Christmas Season at the Hoyos' Home

We've been very busy this month, and Ryan's been going through a big growth spurt. Sometimes I'm sure I can see him growing right as it's happening. It's been making him very hungry, so much of this month has been spent in feeding the little guy. He has also learned to reach out and grab things, hold his bottle all by himself, and buzz his lips (which he is VERY proud of!). On a very exciting note, he has learned how to giggle, and delights us with his new skill daily. It cracks us up to see what various things he finds amusing, and he's now old enough to realize when we're playing a game with him, and loves it. He is such a joy.

Ryan has enjoyed all of the fun activities we've been doing with friends, and was a great sport on Mommy's birthday, hardly fussing at all. To see some of the festivities from the month, check out my own blog at katiebelle14.blogspot.com.

One of the first things we did to start the Christmas season was take Ryan to meet Santa Claus. he didn't fuss at all, and liked holding the candy cane in his hand. Santa was very kind and as we already knew, informed Ryan that he'd been a very good boy this year.

This month Ryan's favorite toy has been a Christmas puppy from Grandma Abernathy. As I took it out of the box, Ryan picked it right up and hugged it. My heart melted and I let him keep it instead of putting it under the tree.

One of Ryan's favorite things to look at lately has been our Christmas tree. He loves looking at all the lights, and reaching out to touch the silver garland. Here are a few snapshots of him and our tree.

Now that Ryan's getting into toys, I crocheted several Christmas stuffed animals for him. His favorite one is the Gingerbread Man, which you can see pictures of on my katiebelle blog, but here's a picture of him with his reindeer.

As this month has gone by I have often reflected on what a full year it has been for our family. This time a year ago, we had just found out I was pregnant. On that day we went to Walmart and bought a little onesie that looked like a gift with a tag that read, "Mom and Dad's Best Present Ever!" We didn't even know if it would be a boy or girl, but it was the first outfit we ever bought for our baby. Now, a year later, we couldn't agree more that Ryan is, indeed, our best present ever.

We hope each one of you has a very, merry Christmas filled with all the happiness and joy that comes from the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. May your day be merry and bright! We love you. Merry Christmas!