Hōkūle`a Ch`inibaa` Hovey is my second born child and the only survivor of my triplets born on October 11, 2012. She is our greatest joy amidst our greatest sorrow. She is a living miracle.
Doctors had thought through ultrasound pictures that we were going to have 3 boys. I always wanted a baby girl and for some reason felt that there was always a girl in my growing belly in spite of their speculation. So I kept to the idea that there were going to be 2 boys and 1 girl (wishful thinking I suppose). Scotty being the psycho star wars guy he is would have loved to name the babies Luke, Leia, and Han but since he wouldn't consider Edward, Bella, and Jacob as names that was out of the question lol :o)
Up until I was admitted to the hospital at 22 weeks we had no idea what we were going to name the triplets. We had thrown around ideas of what we liked but hadn't solidified anything. We looked into family names and names from our heritages. I really wanted their names to be meaningful to us and hopefully reflect the kind of person I wanted them to be. We definitely had a wealth of options to choose from. With me being Native American of the Navajo and Tewa Tribes, and Scotty being part Filipino and Hawaiian and us both being part Caucasian we could include Scottish, Irish, English, Welsh and probably lots of other "Haole" or "Bilagáana"names we had a pretty daunting task ahead of us.
Since the babies were gonna come at any moment we had to throw together our list pretty quick. So we used the whiteboard in my hospital room to brainstorm. (For the record the Filipino nurses' names "Charioto" and "Jolly" were NOT considerations) :o)
By this time I was beginning to resign to the fact that we were going to be having 3 boys and I've always thought Hawaiian names were so beautiful so we decided to give them Hawaiian first names.
Scotty chose Helakoa which means "A day to be brave". He wanted to honor me their mother and to pay tribute the trying times and beautiful moments we had as we welcomed these sweet spirits into the world. After I gave birth and was tied off to hopefully buy a little more time for the remaining two babies Scotty told me I had actually given birth on the same day as my deceased brother Joseph's birthday. So I immediately said his middle name was going to be Joseph and Scotty agreed wholeheartedly. So our first born became Helakoa Joseph Hovey. He passed away shortly after.
Almost exactly nine hours later I found myself on the operating table undergoing a Cesarian section to get the other two babies out. Baby #2 was born and was to be named Nahoa- Bold One, we heard this baby cry- a great and rare sign for a 24 weeker, they sounded like a little kitty cat. Baby #3 immediately followed to be named Hokulele- Shooting Star, I was told this baby also cried when they were born.
Originally the whiteboard had Hokulea- Star of Gladness written on it because I really loved the name and kept being drawn back to it. But to me it sounded like a girl's name even though Hawaiian names are gender neutral. One of the days we were in the hospital I was telling my brother-in-law Kai about my dilemma of liking the name Hokulea but for a girl and he suggested Hokulele for a boy. We liked it so up on the board it went.
6 hours after my C-Section, our doctor came to my recovery room and announced that he had a surprise for us. Baby #2 was actually a GIRL!!! I was so exited but not too shocked- somehow I knew that was how it was. We quickly switched babies 2 and 3 name's and my Hoku was now a Lea instead of a Lele. Since she was a girl I knew exactly which Navajo name I wanted for her middle name, Ch'inibaa'- She came out fighting/raiding. Baby #2 was my most active one in the womb. They were the one I felt the most and who liked to make sure they were there. From the moment she was born Hokulea Ch'inibaa' Hovey let the world know she had arrived with her feisty attitude and fighting spirit.
Baby number 3 now Nahoa was the baby who was at the very top of my uterus. He was very chill in the womb and even though he was my last born he had a quiet strength about him. Almost opposite of Hoku's roaring personality- very much Navajo like my grandfather John Brown Jr. He seemed to be a good choice for an example for his sister and so we named him Natani- Navajo for Leader. I liked the simpleness of his name being Nahoa Natani Hovey so I stayed with the English-ation of the Navajo spelling of Naataanii. I didn't realize until later that I seem to have an affinity for alliteration. Nahoa passed away the next day in my arms as I held him for the first time.
I didn't completely understand the significance of Hokulea's name until the following days unfolded. After Nahoa's passing I lay in my hospital bed shocked and worried that I'd be going home with no babies. Grief and Fear overcame me and I asked Scotty and his dad to give Hokulea a blessing. I prayed that I would have the strength to accept what ever circumstance Heavenly Father had in mind. Since I couldn't be there, Scotty shared with me the blessing she received as they lay their hands on her isolate in the NICU. I wish I would've written down the things he said as they were so clear to him at the time. I remember his account of the blessing brought me such feelings of hope, strength and comfort. He shared that in the blessing she was told she was to be an example to those she came in contact. A "Beacon of Light" to others. She was here to share the gospel and that through her the doctors and her family and friends would witness miracles. She would also show me her mommy her strength and faith.
As Scotty's dad left the hospital that night after her blessing, he called us to tell us he could see her isolate light in the window of the hospital and it reminded him that she already was a literal beacon of light.
I looked further into the name Hōkūle`a and learned just how fitting the name is for our baby girl. Hōkūle`a is the star Arcturus. It is the star Native Hawaiian navigators used as a guide to return to Hawai`i. Hōkūle`a literally means star (Hōkū) and joy, gladness, or happiness (le`a). Hōkūle`a is the star of gladness, or the happy star. There's also a boat named Hokulea which I didn't know before.
Scotty chose Helakoa which means "A day to be brave". He wanted to honor me their mother and to pay tribute the trying times and beautiful moments we had as we welcomed these sweet spirits into the world. After I gave birth and was tied off to hopefully buy a little more time for the remaining two babies Scotty told me I had actually given birth on the same day as my deceased brother Joseph's birthday. So I immediately said his middle name was going to be Joseph and Scotty agreed wholeheartedly. So our first born became Helakoa Joseph Hovey. He passed away shortly after.
Almost exactly nine hours later I found myself on the operating table undergoing a Cesarian section to get the other two babies out. Baby #2 was born and was to be named Nahoa- Bold One, we heard this baby cry- a great and rare sign for a 24 weeker, they sounded like a little kitty cat. Baby #3 immediately followed to be named Hokulele- Shooting Star, I was told this baby also cried when they were born.
Originally the whiteboard had Hokulea- Star of Gladness written on it because I really loved the name and kept being drawn back to it. But to me it sounded like a girl's name even though Hawaiian names are gender neutral. One of the days we were in the hospital I was telling my brother-in-law Kai about my dilemma of liking the name Hokulea but for a girl and he suggested Hokulele for a boy. We liked it so up on the board it went.
6 hours after my C-Section, our doctor came to my recovery room and announced that he had a surprise for us. Baby #2 was actually a GIRL!!! I was so exited but not too shocked- somehow I knew that was how it was. We quickly switched babies 2 and 3 name's and my Hoku was now a Lea instead of a Lele. Since she was a girl I knew exactly which Navajo name I wanted for her middle name, Ch'inibaa'- She came out fighting/raiding. Baby #2 was my most active one in the womb. They were the one I felt the most and who liked to make sure they were there. From the moment she was born Hokulea Ch'inibaa' Hovey let the world know she had arrived with her feisty attitude and fighting spirit.
Baby number 3 now Nahoa was the baby who was at the very top of my uterus. He was very chill in the womb and even though he was my last born he had a quiet strength about him. Almost opposite of Hoku's roaring personality- very much Navajo like my grandfather John Brown Jr. He seemed to be a good choice for an example for his sister and so we named him Natani- Navajo for Leader. I liked the simpleness of his name being Nahoa Natani Hovey so I stayed with the English-ation of the Navajo spelling of Naataanii. I didn't realize until later that I seem to have an affinity for alliteration. Nahoa passed away the next day in my arms as I held him for the first time.
I didn't completely understand the significance of Hokulea's name until the following days unfolded. After Nahoa's passing I lay in my hospital bed shocked and worried that I'd be going home with no babies. Grief and Fear overcame me and I asked Scotty and his dad to give Hokulea a blessing. I prayed that I would have the strength to accept what ever circumstance Heavenly Father had in mind. Since I couldn't be there, Scotty shared with me the blessing she received as they lay their hands on her isolate in the NICU. I wish I would've written down the things he said as they were so clear to him at the time. I remember his account of the blessing brought me such feelings of hope, strength and comfort. He shared that in the blessing she was told she was to be an example to those she came in contact. A "Beacon of Light" to others. She was here to share the gospel and that through her the doctors and her family and friends would witness miracles. She would also show me her mommy her strength and faith.
As Scotty's dad left the hospital that night after her blessing, he called us to tell us he could see her isolate light in the window of the hospital and it reminded him that she already was a literal beacon of light.
I looked further into the name Hōkūle`a and learned just how fitting the name is for our baby girl. Hōkūle`a is the star Arcturus. It is the star Native Hawaiian navigators used as a guide to return to Hawai`i. Hōkūle`a literally means star (Hōkū) and joy, gladness, or happiness (le`a). Hōkūle`a is the star of gladness, or the happy star. There's also a boat named Hokulea which I didn't know before.
I like both names. Hōkūle`a because as our "surprise girl" and the lone survivor she is our happy star and our guide back "home" and she is Scotty's Le'a. He ended up getting a princess after all and I guess we have her Halloween costumes for years to come already figured out. Ch`inibaa`because when she was born she came out fighting - kicking and screaming (literally). She has been a fighter from the moment she took her first breath.
At one point Hoku weighed just over 1 pound and was about the size of a barbie doll. She was so small my size 6 wedding ring could fit around her arm.
and her foot
There was not clothes large enough for her to fit into. Eventually she grew into dolls clothes.
At one point Hoku weighed just over 1 pound and was about the size of a barbie doll. She was so small my size 6 wedding ring could fit around her arm.
and her foot
There was not clothes large enough for her to fit into. Eventually she grew into dolls clothes.
Today, more than 5 months later I'm happy to report Hoku is wearing 3 month old clothes, though she prefers to wear just her diaper.
Love the names and the process to choosing them. So glad Scotty got his little Lea :) That's amazing that your wedding ring fit around her arm! What a little miracle baby!
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