Clovis' first baby of year born to Portales couple

Jada quietly sleeps in the arms of her mother, Kristen Pacheco.

Jada sleeps in the arms of her mother Kristen Pacheco. Jada's father, Johnny Pacheco, left, works as a full-time pastor at Portales Church of the Nazarene.

Jada Grace Pacheco, Clovis' 2012 New Year baby, was born Sunday at Plains Regional Medical Center. Jada was the first child born in Clovis this year.

Jada Grace Pacheco slept quietly in the arms of her mother Monday morning in a room at the Plains Regional Medical Center.

When she was born on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. a buzz started around the hospital's labor and delivery unit, as baby Jada quickly picked up the moniker "new year baby" as Clovis' first birth of 2012.

"We didn't know it was such a big deal till we got here and noticed that the door was all decorated. Everybody has been calling her the new year baby so it's been kind of cool," said Kristen Pacheco, Jada's mother.

At birth Jada weighed seven pounds 14 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Kristen Pacheco, 28, said giving birth to Jada took 10 hours and went smoothly. She said Jada was due on December 26 but was born six days late.

Jada is the second child for Johnny and Kristen Pacheco, who live in Portales. Her older brother Jordan is 4.

"My last birth was 30 hours," Kristen Pacheco said. "I was in a lot of pain and it lasted forever and it was hard. I didn't have much pain during this birth. I was very happy and exicited when she came," Mrs. Pacheco said. "There was a lot of anticipation and waiting and now she's finally here."

Kristen Pacheco, a homemaker, settled on the name Jada last August when she found out she was having a girl, and her husband agreed.

Johnny Pacheco, 27, has been a pastor since October at Portales Church of the Nazarene. He was previously a wind turbine technician with Mitsubishi Power Systems.

"We have a lot of prayers and support from our friends and family and the hospital staff," Johnny Pacheco said. "With me changing jobs in the middle of the year it's been kind of, 'What are we going to do?' Everything has just worked out smoothly so we want to give thanks for that. And we're excited we're the first parents of 2012.

"We're just very very blessed from everything that's happened."

Jada has received many prizes from various local businesses, such as gift certificates, mostly pink clothes, blankets, around 200 diapers, candles and diaper bags.

The Pacheco house has undergone renovations to prepare for Jada's arrival. Jordan moved into a larger room, and his old room was changed into a nursery for Jada, painted green and yellow with a "Winnie the Pooh" theme.