isabella's 1st birthday

the last time we took pictures of isabella she was just a bebe. it was her first time going to the beach. the world was hers to discover. we turn around for one minute (actually a few months) and she's a big girl now. where does the time go? she is so preciosa. just look at her now.

she dresses herself.

she's walking now.

she's always on the phone chatting up her friends.

she opens her own mail and pays her own bills.

all this, and she just turned 1 this month. amazing!

isabella gave us a peek into the life of a strong, independent, 1 year old.

we got a few pointers from her at the billiards table. don't even try to play her. you will lose.

here's how she gets the suckers on the hook and reels 'em in. just when you think she can't see over the edge, BLAMMO! she runs the table.

"A" number 1. queen of the hill. top of the heap.

a light snack before the sweets.

isabella got a little sugar from her mom and dad...

then it was on to the chocolate.

after sizing it up, she dove right in...

literally. now this is how you eat a chocolate cake. yummo!

a whole chocolate cake not sweet enough for you? c'mon, this is a kids party. bring on the pinata!

as is customary at children's parties, the pinata was made from solid titanium dipped in concrete, and coated with a thin steel shell for good measure. she held her ground through a seemingly unending torrent of miniature fury. 3 rounds later, the pinata maiden still refused to release the treasure she was transporting. several new, and creative, techniques were employed to retrieve the sweet payoff. (there may have even been a little help from some of the parents.)

finally the confections were released from the nearly impenetrable fortress and the children did rejoice.
the pinata, on the other hand, did not.
oh the humanity!

a quick trip to the cooler for some refreshing ice.

isabella gets her beauty from her mama, Amores.

and i think she gets her smile (and pool shark skills) from her papa. hopefully she picks up his cooking skills too. the food was awesome!

it's no surprise isabella is so bonita. she comes from a family full of fun, happy, beautiful women.

not to be outdone by the ladies, isabella's brother's got in for a couple shots. here's her little big brother timothy getting into party mode.

and here's her big big brother josh.

and of course, the ohana. thank you so much Amores for inviting us out to share in isabella's 1st birthday. feliz cumpleanos little one! don't grow up too fast.

i couldn't close this post without mentioning one of the best parts of parties...friends. i snapped this shot of Amores and Kim's friend, Kim and her daughter. they had such nice smiles i couldn't leave them out.

also, i want to thank a couple of my friends Jamie Lawler and Geri Goodale for coming along. i really enjoyed working with you two. talk with you soon.