The Rigsbys

Hot Diggity Dog!

2011-09-16T07:32:00.001-07:00

It sounds like Summer will still reign as princess! Paul was so proud today when we got an ultra sound of the baby. We took a look a couple days ago and saw what might be boy parts, but were still pretty undecided. When we went in today the tech scanned my belly, gave Paul a friendly shove and said, "Are you kidding me? That's a BOY! Look at that thing, it can't be a labia!" Of course Paul was beaming with a "that's my boy" expression on his face :) We looked around a little more and could see the baby opening and closing his mouth, moving his hands, sucking his thumb... it was unbelievable! We are so excited to experience raising a boy. It will be completely different, but so much fun.

We shared the news with our families....

Lola: "What?!?! Yay!! We're gonna have a batotoy!!" (Don't ask...she has her own way of expressing things) :)

Lisa: "Oh mi goodness.. I'm gonna be an uncle!" (Wait a minute...??)

Lolo: "Whoa that's big, it looks like he has an erection!" (Would you expect any other comment from my dad?)

Paul's parents were a little confused at first...

Lora: "Hi...Paul wanted me to call you because he was too embarrassed to to tell you the news himself...."

Grandma R: "awwww...it's a GIRL!....well, maybe next time..." :)

We finally came out and told them they were having a grandson and they shared in the excitement, too!

So this is a shot where you can ("clearly") see (per the radiology resident) that this is a boy with an image of the bladder and two ("obvious") testicle sacs:

I'm no radiologist, but there IS something pointing up between those two legs, right? :)

Summer Says....

2011-09-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

The summer came and left in a hurry this year, but you won't hear a peep from us! There's a few things we are looking forward to a little more than the nice weather we enjoyed this year...like the end of Paul's weekend call, an exciting Disney vacation, a Vegas escape, and finally the addition of another baby to our growing family :) Of course this is a favorite time of year for us since we've been in Michigan because of the cider mills, beef stew & cornbread muffins, crisp nights, holidays... well....you get the picture.

Summer is growing up SO fast! She is our little angel and we know she will make the best big sister ever. A few developments over the past few months:

She is a HUGE fan of Caillou and has almost every line of any episode she's ever watched memorized. Sometimes she likes to incorporate the lines into her own life: "ewww! that doesn't taste very good." (with eyes closed and looking away) "mommy! daddy! there's a scratchy monster..," "no daddy, I want some water applejuice."
She has recently developed a love for the musical Annie and watches it over and over and over again. She sings "it's a hard knock life..for us, it's a hard knock life..for us" all day long and says "we love you Miss Hannigan," too!
Summer is our little Miss Independent and likes to do everything "by myself"
It's so cute when says "on your 'march', get set, GO" and "mommy, you're a geel" instead of "girl" :)
When she makes a mess, she announces "ay ay ay, I made a MESS!" with her arms out to her side showing just how big of a mess she made.
She still loves the merry-go-round, but has recently feared the real ponies (?) silly girl
I think Summer has a bright future helping me with things around the house, especially sorting laundry, cooking, and baking. She beats everyone when it comes time to lick the frosting off the spoon!
She is a master of the potty....except for #2 (no matter what we use to bribe her, she still insists on pooping in a diaper)
Other loves: bubbles, computer games, stamps, coloring, markers, painting, playing doctor, reading books, finding "treasure," "baby Paul," little Lady, being barefoot, singing, Just Dance on the Wii, watching videos of herself, climbing and hanging on the monkey bars, riding her "bicycle" (the chariot attached to our bike), running on the treadmill, tumbling, mornings, dressing herself, sprinklers, eating, Talking TomCat game ..
Dislikes: other kids getting too close to her (esp boys), not getting attention, getting her face wet, taking off her poopy diaper, dirty feet (she has a little OCPD in her)

However she DOES love splashing in the rain:

She is a character during bathtime!

Especially if her daddy is in charge...

Spent the first Saturday of September at Yates Cider Mill. The weather was perfect, the donuts & apple cider were delicious, and we even took a small jar of apple butter home to enjoy for later!

That was a fun morning!

Nothing beats autumn in the midwest

Came back for round 2 to attempt the ponies and feed the goats again..

Destination Desert 2011

2011-04-16T12:05:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Summer's Second Birthday, Brought To You By the Letter S and the Number 2

2011-01-29T19:04:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Summer is 2!! Where did the time go? We've been excited to plan her second birthday party to capture the excitement and joy of our little toddler. Lola flew in just in time for the party...and just before we got 5 inches of snow :)

We had to wake our sleeping princess (who was still asleep at 9a after staying up late to go to the airport) to get ready for her own party. When we finally arrived at the Kiddie Klub, she took off! Not only did she enjoy the indoor playground, lego table, kitchen, shopping carts and all the cool toys she could play w/her friends, but especially the sweet messy treats. "There's no better way to spend the day than to play!"

Where do you think you're going?!?!

"See-a-later mommy!"

We decided on a Sesame Street theme since she fell in love w/all the characters when we vacationed at Turks & Caicos. Here is my modified attempt at cupcakes- store bought, but home decorated :)

Yummy!! Cupcakes!!

Discovered the next morning that red frosting=pink poop in the diaper (hahaha) but that was no concern for this birthday girl!

Time to clean up, "I'm messy lola...wash the hands"

We made "Thank-You" bags for each of the kids w/their first initial on the front in bright colors, a tag w/painting done exclusively by Summer, big blue cookies for the guests, and soft socks and chapsticks for the ladies:

Summer LOVED all her presents and we LOVED watching her open 'em! What a spoiled baby :) Our family is blessed to have wonderful friends and family to celebrate these special occasions and make them so super FUN!!

Thanks to some of the ladies in my life who help SO much in keeping life balanced and sane when really truly it's not :) Don't know how I could pull off being a mom and resident w/o your help!

Giddy-up Cowgirl

2010-06-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

After a couple months of non-stop crazy work hours, no sleep, and no time together... we were DRAINED and a trip to the good ol outdoors was just what we needed! Wyoming is about as good and as outdoors as we could ask for. It's amazing how being away from the chaos of the hospital can really clear your thoughts and give you peace of mind. It also made us NOT want to come back, but we did..... :)

Camping in the Big Horns Day 1:
Summer loved being "unleashed." This girl is really a Rigsby, that's for sure! The minute we set foot on the campground she knew what to do...which is why it didn't take her 2 seconds to get ashes on her face, dirt in her mouth, a shovel in her hand, and everyone chasing after her.

She loved watching everyone set-up camp, especially when dad and grandpa pitched the tent and chopped wood for the campfire at night.
It got SO cold in the evenings, but Summer didn't seem to mind. In fact, it took some coaxing to get her to bundle up like this. Layer by layer she'd take off her clothes until all she had left was a onesie and shoes (and a mom hovering over her w/a cozy blanket.)
Camping in the Big Horns Day 2:
A perfect morning to wake up with hot chocolate (or bottle of milk) in hand and gathering by the fire to be greeted by curious deer around our site.
Off she goes again! She loved being by the water. On the way to the lake, she sat in her baby seat synchronizing her "aaauuhhh-uuhh-uuhhh's" with the bumpy car-ride.

Camping in the Big Horns Day 3:
Well, it was time to pack-up, but not before Summer did some more exploring, rock climbing, flower picking, and pick-up truck hijacking (thanks Danny, it was a great playpen for the rugrat for about a minute) :)

Don't be fooled by these two...that's not really where they slept ;)

Peek-A-Boo!
And to end our camping trip, Paul's favorite photo-op spot and then...Taco Johns!
Back in Gillette....
Summer got to play w/her cousins again
Poor baby had some teeth coming in about that time, too
But somehow still got into her grandma's makeup drawer!
Don't look so serious, boys :)
Definitely couldn't leave w/out one last trip to TACO JOHNS!
Heading home-sweet-home
What a perfect getaway. Tasty home-cooked and camp-fire meals (thanks mom R!) coziness of being home, laughs to last until we meet again... all rolled into a quick 1-wk vacation.

Summer meets Santa, ho,ho,ho!

2009-12-26T12:45:00.000-08:00

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

2009-05-07T23:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-02-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-16T22:55:00.000-08:00

"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!

2009-02-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

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!!

2009-02-05T06:54:00.000-08:00

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) =)

Still Pregnant....

2009-01-17T10:22:00.000-08:00

Now that we've passed that 37 wk mark, our little darling's arrival can be any day now! I keep tellin' her that, w/ the temperature in the 80's lately, she shouldn't be afraid to come out...but so far she's not listening to me. My OCPD has gone into overdrive now that it's combined w/ my "nesting." She is still active as ever and I'm trying to be, too! We're sooo excited for her birth =) And so is her "Lola" ("grandma" in Tagalog)....my mom texts or calls me every morning to see if I am in labor yet. She also has a carseat in her car so that she can take the baby straight from the hospital to her house! Can you believe her?!?!

Rigsby Holiday Highlights

2008-12-27T08:55:00.000-08:00

Our 20 hour road trip looked like this most of the way (I admit I wasn't the best navigator because I was taking naps pretty often...thank goodness Paul is such a boyscout...that and so is his Garmin Navigator *hehe*)

Look at this little bundle!! Meet our niece and newest member of Jeff, Jessie, & Halley's family; Natalie Faith Rigsby, born on 12/19/08. It was quite an ordeal gettin' her into this world, but mom and baby are doing great!

Paul & the Pups' first snow of the year! Muffin is a little Kangaroo in the white stuff..she loved it!

So this is what it's like when li'l kids open presents on Christmas..I have never seen so many toys in my life!

Favorite Quotes:

Paul: Dad..you want more gravy on that?
Dad: I've had two heart attacks and you're askin' me if I want more gravy?!?!

Mom: Where did you guys go to get a sandwich?

Dad (straight-faced): Subway

Paul: Mom..ask him again where he went for lunch (we went to Arby's)
Mom: So you went to Subway for lunch?
Dad (straight-faced again): Yep

Dad: We don't wanna go to Applebees because they don't have any plain foods...everything they have has somethin on it
Paul: Well I suggested Perkins
Dad: But Perkins is too plain

Paul: I'll leave the tip
Mom: You can't leave the tip, all you have are $20's
Paul: How do you know that?
Mom: I looked in your wallet
Lora: Did he have any phone numbers in there?
Mom: No, just three 20's

Paul-of-All-Trades

2008-12-13T22:51:00.002-08:00

We can officially add "carpenter" to the list of Paul's talents. A week ago he decided to take on this home-improvement task of converting our dirty carpet to polished hardwood floors and it's finally done...yay! =) Our downstairs area was looking so filthy, and w/ me being in full out nesting mode lately, something had to be done! Of course my (ingenious) hubby came to the rescue w/ this great idea. He's been working so hard on this project and, with the help of Alex & Jason, our home looks much more inviting.

Taking a Pepsi break...am I done yet?:
Ahhhh!! Is that my stove in the living room?!?!

Piece of Cake:

The little helpers (& Paul putting the trim back on the walls):
The helper taking a nap in one of the boxes...what a long day.....

Family Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-24T19:12:00.000-08:00

Everyone gathered at my parents house for Thanksgiving dinner & a baby shower this year. Thanks for hosting such a fun event guys!

There was so much food....Mmmmmmmmmmm...

And entertainment =) This was Paul seeing who got the closest to my belly girth

Kuya Allan tried to tie his shoes w/ a pregnant belly (a pink balloon)..but look b/t his legs, his water broke!
and Ray taught everyone some dance routines

After a healthy serving of fun, Paul & I opened all the precious gifts our family picked out for our baby. Thanks so much for everyone's generosity and well wishes! We are so lucky to have such a supportive family.
And thank you Ate Joy for sharing your talent. You are amazing and we had so much fun "workin with you." =) Still don't know why mom was looking "there" when you were standing "here" though...hahah

Dirty Thirty

2008-10-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Dirty Thirty Cowboy!!
Today is Paul's birthday. He has truly been the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Paul, these are reasons why I love you so much:

30) I can be myself around you
29) You always make me feel like the best is still ahead
28) You remind me not to take life too seriously
27) You always say what I need to hear (well almost always...you eventually get it right) =)
26) You will cuddle with me until I fall asleep
25) Your optimism
24) You carry all the heavy stuff so I don't have to
23) You are a Mr. Fix-It
22) You are loyal to me and to the things that matter the most to you
21) You have such a big warm heart
20) You choose your battles well and don't waste time worrying about things until you really need to
19) The fact that you refuse to completely grow up, you will always be a big kid
18) The way you always sing a song at the end of my sentences (only you will understand that, it's kinda hard to explain)
17) You are my Dr. McDreamy...and McSteamy
16) You know a ton of useless facts that happen to come in handy every once in a while (and you wonder about random things like, "what does the K in K mart stand for?" and "how does my blackberry know to shut-off when it's in the holster?")
15) You don't take life or people for granted
14) You are a true gentleman and you take care of me: opening doors, taking out the trash, waiting for me and my bump to make it up the trails, being our "activities/travel coordinator," etc.
13) It feels so perfect to think of our future together, we share similar dreams and aspirations
12) You are awesome with my family and they love you sooo much too
11) How you stick your tongue out of the side of your mouth when you are concentrating real hard (like when you're playing guitar hero)
10) You have cute sayings like: "why for, how come?" and "that's ingenious!" and "what's up buttercup?" and "talk to ya soon...baboon" and something about "take the f out of way"
9) You have an amazing voice
8) You are generous
7) How you have watched every movie on the face of this earth
6) You have been there for your family and for mine
5) That you are content with the things you have
4) How much I know you love you brother and how well you handled him passing even though it was one of the hardest things you've been through
3) You are going to make the most incredible dad anyone could ever have
2) You make me laugh
1) You are irresistibly sexy and have a nice butt ;)

Congratulations Lisa-Lou!!

2008-10-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

We are soooo proud you, Lisa...you deserve it!!

My sister just found out today that she got accepted into the Scottsdale Community College nursing program starting this January where she'll get her R.N. in 18 months!! Although Paul & I think she is "spolled rotten," *hehe* we know she will make an incredible nurse (not to mention a cute one, too) =) We can't wait to watch her become part of the nursing profession, hear all about her patient interactions and (of course) give her a hard time *haha*

Oh yeah... and her school mascot is a green artichoke

All American Girl

2008-09-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

Paul found out just how much trouble he'll be in when we came across this at our appointment this morning (three white lines="hamburger"=sweet baby girl!!!):

This is her foot:

And this is our baby w/ her hand by her face (those are her fingers next to her mouth and nose):

Our baby was playing hard-to-get this morning..... She did everything she could to run from the camera (she's stubborn, too!). When the U/S tech was moving the probe saying "come on baby, show your face..." she moved alright, but in the other direction. She stuffed her face right into the placenta! We will work on her cooperation skills for the next visit =) Otherwise, things are going great. She weighs 11oz, has a strong heart w/ a HR of 148, and the remainder of her anatomy visit was pretty uneventful. We are so thankful that she is healthy as can be. I'm at the beginning of my 20th wk so we're halfway there!

knock knock....who's there?

2008-08-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome home!! I had a pleasant surprise knockin' on the door at 1:30am =) I was on the phone w/ Paul throughout the night "keeping him awake" as he drove to find a hotel where he could catch some zzzz's. He "found a place, got checked in, and was unlocking the door" but couldn't get in b/c someone double locked it! When he called to tell me he was here, I didn't believe him and had to peek out the peep hole to really believe my eyes. Paul has been away doing rotations in Michigan this past month and it just wasn't the same around here without him. I wasn't expecting him home for another day, but here he is, sneaky fella. He left his last rotation a day early so he could hit the road and hurry home. We are sooo excited to have him back!! Unfortunately, I'll be leaving on Sunday to do a 2-wk rotation in Kingman, but at least we're in the same time zone.

*Love is missing someone whenever you're apart, but somehow feeling warm inside because you're close in heart. ~Kay Knudsen*

Baby Got Back..I mean..baby faced back

2008-07-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

What a fun office visit today! My sister went w/me to get my ultrasound since Paul is doing a couple radiology rotations in Michigan for a month. Well..we found our baby's legs..yay!! =) Unfortunately, the baby was facing my back, so it was hard to get anything but a profile view, let alone determine the sex. So I guess the voting continues until my next appointment. (Lisa, that's when you find out if you'll be an aunt or uncle!) He/she looks pretty excited about his/her legs, too...look:

What a cutie...our baby might seem a li'l camera shy from the pictures, but don't be fooled. The U/S tech had to chase the li'l peanut around during the exam because he/she was moving around so much! The HR was 159 and the baby is growing just as it should.

It's not a tumor =)

2008-07-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

Paul went w/me to my first real appointment and boy am I glad because I was sooo nervous. I haven't been getting morning sickness *knock on wood* and I wasn't really "feeling pregnant".....so I was convinced I had a teratoma growing inside my belly. The doctor couldn't find anything at first, but after another try, this picture came into view:

So meet our new baby =) I know I know.. we can't find the legs either, but I'm sure they're there somewhere (use your imagination.) We'll find out in a couple weeks if it's a boy or girl. Of course Paul wants a boy for the mere fact that "if you have a boy, all you worry about is one penis, if you have a girl, you have to worry about hundreds!" Hmmm..he might have a point. Either way, we are sooo excited to meet our new li'l angel.

Wyoming Adventures

2008-07-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

Wyoming is truly my home away from home. I love my mom & dad Rigsby like my very own! I always learn a thing or two I never new before when I come visit.... I learned to pitch a tent (and even sleep in it overnight), I mastered cutting wood with a chainsaw, I even got to set off fireworks with my brother and sister-in-law (Jeff & Jessie) SAFELY, of course. The best part was learning to pull the trigger on one of these suckers!

I wasn't the only one though.....

The only person that got a bullseye without even trying was the master himself..."Papa Rigsby" =)
We also went to Reptile Gardens where we saw some of the most poisonous snakes in the world! Do you know why the black mamba (below) is called a black mamba even though it's not black? It's because the inside of its mouth is all black!

I love going to Bear Country... they are amazing creatures to watch up-close. I wanted to take one home with me they were so cute!
Our time there flies by so fast! It was an even nicer treat that all of Paul's family (including his oldest brother, Christopher, and his family from Minnesota) were able to join us camping and for the fourth of july. We're so excited to see everyone again at the end of the year, we can't wait!! We love you guys!

Atlantis...the underwater kingdom

2008-06-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

Our family vacation to Atlantis was soo refreshing! Not a day went by that we didn't float down the lazy river and get tossed by the waves. We even convinced my parents to join the fun!

We also sped around the beach on jet skis and a banana boat before making it back to enjoy the water slides. I've never been on a waterslide before so they started me on an easy one, The Challenger. We went so fast that by the time we got to the bottom I thought my water broke! Just kidding...but we were going fast!

So then we thought we could brave the "Leap of Faith." The first thing we saw while waiting in line was a sign that said "not recommended for pregnant women and those with heart conditions." Paul & I just looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh. So with the help of my hubby, sister, and Alex (taunting me that even 7 year old girls were going down the slide) I decided to go (and then ended up going yet another time.) =)

We couldn't travel all the way to Atlantis and not explore, so when we did, look what we found! It's a Manta Ray!!

We spent many late nights playin Hearts and Uno. We took advantage of the beautiful weather and didn't miss an evening of sittin' on the beach, listening to the waves, watching the occasional lightening, and hearing the roar of thunder (and my mom) in the distance (did I mention the boys were trying to throw my mom into the ocean?!)

Life couldn't get much better than this. The only damper I experienced on the trip was that my mom, sister and I were scheduled to have a massage on our last night. Well.. to make a long story short, I couldn't get one because I wasn't pregnant enough! (apparently, you can only get massages during your 2nd trimester even though I already cleared it with my OB. ) I want this baby to have the best chance at life it can get, so I got over that incident pretty quick. Dad, thanks for working so hard to make our trip possible. Everyone really enjoyed themselves. Sorry about your sunburn (yes, even tan people need sunblock... maybe you can learn a thing or two from these two white guys below!) *hehe*

First Response

2008-06-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

We are having a baby!! It's still too early in the pregnancy to share any meaningful details, but Paul & I are so excited to share this news! We made the announcement to our families yesterday and they shared the same enthusiasm as we did. When we discussed "plans" of having a baby we found that there IS no perfect time to plan one (unless we wanted to wait until retirement)... but when Baby Rigsby decided NOW was the perfect time, we didn't argue one bit. I can't say I feel any difference right now, just increasing fatigue and breast tenderness (but that's probably more than you care to know.) We just pray for a healthy and safe pregnancy.

*Breaking the news to Mom & Dad Rigsby:

Paul "texted" a picture of this to his parents

and wrote "Lora wants to know what this means?"

Paul is always the "kidder" so it took a little convincing before they finally believed that we were really having a baby and that the "pregnancy stick" really belonged to me =)

*Breaking the news to Mom & Dad Casanova:
Paul and I put a bib on Big Bear that said "I love grandma" and one on Muffin that said "I love grandpa."

We drove to their house and let the puppies run inside like they usually do. I guess my dad just put some treats on the floor for their dogs, so BB and M ran straight for the food. Although their bibs were in plain sight, the first thing my dad said was, "Aww, Big Bear & Muffin came prepared just in time for dinner!" and my mom was just tickled to death (by Muffin, of course.) So I put two baby bottles filled with candy on the kitchen counter and told them we had a "sweet surprise." My mom thought they were a gift to them from the puppies. So we decided to just spell it out for them and I took out the First Response box with two positive pregnancy tests in it and that's when it finally sunk in!

Celebrating the Life of Mark Allen Rigsby

2008-01-19T00:15:00.000-08:00

Mark Allen Rigsby(August 24, 1975- January 18, 2008)

slideshow tribute: www.chrisrigsby.com/markthen click on MarksShow.exe

"I'm Free"
Don't grieve for me for now I'm free

I'm following the path God laid for me.

I took his hand when I heard him call

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day

To laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way.

I found that peace at close of day.

If my parting has left a void

Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss.

Ah yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full. I've savored much.

Good friends, good times,

A loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief

Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your hearts and share with me

God Wanted me now:

He set me free.

"Welcome to Jamaica Mon"

2008-01-03T00:06:00.000-08:00

* newlyweds * honeymoon * Jamaica * Sandals White House * zip lines * couples massage * Rub a dub dub * horseback riding * late nights * Jamaican cigars * Jerk sauce * Dirty Bananas * Jamaican Smile * Merlot * white sand * hammocks * movies * kisses * Do Not Disturb * breakfast in bed * hot tubs * clear waters * kayak * hobbie cat * aqua bike * starfish * sleepin in * white sand *

FaithHopeLove

2008-01-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

It's not everyday that a girl marries the man of her dreams and is able to celebrate the occassion with her closest friends and family!! The 15th of December was no exception =) We had an incredible wedding with so much laughter, some happy tears, and all the warm wishes I could ask for.

This is one of my favorite pics of my new handsome hubby =) Isn't he hottttt?!?!