her daddy.  She’s my mini-me and that’s both a good and bad thing at times!  Like her big brother Dallas, she has a kind heart and is helpful.  Like Jimmy, she does not discriminate when it comes to food.  She’s a bit rough when it comes to Baby Filipo, always smothering him with kisses just like her Aunty Janae does to all the bubbies!  She looks more and more like her Aunty Jordyn as the days go by.  She says and does a lot of hilarious things and makes sure she’s being heard.  She loves dancing to LMFAO and is always copying me when I do things- dance, tend to the bubby, and even clean.  She is a true daddy’s girl and I hope their bond stays solid even through the teen years and beyond.  She is absolutely lovable!

Happiest 2^nd Birthday my beautiful, my sweet!

I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart.