Preschooler marks first birthday
By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer
At about 3 1/2 feet tall and 30 pounds, the ultra-active Tyler Fukuroda has quite a few inches and several pounds on a typical first-birthday boy.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
Yesterday, surrounded by pony rides, a petting zoo, keiki games, inflatable jumpers and almost 150 guests, Tyler celebrated his first birthday and his fourth year on earth at a huge bash at Kualoa Ranch.
Tyler Fukuroda, born Feb. 29, 2000, turned 4 yesterday but celebrated his first birthday. The preschooler's parents went all out, with a party at Kualoa Ranch that included a balloon tent, games and a petting zoo.
Yesterday was leap day, which comes around only once every four years. And because Tyler was born Feb. 29, 2000, it was his first true birthday.
In a state where first birthdays are milestones and traditionally are celebrated in a big way, parents Kimo and Sheri Fukuroda wanted to go all out.
"We did not have the traditional first birthday lu'au for Tyler," said Kimo Fukuroda, 36. "So we decided to have a large birthday celebration this year."
That was just about all Tyler's dad had time to say, between tending to his many guests and running after his son.
Fukuroda got it right: The party was large, and the parents did go all out.
The petting zoo included Garth, a llama, and Pearl, a miniature zebu — a type of ox found in Asia and Eastern Africa. The kiddie games rivaled Dave & Buster's; kids played for scrip that they exchanged for prizes like pencils, stickers, toy cars and bubbles. There was even a train ride in a nearby field.
A long time in planning
After planning for more than a year and spending almost $4,000, the Kailua residents, both dentists, gave their little boy a party to remember.
Guests included family, friends and patients, along with Tyler's school classmates.
"This is actually his first big birthday," said Kimo Fukuroda. "He was very excited."
Tyler knows he's more than 1 year old. The active Hongwanji preschooler responded to a question about his age by holding up four of his fingers in front of his face. But he definitely enjoyed his "first" party.
Wearing a red-and-white aloha-print shirt, khaki shorts and a wide grin, Tyler owned the place and knew it, wildly running from activity to activity.
The party meant a lot to the Fukurodas, and it was important to family members like Tyler's aunt, accountant Trisha Tyau of Moanalua.
"He only gets (a true birthday) once every four years, so it's really special," said Tyau, 28.
So she pitched in to help out.
"My main job was the cake," Tyau said.
She made a 16-inch-by-25-inch sheet cake, half chocolate and half orange chiffon, topped with a vanilla-flavored airplane cake, from scratch.
Tyler's uncle, Jason Sakata, a freshman at Loyola Marymount University, surprised the family by flying in from Los Angeles for three days just to attend the party, paying for the $285 round-trip ticket himself.
"This is fun," said Sakata, 19. "It looks like a carnival."
Kids keep busy
Dozens of children from toddlers to 'tweens ran around, playing games the adults set up, such as golf putting and a bean-bag toss.
Tyler Tabata, 3, a classmate of the birthday boy, knew right off the bat what his favorite part of the celebration was.
"Jumping over here," he said excitedly, pointing at a monster truck inflatable jumper.
Tyler — the birthday boy — kept busy, squirting pigeons with a water gun, playing with rubber ducks in a duck pond game and sorting through the prize bins. He managed to take a quick break to eat a mini manapua.
After running after their children, hungry adults heaped garlic chicken, noodles, teriyaki beef and Chinese chicken salad on paper plates.
... let there be cake
After lunch, family and friends gathered around Tyler's cake to wish him a happy birthday. He blew out his four-shaped candle, accompanied by a single candle for good luck, then rubbed his hands together and licked his lips in anticipation of the sweet stuff.
Tyler's grandmother, Sandra Sakata of Moanalua, called the party a success, and said she was surprised by the big turnout.
"It really turned out well," Sakata said. "I think all the children enjoyed it."
Fortunately for the partygoers, rain bypassed the event for all but 10 minutes. Other than a brief shower, the Fukurodas were blessed with clear skies, sunshine and cool breezes.
The heavy rain of previous days had worried the Fukurodas a bit, but they didn't really prepare a back-up plan.
"There was just a lot of praying," said mom Sheri Fukuroda, 34, with a laugh.
Reach Zenaida Serrano Espanol at zespanol@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8174.
