Anniversary

10 years and a day!!! Or what normal people would celebrate as their 3rd wedding anniversary. We had plans to head to Oregon to celebrate but they were cancelled with my recent status. So, yesterday, I made Ash a homemade card and today I ordered in and Tiffany and her little ones swung by and helped set up our coffee table with our wedding china, crystal, and candles. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and tonight after this post... I might even consider holding his hand. I never in a million years would have imagined Ash and I celebrating any of our anniversaries while one of us is on short term disability... just typing that makes me totally bummed. Oh well... in sickness and health! Top 3 Reasons I Love My Hubby of 3 Years

• He still loves me even when I'm on bed rest and I haven't showered
  
• He waits on me hand and and foot
  
• He takes such good care of Caitlyn and our home and of me when I'm just laying in bed

I love you, dear! Thanks for an amazing 3 years (or 3651 days). I still look forward to forever with you!

Special thanks to Tiffany and my mom for helping me set everything up!

30 weeks

Yesterday marked 30 weeks!!! I don't know why, but it just seems so much farther along than 29 weeks. Bed rest is coming along. I am so thankful for my close family. I don't know how I could do it without them! Baby Boy Riggs is moving like crazy in my belly and Caitlyn is moving like crazy outside of it. Ash's parent's kept Caitlyn at their house this past weekend and I swear she grew a ton just over those few days. It was so nice being able to spend the day with her... or watching from the couch as my mom spent the day with her. Today was the 1st day Ash spent a full day at work... I counted down the minutes until he got home... I definitely have 'enhanced closeness' to him (that's what the pregnancy books call it). Tomorrow, I'll try to shoot some pictures from my view... whether it be the couch or bed! Stay tuned...

My New Job

I returned home from the hospital yesterday afternoon and I have assumed my new job as

BAKER OF BABY BOY IN MY BELLY!

At first, I was totally devastated when they gave me a sheet of paper describing the strictness of my bed rest, but after the doctor explained to me that normally only one dose of all the drugs they gave me would have stopped my preterm contractions and the fact that my contractions were still very stong after the maximum doses and three other drugs, they then explained to me my risks and informed me that a transfer to TG (where the good NICU is) might be beneficial... I realized that it is not about me and whether I'm allowed to go up and down our one flight of stairs in our home and that I can't take anymore showers (just baths) and that (even though it breaks my heart and I have cried a number of times about it) it doesn't entirely matter that I can't pick up and love on my daughter...
I HAVE TO REST and be a good home for my son now so that he won't want to come out again anytime soon. My doctor said that chances of delivering a week after preterm contractions start are very high. She is hoping that I can keep him in for 5 weeks... I am shooting for 10 more weeks myself! Thank you to everyone for all the love and prayers sent our way.
I could tell from reading Ash's post that he was really worried about me, but now I ask everyone to send prayers his way too cause dealing with a bed (and pelvic) rest Erin will be a tough tough job! And say some prayers for Baby Boy Riggs too! I'll continue to keep everyone posted as Ash has set the laptop up nicely next to my bed. Bless him!

Hospital

At the request of Erin I am making a post on her behalf.

Last night at about 8:45 PM Erin started having strong contractions every 2 minutes, consistently. Keep in mind we are only 29 weeks along in our pregnancy. After about 90 minutes of continued contractions and lots of stress Erin called the on-call doctor. Of course, the doctor wanted Erin and I to get to the ER as soon as possible.

We got to the hospital about 10:30 PM and went straight up to labor and delivery. Erin was given lots of drugs; some taken by shots, some pills and the rest through an IV. Most of the drugs Erin was given took a pretty good toll on her body so she didn't get much sleep last night. This morning Erin didn't show any strong signs of pre-labor so she continues to rest, drink lots of water, eat regularly and stay on her 4-hour cycle of medication.

I came home tonight to do a post, catch up on some work and then get some sleep so I can go back into work tomorrow. Caitlyn has been spending some time with her Babcia and Grandma these last 24-hours and probably will through tomorrow night too.

Please say a prayer for a tired and sore Erin. Erin is expected back home tomorrow afternoon where I am sure she will have more to say.

Back in Business

For the past week or so Ashley and I have been rearranging rooms in our home to make room for Baby Boy Riggs!!! Well, the process is almost near completion. Sunday we painted our new game room slash study and put it all back together so that it is a functional play room for Caitlyn and the soon to be Baby Boy! In the corner of the room is a small beautiful white desk that Ash and his Dad made (from scratch) that now has our computer set up on it... so I am able to be back in the blogging world!
So here's to all my blogging buddies... sorry I haven't been there to comment:
Beth- Happy Valentine's Day to you too!
Cara- The Oregon Zoo seemed like a lot of fun, I can't wait for your computer problems to be fixed so that you can share some pictures.
Dad- I've missed your cupid calls by just minutes. We'll all be home today a little after 7pm, if you want to call again. I miss you and I hope that your Valentine's Day was lovely... thanks for being the 'Working Man'!
Jodi- Sophie is getting so big and I LOVE the pictures of her at Red Robin drinking the milkshake and her hair is absolutely precious!
Nadine- My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to you and your family... God has a plan for everything.
Sara- I was crying when I read the pink blanket post... Caitlyn is totally attached to a green one that is currently falling apart and I just bought some thread to try to sew it. I have already been to the store that I bought it from to try and get a back up but they didn't have it... of course! I hope your daughter is adjusting okay... and Beau and is swifter broom was hilarious. Great post!
Sarah Goetsch- I hope that your trip is going well and that your mom is recovering well.
Sara Mo- I can't believe Matthew is old enough to go roller skating! Also, I enjoyed your picture and can't wait to see what other cool things you can do from that web site.
Steve- Thanks for all your help with the desk... you know what they say about a man that is good with wood ;)
Terisha- We're going to the game against the Phoenix Suns, I think it's on March 26th!
and last but certainly not least...
Tiffany Jeanne- You and little Jax and now Avery too have been in my prayers. I hope that today everyone woke up and is starting to feel better. If you need ANYTHING AT ALL I'm just a phone call away. I love you guys!
Oh... it feels good to be back! I hope everyone had a great 'Day of Love'. Ash and I never really do much to celebrate since our anniversary is right around the corner, but this year Caitlyn thought it was a good idea to surprise me at work holding a few long stemmed roses for me and my friends and when I got home there was the rest of the two dozen flowers in a vase on my night stand...She's so thoughtful (like her Daddy)!!!

18 Months

I can hardly believe that my little Miss Caitlyn Leigh is already 1 and a half years old. She is growing so incredibly fast... and when I say fast... I mean it. We had her feet sized during Christmas time and she was a size 4 and we went again last week and she is now a size 6. Her 12-month onsies all of a sudden all became real tight against her shoulders and became dificult to snap. The 18 month pants still are a little big in the waist and the 12 month pants are still way too short... she's growing like a little weed. She now has 6 teeth (remember when I was worried that I'd have to get her fitted for baby dentures) and lots of little blonde curls! She absolutely adores her baby dolls and her teddy bear. She can't sleep without her sage green blanket and loves to take turns giving her mom and dad tons of kisses and big squeezes for hugs. She can't go a day without watching her nursery rhyme shows on on demand and watching everyone she loves pass by on our digital picture frame. She enjoys brushing her teeth in the tub and when asked if she knows where mommy's baby is... she lifts up my shirt and blows raspberries on my belly. She can point to every single body part (including her tush, where she kind of smacks her bum and smiles). Her newest and most favorite thing to sign is 'bird' and she loves making the noise for doggy and cat (the way she says 'meow' in her little baby voice is to die for). She had her 18 month check-up last week and the doc says that she is growing very well... high on the charts for length and low on the charts for her weight and right in the middle for her head circumference.
I speak for both Ashley and I when I say that she is the light of our lives and each month we grow with her gets better and better. She is a wonderful daughter will be an amazing older sister. Thanks little Caitlyn for adding so much to our lives!

2nd Trimester Favorites

Top 10 Things

I Couldn't Live Without

10. Homemade stove top popcorn... still

9. Long relaxing showers

8. Finishing the Harry Potter books and watching the Harry Potter Movie-a-thon with Sandy (each movie had it's own assortment of accompanying junk food)

7. Wagon rides with Caitlyn

6. Meeting baby Jackson Newgard and play dates with Miss Avery

5. Twilight (books 1, 2, and half of 3)... I LOVE Edward!

4. Grape or strawberry soda

3. Peanut Butter anything... especially peanut butter cup perfection from cold stone or Reese's peanut butter puff cereal or bananas and apples with peanut butter.

2. The steelers winning the Superbowl!!!

1. Hugs and kisses from Caitlyn and Ashley!

Top 5 Things

I Could've Lived With OUT

5. Sleepless nights

4. Caitlyn's 1st stomach bug :(

3. Losing my breath while climbing up and down the stairs or chasing after Caitlyn...or simply walking from one nurse's station to the other

2. An 11 pound weight gain between weeks 20 & 24... I love the holidays!

1. The quirks of pregnancy: some funky ileosacral inflammation that makes me occasionally limp or waddle after I move from sitting to standing position, starting to stumble in the morning while I attempt to put on my panties, socks or pants while standing up, a crazy abdominal rash that lasted for about a week which I'm sure made me irresistible for my hubby!

Only 12 weeks to go! I am so excited to meet our new addition and for Caitlyn to become a big sister! Hopefully my 3rd trimester goes as smoothly as the first two!

Steelers 6 Pack

I have never been so into a game before in my entire life!!! There were seriously times during the game I felt my heart skip a beat or times where it was pounding against my ribs and even times I had to remind myself to breath. What an exciting SuperBowl!!!
Way to go Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl Champions of the World!!!
I don't even know how many times we danced the Steelers Polka after they won... but it was a lot :)