KAILUA-KONA — Not long after Hawaii celebrated the beginning of a new year, Kona residents Reina Aldorasi and Steven Combes welcomed their first son, Jayden Kainoa Combes, born a little over four hours into 2017.
KAILUA-KONA — Not long after Hawaii celebrated the beginning of a new year, Kona residents Reina Aldorasi and Steven Combes welcomed their first son, Jayden Kainoa Combes, born a little over four hours into 2017.
Born at 4:21 a.m., Sunday, Jayden is the first baby born on Hawaii Island in 2017, according to Lynn Scully, marketing and communications manager for the North Hawaii Community Hospital.
“I’m super excited and super blessed to have my first son,” said Combes, 24. “It’s really a good blessing for me.”
Aldorasi, 19, said that when she got to the hospital on Dec. 30, her doctor figured her and Combes’ son could end up being the first baby of the new year.
“We were excited,” she said Tuesday.
Aldorasi added that her brother thought her son’s New Year’s Day birthday “was pretty cool.”
Combes said his family is also excited.
“They’re really stoked for me,” he said.
Combes said he was already excited about just becoming a father. Being the father of the island’s first baby in 2017, is “a big bonus.”
“I was excited that he was gonna be born in January,” said Combes. “I couldn’t wait to meet him.”
Combes said Jayden’s birth “changed my perspective on being a dad pretty much.”
“It’s a great feeling being a dad,” he said.
Scully said the hospital staff is thrilled for the new parents and are equally excited about being the hospital where 2017’s first baby was born on the island.
“There’s always a little bit of friendly competition locally among the hospitals,” she said.
The same hospital welcomed West Hawaii’s first baby of 2016 when Titan Kaiolohia Davis was born on New Year’s Day last January, according to West Hawaii Today news files. The island’s first baby of 2016 was born earlier that day in Hilo.
Scully said it’s something the hospital looks forward to each year.
“It’s very fun,” she said. “It’s something we talk about well in advance.”
Combes, who works at Walmart in the store’s produce and bakery, said he’s taking a couple days off to take care of Aldorasi and Jayden.
He said Aldorasi is doing well.
“And the baby’s also doing good,” he added.
Jayden, he said, is 20 inches long, weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces.
Aldorasi said she’s resting at home and excited about being a new mother.
“It’s great,” she said. “I love it.”