Summer meets Santa, ho,ho,ho!

This Christmas was bittersweet. We were sad to be so far from all our family during the holidays, but excited to celebrate Summer's first Christmas. It was such a treat to experience it with her! We picked out a fresh tree and decorated it with colorful lights and ornaments. She met Santa and Mrs. Claus at their Christmas Cabin. She was a little reluctant at first, but warmed up to them pretty quick. In fact, she chanted "ho-ho-ho" from her babyseat the whole way home!


Next on the agenda were all the get-togethers with friends. Between Paul and I both being on call this month, we managed to make it to a few events. One of Summer's favorites was The Melting Pot with just the girls...and a couple bottles of....(colored water?!?!)

And of course, there's always time for mischief....

Summer loved opening her presents (especially when she wasn't supposed to.) Sometimes Paul and I would hear the sound of paper shredding behind the couch and, sure enough, we'd find our baby sitting there with a big smile on her face and a torn-off piece of wrapping paper in her hand. Thank goodness for tape!



We celebrated Christmas Day with our good friends Craig and Aubree. Summer just luvs their two li'l girls to pieces! Their family has been such a blessing to us here, especially in taking care of our Summer while we work our crazy hours. We can't thank them enough. Here is Aubree w/ her crew :)

Up-To-Date

I'm so behind on my blogging, hopefully this makes up for it.....

Sometimes Summer thinks she's found her thumb:

Most of the time she sleeps in a swaddle, but some days she just needs to CRASH on her daddy's lap (like a little buddha):

She loves her Bumbo chair! (it's the chair she's sitting in...MOM & DAD RIGSBY) =)

My Mini-Me:

I know she's a little young to have one of these, but her legs are super strong and she loves to be on her feet. Grandma & Grandpa Casanova took her to Babies R Us and put her in different jumperoos. When they put her in this one, she smiled really big and Grandpa said, "Oh look! She likes this one!" so in the shopping cart it went. Her legs don't touch the floor yet so we improvise by putting a platform underneath her feet and she is just happy as can be. Every time she jumps, the lights & music play:

Summer has "her spot" on the couch right between two big cushions:

She thinks she found her finger again:

Just recently she's started biting her bottom lip (in addition to pouting it):

Roly Poly

Summer is 3 months old today!! She is such a sweet baby. I'm sure all moms would agree that they never tire of looking at their little ones. Summer looks like an angel when she sleeps... she stretches (for at least 10 minutes) to wake up...she is bright eyed & bushy tailed playing in the tub...and she looks so helpless and innocent when she nurses. Lately she's been trying real hard to get her fists inside her mouth. She still hasn't found her thumbs yet, though. She also knows how to scoot clockwise/counterclockwise on her playmat. It's amazing how much she's grown in this amount of time! She does so many silly and cute things.

For example, the last week or two we've wondered if she was really rolling over or if it was just "the slant of the bed" or how we "positioned her arms" for tummy time. I needed to get to the bottom of this and catch her in the act. So this morning I put her on her playmat for tummytime while I washed the dishes. When I checked on her, she was on her back! Hmmm...I put her back on her tummy and turned around to get my camera and caught the sneaky li'l infant doing this...

"It's The Little Things In Life That Matter Most"-Heather Peck

Our friend Heather took these pictures that I love SO much. It was hard to pick my favorite ones, but I definitely love the father-daughter shots the most! I thought I would have a kicking & screaming grown man plus a baby the day of the photoshoot, but Paul was such a good sport about it and the pictures turned out great =) In fact, I'm trying to convince him to take MORE pictures.....

Picture Perfect

Going to Lolo & Lola's house where I get held to my heart's desire and kissed 'til my cheeks are bright red!
So many fun outfits...I just love being a girl

The pink bow or the white bow...this one's tough....
I think the hat accents my cheeks =)

What now??

This was when I was a month old and I rode on an airplane for the very first time! Mom & Dad took me w/ them to Michigan to look for a house where we'll live for the next five years. The airplane ride made me fall asleep, so no dirty looks from the other passengers =)
Flying to Michigan...

Flying back to Phoenix...(Daddy, don't eat that...I might need it later on!)

This is me & my mommy. She thinks I'm super sweet and I love her dearly. She takes me w/ her to run errands and shop. We're gonna get along great, I just know it!!

Even though I'm only 7wks old, I'm a party animal! I attended my cousin's first birthday party at the park. Boy was I pooped.
*Summer has such a strong kick. When we put her on the playmat for tummy time she does this army crawl move that is so cute. If she could, she'd scoot across the room doing this and be completely content:

Cabin Fever

Mom & Pop Rigsby picked all of us up at the airport and brought us to see the presidents. It's a good thing we all know how to make our left turns, isn't it?? =)

Then off to the cabin we went! This is our li'l polar bear..all dressed up for the snow! Only thing is...no snow all week =(

We hit the slopes at Terry Peak where Lisa & Alex tested their snowboarding skills for the first time. This is Jeff & Jessie getting it all on camera.....

Papa Rigsby didn't want to be seen carrying his wife's purse around Cabela's, so Mom Rigsby's purse got a cart of its own:

This is Summer in her first camo outfit. She will be a li'l camper that's for sure!

Sweet Child of Mine

There I go eating my daddy's nose again!

Baby time in my Boppy

Sometimes I like to use Daddy as a hammock, his arms are so strong and it's super cozy...Zzzzzzz...

This was my first bath. My favorite part is getting my hair washed.

Naptime is the best time of day

Look at me and my puppy in the bouncer!

I can do what daddy does, see?

I love to curl up in my swing...weeeee!

Can we go somewhere fun today?

Yay! It's Aunt Lisa's 21st birthday!

Precious Moments

"Toe"-rrrific!
I was changing Summer's diaper at my parents' house with my mom and sister this past wknd. As I lifted my baby's feet to clean her bottom, Lisa commented on her yellow poop. So we were all looking at her poop (these are things that new mommas find interesting) when we heard a loud sucking sound. All three of us looked up and saw a content Summer with her big toe in her mouth=)

Toughin' it out
Summer had her 2 wk well visit today and she did the cutest thing. A heel stick is done for the second of two blood draws included in a newborn screen. The nurse came in the room and put a heal warmer on her foot to prepare for the blood draw then asked Paul to hold her other leg (in case she kicked) and each of us held one of her hands. Well, Summer was sound asleep on the exam table and Paul said, "maybe she will sleep right through it!" The nurse said, "nope, I can't avoid sticking her and it'll hurt." So she said," ok, here it goes..." and pricked the needle into the bottom of her foot. We all expected that delayed reaction cry, but when we looked down at her, all we found was a sleeping baby!!

Daddy "nose" best

It's official...Michigan, here we come!

We just found out this morning that both Paul and I matched at POH! It's in Pontiac, Michigan so we better get used to winter coats and mittens again. Paul will be completing a radiology residency and I matched into the anesthesia program. We are super excited about finally moving on and getting a salary (sort-of), but bummed that we'll be leaving behind so many friends and family (and warm weather too.) Fortunately, one of our good friends (Craig Hunter) and his family (Aubree, Addy, & Baby Hope) will be moving to the area, too! Congratulations to everyone who matched today!! We're almost done!

Welcome Home Summer Elizabeth Rigsby!!

It has been such an amazing last couple days for Paul & I. From the anticipation of her arrival to giving birth to getting to know baby Summer...we have loved every minute of it and can't get enough of her! She was born on 2/2/09 at 6:44pm at the Scottsdale Osborn Birthing Suites, 7lb 4oz, 20in, and 9-9 Apgars. What a blessing she is for our family! I'll spare you all the details, but in a nutshell: the birthing experience was so incredible I'd do it again in a heartbeat, we can't imagine life w/o Summer, and we have the most thoughtful and loving family and set of friends anyone could ever ask for. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Random facts:

• Summer has the cutest dimple on her left cheek
• Muffin cries whenever the baby cries, she licks her feet, and she wants to be Summer's mommy!
• Lola (Grandma Casanova) has visited w/ the baby every day (sometimes twice) since the day she was born
• My hubby and my mom were in the room w/ me when I gave birth to the li'l one (and of course the doctor and a couple nurses) =)