The first two babies born on Hawaii Island in 2023 arrived within minutes of each other on New Year’s Day.
At Queens North Hawaii Community Hospital, a baby girl named Kalenaku Liliaanuhea Kaiwa was born at 2:06 a.m. to mother Tory Jones and father Kahi Kaiwa.
Kalenaku apparently was the first baby in the state to be born last Sunday.
Shortly afterward at Hilo Medical Center, a baby boy named Keoni Gilbert Marpuri Norita was born at 2:48 a.m. to parents Kristine and Gus Narito of Keaau.
Keoni weighed in at 7 pounds and measured 20 inches.
His mother, Kristine, said the original due date was set for Jan. 13, but by 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, she told her husband, Gus, “It’s time to go to the hospital.”
Kristine recalled during their 20-minute drive to Hilo seeing the fireworks lighting up the sky. When they got to the hospital, it was only after three hours and four pushes that they welcomed Keoni into their family.
Kristine hopes that Keoni will have as much success as his grandfather, Gilbert Marpuri, who was a two-star general in the Philippines before later serving in the United States military.
The family credits Hilo Medical Center’s obstetrics nursing staff Chanti De Mattos-Filkins, Olivia Brinkman, Anna Golden Ka‘aua Neva Tsang, Gail Bento, nurse manager Caitlyn Brock and Dr. Emily Stickley for a safe and natural birthing experience.