Happy ONE MONTH Caroline!

I can't believe my baby girl is one month today, time has flown by!

Twice the Families, twice the fun!

Sunday the majority of the gang went to the Cardinals vs. Seahawk football game, sorry Seattle folks, the Cardinals pulled off the win! After the game we all met up for dinner at Fudruckers! It has been so neat to have the whole Stover and Maurer crew here this holiday season! The Maurer gang
The Stover Crew

Christmas AGAIN!

Saturday morning Patrick, Caroline, Tommy and I woke up and drove over to the Stovers to see the Kanes and the Michael Stovers who arrived late friday night! AND....to celebrate Christmas all over again...SO FUN! After opening gifts, which took quite some time, we headed to Wickenburg to visit with the ENITRE Stover clan and introduce them all to Caroline!

Here are a few snapshots of the madness! All the boys with their new shoulder pads
Tommy and JJ

Patrick and his new Georgia Jersey, thanks to Tommy!

Caroline, Aunt Kelley and I

Katie and Caroline (finally another girl in the mix!)

Barbers and Bowling

Friday after Christmas the Barber family (Matt, Maria, and Lila) and Damon came over to visit! It was so good to see the Barbar's as we have not seen them in a few years! Lila is two and a half, and it was our first introduction to her, which is just crazy! She is just a doll and looks just like her daddy! We had a fun night of catching up and ended it with an intense bowling competition! The whole bowling crew with the trophy!
Patrick and Jimmy

Damon, Lila, Matt, and Patrick

Lila loved hugging on Brody

Maria and Caroline

WONDERFUL CHAOS!

Christmas Day my two brothers, SIL, nephew and dad arrived, and off we went to the Stovers to open gifts and eat! What fun to have my entire family in town! We had the traditional Stover Christmas day meal of roast, potatoes, and yorkshire pudding, it was super yummy! Susie even made a suprise cake for dessert! Brody awaiting the opening of gifts
Laura and Tommy in their crowns (Laura got these neat poppers for our placecards full of goodies, including crowns for all!)

Susie's yummy coconut cake

Brody and Uncle Tommy

Caroline and Grandma

Brody and Caroline, SO SWEET!

Kristen, Jimmy and Caroline

We MUST have been good!

Before the opening of gifts!

Christmas EVE

Santa comes tonight, I hope we are not on the naughty list! From the looks of the number of presents under our tree we were REALLY REALLY GOOD!
Tonight my In-Laws, SIL Laura, my Mom, Patrick, Caroline, and I all went to mass and had a super yummy dinner of Filet, cheesy potatoes, stuffed peppers, and creme brulee to kick off the festivities!
Tomorrow my brothers Jimmy and Tommy, Dad, SIL Kristen, and nephew Brody all get here! We can't wait to see them and introduce them to Caroline!
We LOVE this time of year!

Patrick with his parents, Susie and Smokey

Our new little family

Grandma and Nana with Caroline

Laura and Patrick

All the GIRLS!

Three Weeks and Growing

Caroline hit the three week mark yesterday! She gets cuter and more alert everyday, we love to see how much she changes! Her hair and eyes are getting lighter, and she is in the beginning stages of smiling, we are waiting to see if our little one will have dimples!

My mom came in town on Sunday, it has been so fun to see her, especially with her new grandaughter! And...she has been a huge help, I will be so sad when she leaves (thank goodness I have two full weeks with her here)! Tomorrow we are hosting Christmas Eve dinner and then on Christmas the rest of my family gets here! So fun to have the whole gang out WEST!

Help has arrived!

Thank Goodness Patrick and I got a much needed rescue last week! My best friend Claire came in town all the way from Tennessee to help us with Caroline and allow us to catch up on some much needed sleep! It was so fun to have her, and what a help she was! Patrick started back to work last week, so her being here was super nice! She made me fancy breakfasts every morning, did our laundry, helped me run errands, and loved on Caroline so I could shower and be a real person again! Thanks Claire, We LOVE you and MISS you already! One of the first pics of me and my little girlie!
One of the fancy breakfasts I woke up to while Claire was here! YUMMY! (When Patrick got home from work he saw this picture and asked where we went out to breakfast:)

Claire and Caroline

We thought we would get some pics of C in her new stocking, it was a tight fit!

This pic made Claire and I laugh so hard, she looks like she has three chins!

Busy Week!

We have had a really busy week! I will post more pics and info later tonight, but in the meantime here is a picture from Caroline's first photography session on Thursday!

Swaddle

Thank Goodness for the swaddle! Caroline has has some sleeping issues since we got home and we for some reason decided we were too good for the swaddle........BIG MISTAKE! Since the swaddle has been back in action, we have ALL been getting much more (OK, LET'S BE HONEST, A LITTLE MORE) sleep!

It's an Outie!

Today Caroline's umbilical cord fell off, and she has an OUTIE! It is still a little scaby, but she is now able to take a bath, not that sponge sillliness! Hopefully she likes the water!

Patrick came home from work today with all sorts of goodies! His coworker, and our friend, Elizabeth and her husband Angelo made us homeade lasagna, the nurse at the school made her a darling sweatshirt, and one of his students got Caroline her first ANTHROPOLOGIE dress....we are so BLESSED!

Also my mom sent me a box of goodies, including one of my first dresses! She spent all day cleaning it, and it is for sure one of the best suprises!

Patrick's good buddy Michael came in town last night for work and he stopped by to see us and meet Caroline as well.....it has been a great week! The toughest job I have ever had for sure, but wouldn't trade it!

Our favorite neice Katie just sent out her wadrobe to Caroline, we are so excited to recieve what I am sure will be the cutest hand-me-downs ever!

Caroline's cute little belly, minus that yucky cord!

Caroline's first Anthropologie dress, i can't wait for her to fit in it!

One of my first dresses, it was so special to get it in the mail from my mom. Once she gets a little bigger I am planning on having her pictures in it!

Patrick's sweet school nurse made this for Caroline, she will be so cute at next season's football games!

the back of the sweatshirt

Patrick's friend Michael (he brought over the cutest little corduroy dress and pink sparkly shoes)

Hubbie Award!

Just wanted to thank my hubbie for all his help this week! We are so in love with our little girl, but underestimated the amount of work she would require! I am so lucky to have a husband who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep both of us happy! We really make a great team! I have been having some back pain which has made getting around with a baby quite difficult, so today Patrick scheduled me a massage and spent the afternoon teaching Caroline the ins and outs of the NFL :)

Patrick starts back at work tomorrow, so please keep us in your prayers! I am a little anxious about flying solo!

Weddings!

Wedding fever is in the air!

Our good friend Josh proposed to his girlfriend Randi yesterday, and she said YES! We are so excited for them both! Josh stopped by to meet Caroline on Wendsday evening and filled us in on all the details....what a lucky girl! Josh with Caroline (two days before he pops the big question!)

Also my cousin Deirdre got married this past wekeend in a small little ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel in Ashville, NC. We wish them all the happiness that marriage brings!

And lastly, Caroline go to meet her possible future husband last night :) (our good friends Jess and Wade's son Wyatt) Wyatt was born last year on December 17th, so we are looking forward to having them grow up so close together

the big meeting, could it be love at first sight? :)

Our goods friends Wade and Jess

FOOTBALL!!

Today is a VERY important football day in the Stover house! Patrick just got back from the State Championship game for the high school team that he coaches, and they WON again for the second year in a row! Go Saints!

AND.....tonight is the battle of the year for ASU against their biggest rival the UofA! It is away for the Sun Devils, and they are the underdogs, so we are really holding our breath that they can pull it off! LET'S GO DEVILS!

Patrick of course had to start Caroline's first rival off right.......

The beginning of lots of FIRSTS!

Day two at home and already we are loving every minute with Caroline and all the new things we get to do with her! Last night we gave her her first sponge bath (not a fan) and today we took her on her first outing after her doctors appointment. Her first outing was to Target of course, we have to start this little lady's shopping days off right! I enjoyed buying a few cute new GIRLIE outfits for her.....I think this might be the beginning of a lot less $ in my account, I just can't resist! She could't wait too be DONE with her first bath!
She didn't love it, but sure did smell good when she was done!

Her first dress!

Lovin getting to dress up my baby girl!