Baptism

On Saturday we got to witness the baptism of Vaitea. In the days leading up to it I had tried to explain to Ka'ihi what was going to happen, and shown him some pictures of people being baptised. He seemed to understand enough to talk about it non stop and not to get all upset when Vaitea was immersed in the water.

It must have made a big impression on his young mind, because Ka'ihi hasn't been able to stop talking about it since. Every day he is talking about how "Vaitea went down into the water," "Uncle Jerry put Vaitea in the water," and even "Vaitea got baptized, 'Ihi gonna get baptized too!"

He is pretty excited to turn 8 and be baptized. Although he doesn't have older brothers he has 5 older cousins who are setting a pretty good example for him.

And today, while we were skyping my mum, Ka'ihi grabbed my hand and raised his arm to the square and started "praying" and trying to baptize me. It was so cute! I hadn't explained the arm/hand placements to him, but he'd obviously picked it up from the pictures and the actual event and guessed it was an important part. And after, I asked him "Ka'ihi, show me how where your hand goes when you get baptized" and he did it again.  Not straight up in the air but to the square.

Just when you think you have your kid all figured out...