Christmas

So, Isabella's 1st Christmas was full of action, fun, runny noses, and of course lots of presents! Because my parents are divorced, we have to have a Christmas with each of them and then one with Eric's family. On Christmas Eve, I was busy getting our last minute gift cards for people as well as food for Christmas dinner I was hosting. Cassy got in to town in the afternoon and we spent a few hours together before we had to head to Mom's Christmas Eve night for a Prime Rib and Crab leg dinner.. yum! Our friends Katherine and of course her Godfather "Nino" Steve also joined us. Isabella got so many great gifts from all of them including: clothes, books, toys, etc. Isabella did really well, she opened her gifts herself (although she was more interested in the paper than the present itself). Eric and I were also very spoiled, as my mom does every year.Isabella started to get really tired so we took her home where we were met by my dad and stepmom. Isabella had come down with a cold that day, and I was just starting to feel like I was catching one as well.

Christmas morning we had our traditional Christmas breakfast and mamosas :) Our Christmas tree was surrounded by presents. Isabella opened all of her gifts from Eric and I, Santa, as well as from my dad and Rhonda and from Cassy. She was having such a great time! Some of her gifts included a rocking horse, cute clothes, bath toys, shoes, books, etc. I will not even tell you what Eric and I got because we will look like spoiled brats :) Besides, all Eric and I cared about was seeing our daughter's face on Christmas Day and being w/ family. At the end of the morning, I was feeling really crappy and just wanted to nap, but NO WAY! I had to immediately start dinner for that night ( I made a traditional Mexican meal of Birria, salsa, and beans).
After I started dinner, I had to get dressed to Eric's dad and Stepmom's house. By this time, I was starting to feel so yucky! At Dad and Barbara's we ate lunch and then opened up more gifts. We got to see our nieces and Brother and Sister in Law. It was a great time.Isabella was also sick, but she seemed to be dealing with it better than I did.
Then, it was time to head home where I had to finish preparing dinner and get things ready for a nice family dinner. I was so overwhelmingly tired and sick, I had put everything on the table and realized I had not even made the rice for dinner! I was so upset! My family did not want to wait so we just went ahead and said Grace and ate. It was awesome if I do say so myself :) Isabella and I were so exhausted we just wanted to go to bed, so that's what we did.
We had such a great Christmas filled with family and friends. Isabella really enjoyed every minute of it. She was so happy the whole week, she snuggled with everyone that held her, never got upset if someone else was holding her, it was great. She is really starting to become so social. She is not as attached to me as she used to be. She will reach for other people if they put their hand out to her, it's so cute. She has also started to snuggle her cute little face in to the shoulders of whoever is holding her, super cute! She is such a happy little girl. More than anything, she makes myself and her daddy, her Grandma, Grandpa, Godparents, aunts, and uncles so overwhelmingly happy that it brings tears to my eyes. Isabella is so loved and will never have to worry about being loved or needing someone to talk to. I'm so grateful for those who love my daughter.
Special thanks to my parents, my sister, Nino Steve, Eric's parents, our nieces and nephew, Brandon, and Tina for spending Christmas w/ us. We love you all, as well as those who we did not spend it with. Thank you to Kyra, Maryann, Nana, and others who sent Bella gifts in the mail. She loved them all. I can't say it enough.. God has really blessed Eric and I with a beautiful family and I never ever will forget to thank Him everyday for it. Hope you all had a great Christmas as well. Here's to the New Year.....

Some pictures from Christmas Eve/ Christmas Day
opening a gift from Nannie (my mom)


A book Katherine had made for Bella









Uncle Brandon and Isabella

Getting Anxious!

The Hoover's are getting very excited for Christmas. My sister, Stepmom, and dad will be here tomorrow~! We are super excited, Cassy has not seen her Goddaughter for a few months. Wow has she changed! I can't keep up w/ my baby girl. She is becoming so independent (hmmm wonder where she gets that from!) She does NOT want me to hold her bottle, I have to let her hold it. She now uses a sippy cup, it makes me so sad to see her grow by the minute but I know I have to let her do her thing, I can't keep her a baby forever. She is getting ready to crawl and does not like to just sit still. Changing her on the changing table can be very very tricky. She turns herself around and makes it challenging for us to put her arms through her shirt. My little girl is turning in to a big girl fast! My sister will be shocked!
I remember last year at this time, thinking: "WOW this time next year I will have a baby girl to celebrate Christmas with." Now that it is here, it has definitely exceeded all my wildest dreams. I am so thankful that I have her and my husband. This Christmas I am going to be sure to soak it all in and really give thanks to God for all He has blessed me with.
Tomorrow will be busy.. Cas will be here in the afternoon. Then it's dinner time at Mom's with us, Cas, Katherine and her boyfriend Tony, and Steve. Im super excited! We miss Kat,she has been a part of our family since we were in diapers and since she has moved away, it makes our time w/ her all the more precious. Mom is making Lobster and Prime Rib.. yumm~! Then it's present time... YAY!!
My dad and Rhonda will be in town tomorrow night as well. Christmas morning we will have our morning traditions of mamosas and breakfast and again more presents. We will then go to church to remember what CHRISTmas is really about, and to give our thanks to Him for all our blessings. Then we are off to Eric's dad and Barbara's house. We will have lunch with them, Grandma, and Eric's brother, Tina, and nieces where we will exchange more gifts!We will then come home, and I am making our annual Mexican Christmas dinner. WOW.. what a busy time! I can't wait, there is nothing like being w/ the ones you love most on Christmas. The holidays make me so happy, and this year will be the best one yet!We are so blessed to have our family and friends. Merry Christmas to all!
Here are some photos..

Bella by the Christmas tree looking very excited!

VISITING SANTA

Last Sunday we took Isabella to visit Santa at Desert Ridge. She did really well. Never cried once, and sat on his lap just fine. It was super cute :) Here are some pictures of us at Desert Ridge w/ Santa and by the big Christmas Tree.

Hoover Life

So we are now having to use this blog site to update our friends and family, as our babysite has now been 100% full to capacity! I figured I might as well set up a blog since we have so many friends and family that like to check up on Isabella. :0

This is mine and Eric's absolute FAVORITE time of the year. We get like little children around the holidays. We enjoy decorating our tree, decorating our house, Christmas shopping for our family, listening to Christmas music, and just being together. We know this is a tradition we will pass on to our children.

Isabella is growing by the minute. Eric and I were just saying tonight while giving her a bath how much she has grown. Just a few months ago she was having to use her newborn bathtub and now she can sit in the

tub and play like a big girl! It is so surreal how much our baby is growing. Last week she was weighed in at 18 lbs 3 oz and 27.75 inches long! She is in the 90th % for weight and over 95 % for height (just like daddy)! She is one active little one, she is trying to crawl, she is determined to get to her target point by scooting, rolling, or pushing. I will be surprised if she is not crawling very soon. She is so active, we can barely keep up! We put her on her changing table to change her diaper or put on her clothes, and she is rolling everywhere! She is a girl on the move!

Isabella and I have been very busy Christmas shopping and getting things together. This past weekend we took her to Glendale Glitters to look at lights, go on a hayride, look at animals, and walk around. She LOVED it.
These next few weeks will be busy for us, but I'm really looking forward to my Christmas break at home w/ her for 2 whole weeks!!!
It is amazing how much time her and I get to spend together, and how I still can't get enough of her! We do everything together, she is my little sidekick. Happy Holidays everyone!

Some pictures w/ our family at Glendale Glitters


This is us w/ our best friend/auntie Jen