I Almost Forgot...

While I was in Cali., Caitlyn's doctor called me and gave me outstanding news...
ALL OF HER TEST RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE!
I was walking on the beach when they called and just started crying (happy tears of course). Ash was close to a break in his conference and he came running outside to us and gave Caitlyn and me the biggest hug ever! So, now we just have to keep an eye on what might be making her bum turn red... which she hasn't had in a very long time! Our prayers have been answered! Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers too!

A Much Needed Vacation!

We returned yesterday from sunny San Diego. The trip was amazingly perfect. We traveled there for a conference Ashley attended...it was our 2nd time attending this particular conference. We went last year too during the same week in November, except unlike last year's weather (cloudy, misty and in the high 50's)... this year it was hot sunny and in the 80's!!! I absolutely LOVED the trip and the weather! Ash's conference was really only for one full day and then a couple hours on Friday so we had plenty of time to relax and vacation as a family.

We found ourselves constantly comparing what it was like last year to travel with Caitlyn to this year and imagining what it'll be like next year (we stayed in the same hotel on the beach both times and ate at a lot of the same places). It was interesting because one night we went to a restaurant we remembered liking a lot last year (Caitlyn was 3 months then and slept in her car seat inside her stroller)... this year we took turns enjoying the food while the other was chasing Caitlyn around the restaurant... around the lobby, around the Internet bar, around the lobby again, and back into the restaurant.

I also made a big deal about getting a crib in our room for Caitlyn to sleep in, I called twice to make sure it would be there... we got there...and it was ready for her... and when it was time to go to sleep for her, she would just stand up and look at us from across the room with eyes that said, "hey mom and dad... what are you doing over there, I'm stuck in this thing but ready to play!" So we learned that each night she would just run herself ragged all through our room until she crawled up on the bed with us and teetered out... then we'd gently transfer her back to the crib. (It was so nice last night just setting her in her own crib in her own room as she just rolled over and went peacefully asleep).

Each afternoon for her nap we would walk down to the ocean and walk and walk until Caitlyn fell fast asleep in her stroller. We would then sit next to some beautiful trees in the shade and I would read while she'd sleep, then when she was awake again we'd play in the grass for a long time! I could definitely get used to a life like that!

We enjoyed the pool, the beach, great food, great company, the lamp district, and lots of much needed rest and relaxation! Last year we went to the San Diego Zoo and this year we were planning to go there or Sea World, but decided that it was way too hot (88 degrees) on both the days we were thinking about going, so we went to the pool instead. I don't think Caitlyn minded a bit though... She LOVES to swim! She loves it so much that one time when we were resting on the pool chairs, she high tailed it away from us and ran straight into the pool! I swear she even did a little jump off the edge :) Ash jumped up and into the water before Caitlyn even realized what she had done and was totally surprised by her own courageousness!

The vacation was just what we needed... to get away from everything that Washington entails (especially flooding weather). As Caitlyn and I walked on the ocean front I had found that old pep in my step, that I swear pregnancy had taken out of me, had returned. I swear to you... I was smiling and almost skipping as the sun shone and the birds sang! Who knows if it was really only the vacation or maybe my 2nd trimester energy came back to me... or both... but I LOVED it!

Caitlyn with her own luggage (gifted to her by my friend Kum). She got to have the pacifier a lot this trip... she now has 3 fully visibly teeth!

This is her enjoying the water front after one of her naps!

We went to starbucks too and I found that she isn't into hot chocolate yet!

Caitlyn running on the water front. I really just love this little outfit...

the skirt was still too big on her, but it's darn cute!

We hung out with our friends Tobi and Xian, we had a blast. We did lunch, the beach, dinner, and we went to Ghirradelli's for a wonderful sundae dessert. It was so festive in there with peppermint chocolates and Christmas music! I loved it! I know I have been getting a lot of requests to NOT put collages on the blog, but I'm pregnant and in a bathing suit... so i don't particularly want you to be able to click on the picture to make me look gigantic :) I love the middle picture in this collage cause this is what Caitlyn looks like after a day at the pool with sunscrean all an her hair! Beautiful!

Under the Weather

Yep... I'm sick for the 4th day in a row and I called to work for two of those days... at my work you need a note from a doc if you've been sick for three days so here I am still sick and getting ready for work cause I didn't feel it necessary to make a doctors appointment for a cold. I woke up this morning at 3:30am and just lied in bed not able to go back to sleep cause my nose was running onto my pillow and I was sure that my head would explode any second. Being pregnant and all I can't really take anything good for my cold so this cold is taking a longer time than usual to just go away.
Thanks Grandma Riggs for watching Caitlyn yesterday so I could rest. I got to sleep in til 8:30am (that's late for me now a days). I can only pray for a great day at work!
I swear that after this post... I will not use my blog to vent about my days. Also... I haven't heard anything back about Caitlyn's lab results yet. I'll keep yuns posted!

Birthdays!!!

Happy Birthday to my favorite brother... JON!!!

You are an amazing brother and Uncle! We love you tons!

See you this weekend!
Happy 1st Birthday Avery Jeanne

You are also an amazing little baby girl.

I know you will be a great big sister!

I hope you guys both have a very special day!

15 Month Check Up

Caitlyn had her check up today and did wonderfully! On the other hand, I did horribly (maybe still funny hormones... i don't know). She had to get 3 shots and I brought up that she still gets a red bum when she eats things with wheat flour in them. The doc was wondering about Celiac Disease on our last appointment and didn't wanna do tests yet... well today he DID. So we walked what seemed like miles (accross the parking lot) and waited for what seemed like hours (maybe 30 minutes) in a small lab to get her blood drawn. Now that she is big enough they actually had to do a little baby venapuncture (instead of poking her heel like they did when she was so tiny). Caitlyn sat on my lap and faced forward while I basically bear hugged her, and 2 lab technicians drew her blood. Seriously it took two of them cause Caitlyn was determined NOT to have her blood drawn. Luckily it was just one poke... lots of waiting while the vial filled SO SLOWLY... and we were done! Other than that Caitlyn did wonderfully... I scheduled her next appointment on a Wednesday that Ash is off and I work cause I HATE to hear her cry when she gets shots... it breaks my heart... and then I usually cry too :(

On the car ride home I thought I was ok so I called Ash to give him all the updates on our baby girl and started talking to him about Celiac Disease and then I lost it. I probably should have pulled over I was crying so hard. I KNOW that we don't even know if she has it, and I KNOW that it's not the worst thing for a child to have... but I want my little tiny baby Caitlyn to be healthy and happy and not have anything wrong with her EVER!!!

So I ask that all the bloggers and the blog readers out there say a little prayer for negative tests!

Other EXCITING updates about Caitlyn...

Loves to do the moves for "itsy bitsy spider" and hum along, Loves to lick her lips and stick her tongue out and she really likes it when you copy her. She loves to put her hands on her hand, one at time, until you follow along. If you are sitting on the ground she backs up into your lap and then sits down to cuddle. Flushes the toilet... waits and flushes again... and again. Walks between your legs back and forth... back and forth. Signs: more, hungry, and milk. Says dad, hi, down, no, and Ash (still not "mom"). Points to her ears when you say, “where’s your ears?” and the same for head and nose. She understands so much of what we say, She is AMAZING!!!

Pregnancy Hormones or Not?!?

I picked up a shift today (on my weekend off in order to scrunch in all my hours before Ash, Caitlyn, and I leave for San Diego). The day started off wonderfully, I felt rested after with the extra hour of sleep… and then I found myself at work… with a run of very demanding patients. I received report and to my surprise I had 2 out of 5 patients that are very frequent fliers with us 2 total care patients, and 1 patient that is to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility that is not even close to being arranged yet, 2 of the patients were on contact isolation and 2 of the patients were on droplet isolation! For those of you who might not understand this… I know from this information… my day will be VERY busy!

Now of course I can’t give a whole lot of info because of the privacy laws… but after answering one of my patients call lights for the 100th time at noon today… he asked if any of his dilaudid, phenergan, Benadryl, or oxycontin were due because he was currently… in pain with nausea and itching… and in more pain all at the same time. Now… maybe the Erin RN from February of 2004 would have said with a smile, “oh yes sir, I’ll be right back after I check to see if any of those medications are due, and if they are, I will bring them right in!” (even though it would’ve been the 100th or so time I’ve been in your room today). But, instead, the 14 weeks pregnant Erin said… “You’re STILL not due for any of those medications and I haven’t peed AT ALL today and I have to go REALLY bad… so I am going to use the restroom NOW.” I then excused myself out of the room and used the restroom. I then found myself drawn to the cafeteria to get a side of macaroni which always looks and smells so good but makes my stomach hurt for hours after I eat it… I ate it…then my stomach hurt! Surprise… surprise!
Then later in the day the house supervisor found another one of my patients outside by the main entrance. The patient stated that she was “looking for a new boyfriend… one that would buy her a bigger ring” When I asked her to return to her room, she starts threatening me saying that she is going to call her lawyer because she hasn’t seen a doctor yet today. She continued to threaten me while the nurse in charge was on the phone with her doctor and after I had politely asked her to return to her room she continued the threatening and the yelling and I finally said, “ms. ‘So and so’, right now I am pregnant and I don’t have the patience to continue to tell you the same thing over and over again. We will let you know when we have new orders, please go back to your room.” Then she did and went to sleep for a while. Thank goodness!

I swear I don't usually express myself so matter of factly to my patient's, in fact... I'd say that i am usually pretty professional in my interactions with them... but today was DIFFERENT!

My day basically stunk, it was one thing after the other, I know it just sounds like I had 2 demanding patients but on top of that, I assessed all my patients, passed all my meds, fed two patients that could barely swallow, crushed meds, turned patients, helped other very new nurses, donned isolation gowns, masks, and gloves a gazillion times, joked with a few doctors, passed more meds, tried harder to get the patients to swallow the crushed meds, discharged a patient to a skilled nursing facility, noted STAT orders, shoved food in my face during a short break, peed ONCE…and now I am very tired, even with my extra hour of sleep… work drained the living daylights outta me!
I did get to come home and enjoy a wonderful Sunday Dinner with Ash and Caitlyn (even though I burnt the garlic bread... then cried) and then relaxed in a bath with Caitlyn.
Without them... I for sure would've gone crazy today!
I will now go to bed!

Happy Halloweeny!

We had a blast carving pumkins together this year. I didn't get any photos cause I was mostly picking up the pumpkin that Caitlyn flung accross the kitchen...then she went to sleep at 6:45pm that night and slept til the next morning straight through. They turned out real good though! Hope everyone has a safe Halloween!

Bring it on...

2nd trimester!!!

I'm 100% ready for my 2nd trimester.

I remember with my 1st pregnany waking up one early day in the 2nd trimester feeling rested and having energy... I'm TOTALLY waiting and ready for that!

Top 10 Things I Couldn't Live Without in

My 1st Trimester!

10. Home-made stove top popcorn

9. An afternoon nap

8. Honeycrisp apples

7. Workout motivation from Sandy...

(we usually just went and worked out our mouths... jibber jabbering)

6. Salsa-home grown and made from Amy's boyfriend or Steve

5. Harry Potter: books 1, 2, and half of 3.

4. Day-old stove top popcorn

3. This blog

2. Tiffany's ear, voicemail, and email :)

1. Loving kisses, hugs, and an occasional slap accross the face from Caitlyn and 'support of my craziness' from Ash (I totally quoted him... word for word. In context he said, "Erin... I'm trying my hardest to support your craziness, but it's really hard right now"... I was on the phone with him at work and thought it was about the funniest thing I had ever heard...Gotta love him for supporting me)

...And This is What...

the middle of the childless night looks like... I hope these pictures don't offend anyone...

I'm not 100% sure they are all 'blogger appropriate'?!?

Special thanks go out to the hosts...

I love Sandy and Ian!

Your Halloween party was the best I've ever been to...in my life!

...and I guess... this is what the morning after looks like!I love you sweetie... with all my halloweeny heart!

Another special thanks to Grandma, Pappy, and Aunt Scarlet for taking care of Caitlyn for the entire night!

PS... I think I'm still all hopped up on mountain dew!!!

This is What...

The beginning of a childless night looks like!

Emergency Phone Call

Caitlyn and I received a surprise visit from the Federal Way Police Department today. Caitlyn had just woken up from a nap and I was talking to Tiffany on the phone. Caitlyn was playing happily on the carpet next to me. Next thing I know 2 handsome police officers were knocking at my door. I answered and they asked, "Are you Erin?" I replied, "Yes?!?" They asked, "Have you made any phone calls today?" I said no even though I had been talking to Tiffany... then they told me that they had received a 911 call and when the operator tried to call back she just heard beeping noises. I was so incredibly embarrassed, I explained that my daughter had been playing with the house phone and she must have accidently called 911. I apologized a ton and they said that they just wanted to make sure that we were ok. Caitlyn then came around the corner holding my cell phone and the officers laughed and complemented her on her pretty pajamas! What an exciting morning!This photo is a reinactment.

Pumpkin Patch

What a fun Sunday! We took Caitlyn to her 1st ever Pumpkin Patch... it was a lot of fun watching her and all of the other little kids run around in an attempt to find the perfect pumkin. The weather was perfect and when we came home Caitlyn napped and we did some more yard work... which we actually love to do together! It was a wonderful fun-filled weekend!
Caitlyn now does the sign for 'more' and 'hungry'. I'm telling you, I couldn't be more proud!

Costume Party

Caitlyn had so many interesting friends today! She played with a pumpkin, scarecrow, mouse, monkey, the hulk, and buzz light year! We went to her 1st costume party... thanks to Avery Jeanne! We celebrated Little Miss Avery's 1st birthday a little early and my it was a blast... all the way from little pumpkin cupcakes and pumpkin ice-cream, chex party mix, balloons, halloween tunes, cute party favors with little pumpkins and really sweet gifts inside from the 'ghostess with the mostest' (That's what Avery's t-shirt read after she took off her pumpkin costume). All the little kids looked so precious in their costumes... Enjoy the picsI really thought it'd be easy to get all the cute kids together for a quick pic... it wasn't!That's Avery (in the middle) with her boyfriend (on the left) and Caitlyn.

This toy rocks!

Caitlyn and Avery enjoyed some alone time to discuss all that has happened in the past year!They decided to share the rockin' toy with all the other kids.Mama lady bug and Baby lady love bug! (on this very bench... Caitlyn signed her 1st word... more! She really liked the ice cream)The hulk... he looks so strong here!Caitlyn's pretty full from the ice cream and looks tired (maybe cause she only had a 1/2 hour nap on the way to the party).
Happy Birthday, Avery Jeanne!!!

What a special party for a special girl. We sure are thankful to have been a part of your special day!

Happy Birthday, Han!

Happy 23rd Birthday to a wonderful sister! I love you so much and am lucky to have you as a sister and friend and Cocia to Caitlyn! We sure had fun celebrating with you and I hope that your day was as special as you are! See you tonight!

Caitlyn wants to be the 1st…

...To let you know
She is expecting an arrival of either
a brother or a sister.
May 3rd
Will be the expected day
that she becomes a sister!

Yes... We are expecting Baby Riggs #2!!!

For those of you who remember an old post in early August... we had our 1st night alone (Caitlyn stayed at Babcia and Dziadzia's so we could get ready for her birthday)... Well, we had an AWESOME night... if you know what I mean!!! I am almost 10 weeks along right now and feel amazing! I get the occasional woozy stomach and become real cranky without a nap... but other than that... I feel good.

Ash, Caitlyn and I got to see and hear our little peanut for the 1st time today... and it was perfect! He/She is growing at the right speed and had a heart rate of 179. I will keep you posted as my pregnancy goes along... stay tuned!