BIRTHS, WEDDINGS

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Chad and Dee Ajimine were blessed with Hawaii's last baby of
1999. Dylan Masaichi Ajimine weighed in at 6 pounds and 7-1/2
ounces. He was born shortly after 11 p.m. on Dec. 31.

The last and first babies
are born at Queen’s

Wedding bridges 2 centuries

By Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

After 27 hours in labor, 41-year-old Lydia Agno gave birth to her first child -- and Hawaii's first baby of the new millennium.

Edwin Agno Jr., 7 pounds, 2 ounces, arrived two seconds after midnight at Queen's Hospital, ahead of a baby girl born at Kapiolani Hospital at 12:02 a.m.

"I didn't expect my baby to be the millennium baby," said Lydia Agno, whose baby was two weeks premature.

Despite competition from Hawaii couples who timed conception for the first baby of the millennium, the Kalihi couple who won the honor did not plan it.

The Agnoses weren't the only ones at Queen's setting a record. Dee and Chad Ajimine didn't know having the last Hawaii baby born in the old millennium was significant. Dylan Masaichi Ajimine, 6 pounds, 7-1/2 ounces, delivered at 11:09 p.m. on New Year's Eve, was apparently the last child born in the 50 states in the last millennium.

Chris and Uinise Aholelei might name their daughter born at 12:02 a.m. today Christina Millennium or Millennium Christina. Nurses at Kapiolani have nicknamed her "Millie."

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Wedding bridges 2 centuries

By Eloise Aguiar
Star-Bulletin

Shannon Congdon and Peter Thielen's final act of the last century was also their first in the new one.

They were married. Twice.

Congdon and Thielen, the son of state Rep. Cynthia Thielen, originally planned a midnight wedding, but changed their minds because they thought firecracker noise would interfere with the ceremony.

So at 10 o'clock last night, they held a public service for friends and family at Rep. Thielen's Kailua home. Then, at the stroke of midnight, the minister gathered the couple and witnesses and performed a private ceremony.

Having a millennium service reflects the kind of people she and her husband are, said Congdon, 24.

"We're spontaneous, fun kind of people, and thought it would be cool to say we got married on the first day of the next century," Congdon said. The earlier wedding also allowed guests to start partying sooner.

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Honolulu attorney Rick Fried and Susan Tripton celebrate
after marrying at 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve at his Diamond
Head home. Many chose to marry on this auspicious day.

Gov. Ben Cayetano honored the couple with a proclamation declaring Jan. 1 Peter Thielen and Shannon Congdon Day, Congdon said.

The bride and groom, 42, have known each other for more than eight years. About four years ago, they opened the Island Hemp Wear clothing business, which they operate on Kauai.

In recognition of their involvement with hemp, Rep. Thielen said she obtained sterilized hemp seed, which was thrown at the couple instead of the traditional rice. The bride, bridesmaids and flower girls wore gowns made of hemp silk, and the men wore hemp aloha shirts.