The Briggs Family Blog

Toddler Enjoys Salad...

2009-08-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

New discoveries

2009-07-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

I looked around yesterday to find my very own Dalmation puppy, "Lucky" in the living room watching Dragon Tales and singing along to their Spanish version of "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes". She finally got tired and sat down, after she moved her chair to the front of the room right below the tv, of course.

Relaxing in her new chair.

Apple Butter! Thank you Aunt Beth!

This isn't quite new, but she sure loves playing with the hose, the dog and Uncle Blake! And of course, watering the tomato plant.

Starting Over

2009-07-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so most of you are familiar with our current situation. Let me fill the rest in. Matt was laid off in March and without hope of finding something in Phoenix, we ventured back to CA. We both found something fairly quickly...I am cocktailing at Mastro's Ocean Club in Newport Beach; and Matt is the new Executive Chef at 333 Pacific in Oceanside. Sadly, we have finally finished moving our belongings out of our beautiful home and into storage to make room for our new tenants moving in next week. We are staying at my parents in Laguna Niguel for the summer and are trying to decide where to look for a new home of our own. Our families have been extremely gracious and generous, we are so thankful to you all!!! It has been a blessing to watch the baby thrive in the time spent with her extended family. So we are starting our life over again in Southern California. Please keep us in your prayers while we play catch up and look for a new home to love.

On a lighter note, we spent the weekend of the 4th with Auntie "Bess" and Uncle "Ryry". We swam, ate, danced, talked, and laughed. Abby especially loved Dance Dance Revolution and Aerobics. The motorized chair scared her at first, but she ended up asking for more multiple times. She enjoyed lounging, swimming and walking around with her juice. My favorite pic is the one where she is picking a grape off of their vine.

Abby is growing like a weed and learning so many new things each day. Watching her is so much greater than anything we could have ever dreamed of. She wears us out, but provides much entertainment. Some of her favorites are Elmo and Caillou, any kind of berry, rice and beans, avocados, watering the plants and dogs, the park, any activity outside, and listening to music and dancing. Unfortunately she isn't fond of country, everytime I put it on she grimmaces, shakes her head, and says "no"! Oh well.

Summer Fun!

2009-07-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here! Grandma Michele is out of school for the summer and we celebrated at Mario's by the Sea, a family favorite. For Father's Day, Abby helped Grandpa Steve celebrate in Dana Point Harbor. We took 2 weeks of swimming lessons, and finally were able to sport the pigtails!!!

Sorry it has been so long...

2009-05-31T15:53:00.000-07:00

A few pics of the latest events including Abby's first 1K race with the whole family, colring and hunting for Easter eggs, an Angels game, eating out, etc...

I just realized I forgot pics from her 1st bday party...

A day to celebrate and remember!

2009-03-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

While we were eating breakfast yesterday I was reminiscing about the happenings exactly one year earlier...I was in the hospital and Matt had to leave to go pay for a traffic ticket in court at 6:45am...lol. He told the clerk he couldn't stay because his wife was having a baby. She rolled her eyes and shoved a postponement form at him and told him to fill that out. Obviously she didn't believe him, haha. But what could he say? The baby came a week early! He was back at the hospital 45 minutes later, sigh of relief. We had a good laugh about it, many times.

Throughout the day I remembered everything else that happened that day, what a day it was, and how so much has changed.

If you didn't figure it out, Abigail is one! Very hard for us to believe...

We had a very nice day yesterday opening presents, ordering balloons and getting our nails painted. She is now standing on her own and attempts more and more to walk by herself. She can go about 6 steps on her own right now which is super fun to watch. If we are holding her hand(s) she can go quite a distance. She is feeding herself now, mostly. I usually load up the spoon or fork for her or I have a BIG mess to cleanup. She can definitely be a rascal at times, she had learned how to turn off the TV while we are watching and turns around, looks at us, and laughs and laughs.

We have a birthday party planned for Sunday at the park across the street. She has lots of little friends coming. It will be a great day of sun, swings, snacks and cake!!!

We are plannin gour next trip to California! We are all signed up for a race at the PCRF Cinco de Mayo Half Marathon. Abby is doing the kids 1K. So come on out and cheer us on if you can!! We are going back to my parents for a Cinco de Mayo feast afterwards, everyone is invited. We would love to see you all!

Roxanne was just diagnosed with Diabetes this week. We are giving her insulin shots twice a day now and have special food for her. Please pray that she feels better and this regimen helps her live for many more years!

Here are some pix and if you click the link below, you can see some videos on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos

We did it!!!

2009-02-19T23:36:00.001-08:00

Just got these pix...crossing the finish line after my first half marathon! And yes, I already signed up for the next one...I finished in 2 hours and 7 minutes. Yay me! Matt was great, he stayed with me the whole time for support...

To briefly catch you up...

2009-02-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

We were lucky enough to visit Mike and Charis at the beginning of January and FINALLY Abby got to meet Breydon!!! They had a very nice dinner together sharing veggies, coors light coasters, and cheerios. Escrow closed today and we picked up the keys while we conducted our last walk through. We are all so excited, expecially Abby because she has stairs to crawl up and a room painted with pink butterflies. She also gets to peruse through empty boxes... We move the furniture on Sunday and have the rest of the month to move the rest of our junk... Abby has spoken her first word, "hello" and signed her first sign, "doggie". I caught the second on tape...Also, she loves to play ball with Roxy and her Daddy. Enjoy the videos. To see the first one, you have to follow the link, then just play the other.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6-PtDFv2K4

Bad news, good news...

2009-01-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

The sort of bad news is that I turned 28 this week, which for all that are arimthmetically-challenged, that is only 2 years away from 30, sigh. But I can't help but notice that my life is way better now than ever before!! Maybe they are right about 30 being the new 20. Then again, I won't know for another 2 years...

The good news is that Matt and I had a GREAT night out alone, celebrating both of our bdays! We enjoyed too much delicious food followed by this beautiful plate of heaven!

The time has finally come!!!

2009-01-16T16:38:00.001-08:00

Yes everyone, we are in escrow!!!! Please pray that everything goes as planned. We are scheduled to close on February 5. This has been a very detailed and busy process, but everything has fallen into place making it easier on us, so God definitely had his hand in this. We couldn't be more excited! Here are some pictures of the front. It is in a great community with parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, a YMCA, a fishing lake and pools and jacuzzis. It is going to be perfect for our growing family. Thank you all for your love and support.

PS. Abby is now a HUGE fan of spaghetti...

Touchdown

2009-01-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

So during the Cardinals game on Saturday, Daddy taught Abby how to say touchdown!!! Follow the link to see the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RTNGzXc2FY

Baby's First Xmas

2008-12-26T21:25:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the baby, enjoying one of her new toys and hanging with Mom, both in her beautiful Xmas dress!

The greatest gift of all...

2008-12-25T13:56:00.001-08:00

Each time I run I am overcome with gratefulness that I am healthy, and have legs that can run. And each time, I thank God. As I spent 65 minutes running this morning, thinking, thinking, and thinking some more about thoughts that led me to more thinking, I realized that God truly has a plan for everything. My darling husband led me to running as a main source of exercise. I used to hate it and the boredom it brought, but today, I realized after 4 miles that not only was I not bored, but training for the half marathon and running has improved my patience!! I thought about all the different areas in my life...work, home, family, friends, driving, and exercise. My excitement level quickly escalated as I confirmed that, yes, in every area of my life my patience had improved! What a wonderful Christmas gift! More patience! I was so thankful! Just in time for a new year and a blossoming toddler!! So when God motivated me to shed the baby weight, he was really helping me to be a better mother and wife, co-worker, friend, and christian woman. I was then quickly reminded of my shortcomings and how I desperately needed Christ and that is the whole reason he sent the little baby Jesus. That was today, many, many years ago that he was born. I felt that I could finally imagine what Mary felt like and then I pictured Abigail and shivered. So, Happy Birthday Jesus, and thank you for reminding me of how amazing you are through a mere run.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

2008-11-24T12:36:00.000-08:00

We are busy getting ready for Thanksgiving!! Not only are we preparing a 6-course meal for 17, but we are running in the Turkey Trot early Thursday morning. Matt and I are running the 10k. This will be my first race since I was pregnant. I am so excited I can't stand it!!! Then, we have this amazing meal to cook, which is really taking all week, but it has been so much fun planning, shopping and making prep lists. For those who can't be with us, we miss you and wish you the Happiest Thanksgiving ever!!!

Abby is enjoying all the time in the kitchen too! She has a new highchair with her own tray. Her favorite meal is cheese and crackers with a banana. She also loves pears, grapefruit(strange), butternut squash, and cherrios! She has been very busy herself discovering a whole new world while crawling around the house. It is too cute. Last week she crawled over to the tv and climbed up to grab the DVD player and Matt said, "Abby, NO!" She sat down, turned around and looked at him. He then asked her nicely to come to him. She shook her head, "no" and climbed back up to reach the DVD player. This happened 3 times and we tried so hard not to laugh, but it was so funny!! We were able to keep the giggles under our breath, but geez...attitude at 8 months??? We are really in for it! Hahahaha.

It's official!!!

2008-11-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

She is 8 months today, and yep, she is crawling across the house. She has been putting around for the last week but not more than a few steps. Yesterday she went from the living room all the way to the front door and then sat up and looked back at me. I clapped and praised her and said "Yay Abby!" and she smiled so big and put her hands in the air like Yay me! Haha. That's my girl.

She is also pulling herself up as of yesterday. This makes nap time a bit of a struggle, but humorous for us. Yesterday I found her screaming, standing in her crib holding on...evidently she thinks this will get her out of her naps...it was funny. I put her down today and she decided to sit back up and cry...30 minutes later this is what she looked like. Lol.

Being interactive...

2008-11-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

Dad booked a day at the spa for Mom so I got to play with him at the park while she got pampered!!! So fun!

Playing in the kitchen while Dad is cooking dinner.

2008-11-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how quickly two weeks goes by...and in less than two more, the little angel will be 8 months. And hopefully I will be up to 6 miles.

We have been very busy this month, especially the last few weeks. We searched far and wide for a pumpkin patch, but unfortunately never found one. She has been learning how to crawl and say "Mama", pulling herself up, playing at the park, going to fundraisers, and trick-or-treating!!!

Of course, some pix...

1 - Playing in her diaper
2 - Hanging with Dad
3 - enjoying her pizza crust
4 - Halloween shopping
5 - playing with boxes
6 - trying to drive
7 - having dinner with Mom
8 - Tinkerbell
9 - Piglet
10 - trying to start early on her candy
11 - chillin in the wagon - trick or treating is tiring!!

JUST KIDDING, THEY ARE BACKWARDS...

Good Morning!

2008-10-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Abigail wanted to say good morning to everyone and show off her new "shake my head no" skills.

Just to brag...

2008-10-13T15:12:00.001-07:00

So, in case you all didn't know what a darling my husband is...this is what I found on the table ready for me after I got out of the shower last night. Yum!

Phoenix Race for the Cure

2008-10-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Early this morning we woke up the baby to venture out of the house in hooded sweatshirts and running shorts. It was her first time racing for the cure!!! We stopped for a quick pic before we left. She was very excited as you can tell. She wanted to hold the name card of who we were racing for but couldn't quite keep it straight. We figured out a good spot for it eventually! Didn't get a pic of the family this time...it was hard to even move there. Over 60,000 people showed up! It was great to see so much support, but not the best workout. Oh well. Abby kept busy by eating her biscuit and was very enthusiastic about all the pink balloons. She got her own tee shirt and lots of things to play with! I can't wait until next year when she can play in the Kid's Korner and have a balloon of her own.

Yesterday Matt snapped a few pictures of the sisters now that they are getting to be better friends.

Top Chef spotted at playground in AZ suburb

2008-10-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Top Chef Abby visited the outdoor kiddie playground at the San Tan Shopping Center on Monday. We were in search of a pumpkin patch, and after many minutes and a lot of back and forth, we decided to give up. The Disney Store caught my eye, and then in front of that was a kiddie playground. How perfect! And even better, there was also a water fountain for the kids to play in. She was very interested in that. After we had parked and walked down the outdoor corridor leading to the play area, I spotted a sign that read "Pumpkin Patch". I had found it! Unfortunaltely, we soon found that it was a children's clothing store called Pumpkin Patch. If only the world wide web had been more descriptive...Abigail still enjoyed her day, not knowing what she was missing, thank goodness. And as for pumpkin patches in the area, still haven't found one...

I finally caught her teeth on camera. If you click on the picture, you can see them.

Time's a flyin'

2008-10-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

So, Abigail is almost 7 months. That is unbelievable to me. About once a month I go thru all the pix I have of her (it takes me forever!) and I can't believe how much she has grown and changed in such a short period of time! We went to the Dr's this week. She weighs 16 lbs and is measuring at 26.6". This puts her in the 37th and 68th percentiles, respectively. Her head has finally passed the 10th percentile mark and gone into the 11th...I am so thankful for the small head! She is doing perfectly he said.

She learned to wave about a month ago, but now can do it with her hands. When I get back from the gym in the morning, she greets me with a big smile and a hand wave, I melt every time. She has two little nubs growing on the bottom gum. They are so cute! Who would have ever thought that teeth could be so cute. Matt says I say that about everything...duh! She is very interested in crawling even though she doesn't quite have the strength yet. Thank God! I am definitely not hoping for that anytime soon. But it is darling to watch her try to go from sitting up to down on all fours. When I first put her in her crib I thought that all the stuffed things were there for me to look at. I have now realized that I am wrong! She just wasn't old enough to be interested in them yet...I should have known. Now she plays for long periods of time in her crib and loves it. There is a picture of her sleeping underneath a bunch of them. It cracks me up. She is so full of life and loves to chat about mamamamamamas and babababababas. Figures. I am becoming an expert in discussing these issues. She is fascinated with the dog. Every time she sees Roxanne, she giggles and then follows her with not only her eyes, but her entire body. Check out the over-the-couch move.

Fall has finally hit us. The weather was down today, about 85 at it's peak, which is like cold to us...haha...But it is really nice because we can run more easily. A month ago, we would have to run before 6AM, today I went at 5PM. It was fabulous. Matt and I are training for the Rock and Roll half marathon in January. We only started about 2 weeks ago, but so far, so good. It is nice to be into a routine again and have a goal to work towards. I am sure not running 10 miles a day, but I am much better off than I was even 2 weeks ago. So, we'll see how it goes.

We are planning for the holidays early. Matt will be in San Diego for Halloween, sad for us both. We wanted to take the baby around the neighborhood in a cute little costume. So, more pix messages I guess. Thanksgiving is at our house and both families are coming along with a few friends. We are working out a 6 course menu that will be phenomenal!!! I can't wait. I am so smart for marrying a chef! Xmas will be here as well, I am tired of traveling! Probably will be quiet, but that is okay with me! Then again, it is never quiet with the baby! I am so excited to give Abs wrapping paper!

We have been so busy running around, now that the temp is dropping, that we haven't taken many pix. Sorry, the next will be many!

Jumpertastic!

2008-09-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of the baby jumping and singing. Sorry about the crappy quality. We are waiting for Xmas to get our good camera. For now, the phone will have to do.

Busy, busy, busy

2008-09-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the picture overload, but it has been over a month since I have blogged. We have been quite busy and all over the place. I will give the short version while narrating the pictures.

We flew to Reno to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Briggs before driving to Lake Tahoe for the annual Campfest with seven other families. Our neighbors were kind enough to donate a Dr. Suess backpack to Abby for her travels. It was great! Held all of her toys and soft puppy for the trip! She can finally sit in the shopping cart, which we discovered while shopping for supplies. She loved camping! She had her own chair but sometimes opted to share with Mom or Dad. She was facinated with the fire! She helped Dad make coffee and bicuits campfire style and helped Mom eat her banana. When beach day came, she wanted to be just like Dad and was able to thanks to the shades Aunt Beth gave her. What a cool baby! Beach day was awesome with some toys and a big umbrella. She was the only kid that got thru the whole grown up hike, thanks to Dad and the Baby Bjorn. Tent sleeping was a new experience, but she got used to it fairly quickly. There were eleven other children at Campfest which made things so fun. Can't wait til next year!!

Next we flew to Denver to visit Mike and Charis. She loves the plane. Now she can sit in her own seat and play with her toys, but only if the flight isn't full, of course. She got to watch Monday night football with Mike and chew on her new toy from Charis. We had so much fun! Thanks guys!!

After Denver, we flew home to Orange County to be with Grandpa John. We had six whole days with him before he passed away. The baby learned how to wave while he was in the hospital and waved goodbye to him before he died. I am very thankful that we were there all together when it happened and am glad he is resting in peace now.

While we were there, we got lots of good time with the family. Abby spent one afternoon with Uncle Blake. He played his guitar for her, they watched the USC game together and she showed her support with her baby SC cap! After they won, she decided she wanted to look like Uncle Blake and sported her cool bandana on our beach walk.

Since we've been back, Abby has started classes at the Little Gym. She loves them! We are going to start swimming lessons soon. She is great, growing like wildfire and eating everything you put in front of her. Everyone says that the next 6 months are even better. I can't imagine how.

New milestones...

2008-08-17T22:09:00.001-07:00

Okay, the only actual milestone is that Abby can sit up by herself for awhile. If she sways to either side, she can pull herself back to the center, but if she falls too far back, she goes down. Below is a "flip book" of her...she falls down in the middle of it, then Matt helps her back up. I also snapped a few of her sleeping with soft puppy. (They are just really cute). Oh, she is also eating her cereal and veggies fairly well now. We try to introduce something new every week. She will eat her oatmeal cereal, squash, avocados, and bananas.

I should write these more often...

2008-08-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

It saddens me that I have to pull down my calendar and review it in order to post the latest. I feel that there may be a direct link between Motherhood and early Alzheimer's...

First things first, Abby saw Dr. Mike and is weighing in at 13 lbs 15 oz. I am sure she has far surpassed the 14 lb line at this point, since that was two weeks ago. She is also over the 25" hump, fairly tall for her age. Shocker considering she is a mini me. Not for long I guess. He said she looks great, is doing everything she should be and then left so the nurse could inject her. I was amazed at what a trooper she was. Barely any crying and then instead of sleeping all day or getting a fever, she was just a little fussy in the afternoon and evening. She gets that from her Dad...I would have passed out from 4 shots, ugh!

One of Matt's close friends, Brad Harker, visited us and we all went to the Baseball game. This was Abby's 2nd. She was awake almost the entire time, dozed just for 10 minutes before the 7th inning stretch and of course woke up to sing. We really enjoyed his visit and Matt had a great time catching up.

My parents were here a few days later. We decided to go back to Chase field because Abby loved it so much! PS. Xmas gift idea - season tickets to the Diamondbacks! We were finally able to put her in the little Dbacks outfit that has been too big - see picture. I couldn't stop laughing it was so cute. Abby finally got some quality time with my parents. Usually there is so much going on that no one actually just gets to play with her for a few days.

Abby is playing so many games now. She likes to see who can spit the most, lips or tongue, doesn't matter to her. She likes to shake her head back and forth. She loves the mirror! She can sit in front of it while I take a shower and will talk to herself and try to touch her reflection. Singalongs are her favorite. Her favorite animal is soft puppy, she holds it every night while she sleeps. As much as I wanted her to like her animals, her favorite toy is still the remote, thanks to Dad. We have started solid foods, but are not using them on a daily basis yet. Sometimes she likes them, sometimes she doesn't. We discovered she loves sippy cups. I wish I had tried this earlier instead of the bottle. It would have made things a lot easier! She has discovered her thumb, which is so cute, but of course I am already concerned. I think I will just enjoy the cuteness of it right now, though. And she loves it when we babysit! Bauer plays and talks with her and she talks right back. She is such a joy to watch every day, we are loving every minute of her.

We will be in Flagstaff this weekend, and then leave for Tahoe next Wednesday. Abby's first camping trip! After that, we are off to Denver for the convention and of course to see Charis. Please keep her in your prayers as she is in her last few weeks of pregnancy!!!

As for Matt and I, we finally had a chance to go on a date, the first since the baby, wait, second, but first time alone! We were so tired we decided to stay home. Haha. Next time!

Pix: Abby's new outfir all the way from France!, excited about her cowboy boots, playing with Bauer, sucking her thumb, ready for breakfast, trying out her new chair, ready to climb into the boxing rink, and assorted baseball pix.

A weekend of "Firsts"

2008-07-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

So Matt, in need of a vacation, decided last minute that we would spend his long weekend at the beach. So, we left Friday night and drove to the beach. We spent 2 days with all my sibling at the beach and enjoying relaxation and good food. With the parents in Europe, it was the first time that just the kids were togerther with new spouces and baby Abby! Very fun. We didn't get a picture...ugh. But, we did get a picture of Abby's first time in the Ocean, and the first time she held her bottle by herself!!!

Abby and I are babysitting a few times a week now for a darling 2 year old boy named Bauer. This week we have been watching his 5 year old sister too, but she goes to school next week. Abby loves the interaction with them and they are loving her as well.

Matt is busy as usual, but improvements are happening! Nothing is perfect, but things are getting better!

Up and coming:
- 1st Family Camping Trip in Tahoe
- Trip to Denver to hopefully catch the birth of baby Raine

Quick Update...

2008-07-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

A quick update for those who keep checking...she just rolled over for the first time on her own!!! Twice. From her front to her back. Very exciting!!! She is singing and talking all day long, it gets very noisy around here! Somewhere between a burp rag, elephant, or the tv remote control she keeps herself entertained for quite some time. She is finally interested in her nuk (pacifier) and likes to put in in her mouth, take it out and play with it, then put it back in. She likes to play on the computer with me and sometimes eats the end of the keyboard. Still waiting to see how much she weighs, that is next week though. We are looking forward to introducing solid foods here in the upcoming weeks; I have found a handful of really cute websites with homemade baby food recipes and healthy kids food!

Matt is in Albuquerque this week. :( we miss him. fffffffffff(that is what Abby wanted to tell you, told you she likes to play on the computer.) His job is going well, but he has a lot of people working for him who don't like to be held accountable and therefore he is traveling more than he would like to. It will end soon. They are also starting construction on a new Mexican restaurant in the next couple of months. He has already written the menu, it is super yummy!!!

I am continuing my few days a week at Mastro's, and getting ready to start babysitting a few days a week for a darling 2-yr old. I am excited that Abby will get to play with other children.

Oh, I forgot...we took Abby swimming for the first time fourth of July weekend - she loved it! We went to the nieghbors 2x this week to swim with their girls, 5 and 6. So much fun!

Enjoy the pix.
1 - backfloat w/Dad
2 - kicking w/Mom
3 - sleeping like Mom
4 - playing with beanie in her crib
5 - watching Sports Center w/Dad while enjoying a cold beverage
6 - standing in her crib!!! (she held herself up!!!)

National Grandparent Month

2008-07-03T11:31:00.001-07:00

So, the month of June was Nat'l Grandparent month, as I mentioned. We saw all of them for a total of 13 days, almost half of the month. Abby loved it! She is getting more spoiled by the day.

We have been enjoying Abby's smiling face, her new laughter, her love of music, and her efforts to roll over half way. She'll get there soon. She does well in her swing or on the bed alone for about an hour a day, other than that, she wants to be stimulated and played with. She loves it when we sing to her, her favorite is when Matt plays the guitar. She has become very interested in her toes and bringing them close to her mouth. It is only a matter of time before she sucks on them. (And in case you are concerned, the toe nail polish has worn off.) We bought her a bouncy seat that hangs from the ceiling and she is a little small but really likes it. The mirror is amazing to her, as well as interesting lights and fans still. She is now holding on to her little doll and her stuffed elephant. It is really cute. She goes to the Dr. in 2 weeks for her next set of shots and I am really eager to see what she weighs. I can barely carry her in her carseat anymore. And when we hold her for a long time, our backs start to ache. I can't believe how big she is getting.

Since I married a chef, I have been lazy in the kichen for too long and I decided that needs to change. I have been trying to make all of our meals and venture outside the box a bit, learn new things, make things up, etc...So far, so good. I love the Food Network, it is a great help. Abby loves it too.

After a really nice weekend out of the heat, in Flagstaff, we are planning a quiet month at home. Matt is traveling a lot this month, but we are tired. I think it will be nice to hang out at home for a change. Here are some new pics of the bebe.

Trip to California

2008-06-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, another trip! We began the trek on Friday evening arriving in OC around midnight. Of course the baby was great, waking only when we arrived to say hello to everyone.

On Saturday, we had a restaurant marathon. We started the day at BJ's in Laguna to visit my sister at work and eat with my Mom's side of the family to clebrate some birthdays. We drove to Ocean Club in Newprt Beach visiting a few of Matt's friends and then headed to LA. Our first stop was at Napa Valley Grille, then One Sunset, and finally, to Chapter 8. We enjoyed old friends, good wine, and fabulous eats at each place. Blake came with us, which was great! But he was a bit tired on the way up.

My cousin Evan and his beautiful wife Miki celebrated their wedding ceremony that took place in Japan last year with a fabulous celebration at the Balboa Yacht Club last Sunday. It gave us a great excuse to go visit! We got dressed up for Sunday brunch, enjoyed omlettes, pastries, fruit, an open bar, and great company!

On Monday, Matt drove down to San Diego for work. We were sad to see him leave, but it was nice that we were able to work the trip out in everyone's favor. We took my Mom lunch for her birthday and visited with her class. They were so excited to meet Abigail that they had their hands wached and a sign on the chalkboard when we arrived! We took a class picture and individual pics with each student; they were thrilled! It was very cute. We proceeded on to show Abby the Shops at Mission Viejo for the very first time. After birthday shopping was over, we visited Erika at the Yard House and had a very nice Birthday Happy Hour.

Finally on Tuesday, Abby and I most of our time napping on the couch, we were EXAUSTED!!! She was able to spend some time with Grandpa Steve. Matt came back in the afternoon and we went out for an early sushi dinner. We stumbled upon a new frozen yogurt shop that was fabulous! It had pink and red glass cherries as a chandelier...Abby was smitten!

We drove back Tues night and then both had to go work on Wednesday. I took a part-time job at Mastro's to help save for a house. Abigail went to stay with Melissa and her two children, Kennedy - 5 1/2 and Bauer - 2. They had a blast. Abby loved the kids and did very well, finally drank out of her bottle, took her naps and played with the kids, smiling lots. They loved her as well! They introduced her to Sponge Bob, which I heard was a hit. Melissa was truly an answer to our prayers!

We are really looking forward to celebrating Father's Day on Sunday! I have a special breakfast in mind that Abby is really looking forward to making!

Next week Grandma and Grandpa Briggs are coming to visit!! Abigail is very lucky that everyone loves her so much and loves to see her.

Baby's 1st Pedicure...

2008-06-02T15:31:00.001-07:00

I don't think there is anything wrong with having pretty toes!

Picture #1: Look closely...
Picture #2: Close up...

The Greatest Joy of All!

2008-05-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

As I sit on the couch burping my child, she starts to doze off. It is almost bedtime. Slowly her head turns and rests on my shoulder and her arms curl slightly around my neck. This is my heaven-on-earth. So we kiss Dad goodnight and walk to the nursery. Roxanne follows to make sure everything is okay. As I lay her down she looks at me and smiles. Wow! "Good night my love, sleep tight." She wiggles for a few minutes and then is out. Who knew that 10 minutes could be so amazing? Definitley inspiring enough to blog it!

Her sweet sweet nature shows more and more every day and I am realizing that this was why I was put on this earth. She has scheduled herself to go to sleep around 8 or 9PM. We wake between 5 and 6AM to her voice on the monitor, not to a screaming come and get me, but to a sweet voice, usually saying good morning to her dollies and crib friends, and the stretchiest stretches I have ever seen! Unfortunately, everytime she stretches, we don't have the camera nearby...So we bring her into our room and she smiles and smiles! So glad to start her day with us! The feeling is definitely mutual. She makes waking up at 5AM delightful!

She is so much more interactive now. When we talk with our hands, she follows them. She gets so excited when she see a ceiling fan, especially when it is spining. She likes to stare at anything in the path of her eyes, see picture #3, often the bee(s) hanging over her swing. She has started to giggle, not very often or for long periods of time, but it is a definite giggle. Usually when we blow on her tummy or her little butt as we change her diapers. At the car wash yesterday, a little 2 year-old girl was giving Abigail a dolly dance show and she surprisingly giggled at that! I almost died it was so cute. She is working so hard on picking up her neck from all angles, see picture #2. We are doing tummy time with her every day to stregnthen her skills. She likes reading stories at night; she looks at all the pictures and colors and smiles. We are beiginning to incorporate the baby signs into normal conversation with her. Hopefully she will catch on eventually. It isn't something to hold your breath for, but the long term effects that are desired. When she gets excited she kicks her legs, flails her arms, smiles and breathes heavily, for a baby anyways. She loves her baths and when we sing to her she sings back. I put the back of the stroller today so we can strap her in without the carseat. She felt like a big girl and loved the ability to see everything as we walked through the store.

The pictures:
1: Cowgirl outfit from Grandma Briggs - trying to ride cousin Mahya
2: Tummy time!
3: Staring at her bee
4: Getting ready for bed. I just love this sleeper with the polka dots...thanks E!
5: Napping with her dolly
6: Big girl in her stroller!

my wife is making me write this one

2008-05-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

So, where to begin. We took a trip to Reno this month to say goodbye to Abby's Great Grandmother, Peggy. Grandpa Earl's mom. The trip was sad but also very uplifting. As my aunt Bobbie said, "our family lost one wonderful woman but we also gained a wonderful little girl." Our only regret is that grandma didn't get to meet the newest addition to the family. But on a bright note everyone else in the family did.
The trip was fun but perhaps a bit un-nerving for Christa. I don't think she got to hold her baby the whole time. It took the "jaws of life" to pry Abby away ffom Grandma.
Grandpa also got to spend some quality time with his grand daughter for the firt time. He baby sat for a while and she fell asleep easily in his arms. He also took her on a big game hunting trip into Cabella's. He's priming her for the real thing.

Last weekend we all took a trip to Sedona and watched a small, out-door wedding, and had a couple of beers. Abby is becoming a real bar fly between visiting me a work and what we do during our family time. Her first words are going to be, "make it a double".

This week we also began to read to her every night and we started to learn sign language for babies. I think Abby will catch on before I will. She is smiling a lot, playing with her rattles and she loves watching the Food Network. Sometimes if she is really fussy I put her in the baby biojrn and we fix dinner for Christa.

One thing we are truly grateful for, Abby is sleeping through the night on a regular basis. Yeah, really, she is. About 7 hours. After she eats she falls right back asleep until about 10. I may be a bit bias but she is way cool!
Check out the new pics and we will be posting more soon. Good bye and God bless.

Bathing Beauty!

2008-05-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

This week we stayed in Tucson. Abigail had her first 10 hr day in the restaurant yesterday. She was great! We helped them learn the new menu all week and yesterday we were there all day to make sure the transition was smooth. It went very well.

Thursday we tried out the new swimwear in between naps. I took her sun bathing for a bit until it got too warm. She seemed to enjoy it as much as she could...She is getting better at smiling and she is talking more. She is almost sleeping through the night now!! We feed her and put her down between 930 and 11PM and she doesn't wake up until 5AM. She will eat and then go back to sleep until 9 or 10AM. It is funny how a sense of pride comes over us like she started to walk, but this is a big accomplishment! Here are some pics. Love you all.

The Travelin' Family!

2008-04-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

With Matt's new menu roll out, he is needed all over the west coast! Well, all over AZ, and a few other places. We flew to Denver for a week, then Abby and I enjoyed a simple road trip to San Diego where Matt met up with us. We enjoyed this past week at home. Next week we are off to Tucson for three days, then two weeks later, we will be staying in Flagstaff. As crazy as it is, I feel extremely fortunate that we are able to travel with Matt and be with him. We are able to see all of his restaurants, meet most of his staff, and enjoy lots of fiji chicken sandwiches. I like taking Abby along, obvously, because she gets to experience a lot in her first three months of life! She has met so many people, toured different towns in the baby bjorn and napped in many a restaurant. GREAT NEWS...Everyone loves Matt's new menu, staff and guests!!! So all this work is for a great cause!

Abigail will be 7 weeks old on Tuesday!!! I can't believe it! She smiled for the first time on Sunday!!! It was darling! She is working on her smiling muscles constantly, soon I will be able to capture it on camera! She holds her neck up all on her own now and is trying real hard to crawl up my chest every chance she gets. She wants so badly to stand up, soon I tell her. I love her eagerness to try new things and fail, then try again. She will definately be a strong little tike! Wait, she already is! She also loves to talk to us and is starting to sing a few seconds at a time. Our favorite time of day the morning for she is bright eyed, bushy tailed, playful, and very content. She loves to be clean and warm. Her favorite colors are purple and yellow. She likes long stroller runs at dusk and Baby Bjorn walks. Her favorite meal is warm milk. She likes taking showers with her Dad and she loves it when he sings to her. Her favorite show is Sports Center and wants to be a professional baseball player when she grows up. She loves her sister Roxanne. She is a Pisces.

Abby's 1st Diamondbacks Game!!

2008-04-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

We took Abby to her 1st baseball game yesterday! Chase Stadium is super nice and has lots of shade, so we didn't have a problem staying out of the sun. They also air condition the stadium, so we stayed plenty cool. Here is a pic...the first of our family actually.

Our first trip!!

2008-04-12T23:41:00.000-07:00

What a week! Grandma Michele and Aunt Bethie came to visit on Saturday. We had a fun filled weekend visiting shops in Old Town Scottsdale, barbequing, and playing with the baby! We were sad to see them go, but excited to venture to Denver, CO on business with Matt. Abigail did fabulously on the plane, both ways. We stayed in a large suite in a beautiful old hotel downtown. They had a full buffet breakfast each morning, happy hour each evening, and milk and cookies every night, all complimentary. Itwas right down the street from Matt's restaurant, about 8 blocks and we were able to hop on the free mall trolley and get there quickly. We are quite experienced with the Baby Bjorn now, Abby really likes it! We were fortunate enough to visit with Mike and Charis two days in a row!!! I showed them Maloney's one night and the next they took us to a really nice place around the corner. It snowed on Thursday so Abby and I stayed in. SHe was very tired that day and had a hard time sleeping which caused the first day of fussiness. The next day she was back on track. We got home today and later picked up Matt's friend Joe Gonzales. How fortunate we are that so many people want to meet the little one!!!

Aunt Hannah bought Abby the cutest little strawberry cap. She was able to wear it in Denver along with her ugg boots before she grew out of them and winter came along!!!

Settling in...

2008-03-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

So, Abby is getting used to her new home. She sleeps well most of the time and eats very well too. She is working really hard on strengthening her neck muscles this week. She is also very squirmy, forecasting a busy future for us! I am loving being home with her - she is so entertaining! A very good baby - we are LUCKY! Not a lot of fussing or crying. We are working on forming a schedule especially for nighttime feedings. We'll see how that works out in a few weeks. Roxanne is adjusting well - she like to sit close to us at all times, especially when Abby is eating. If she cries, Rox checks on her. I can't wait until they can play together.

An old friend of Matt's came to visit us last week with their 10 week old. We took pics of the babies side-by-side. They are hilarious. They other pics are from Easter morning, and of her new swing.

Matt's job is going really well. He is in the process of rolling out a new menu at all Maloney's locations, there are 7, and traveling to each store in order to assure proper execution. Luckily, we get to go with him to Denver, in two weeks, and then to San Diego at the end of April! Everyone loves him and what he is bringing to the company. We are very proud of him!

I am striving to learn to drink lots of water, how to let Roxanne outside while feeding the baby, and to try to nap while she sleeps. I was given the ok to slowly get back into exercise this morning, so I am going to start post-partum pilates and go back to the gym when I can get up at 8AM consistently.

We miss you all.

New pics - this week

2008-03-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

The wait is finally over!

2008-03-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

So, Tuesday afternoon, after 28 hours of contractions, an epidural, and lots of ice chips, Abigail decided to show her face to the world. And my what a pretty face, I might add. She was 6 lbs 13 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. Perfectly healthy, we were able to come home Thursday! I am posting a picture of her first time in car seat, she decided to smile! Haha. We have truly enjoyed the last couple of days of sleepless nights and quiet days as she is still on the nightlife schedule. She will sleep for about an hour and a half and then eat, go back to bed and the eat again. She sleeps all day and I have to wake her to feed her! She is eating very well though, no problems with breastfeeding - thank you God! Matt is extremely interactive throughout the night as well as the day. It was nice to have him off this week.

Ready!!!

2008-03-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

So, the baby's room has been completed, vacuumed and rid of 99.9% of bacteria, according to Lysol. The stroller has been put together, the car seat is strapped into the back of the Blazer, and the hospital bag is completely packed. Just incase anyone is wondering how enomous I have gotten, Matt took a few last week pix, front and side views. Love you all!

I finished the baby's room!

2008-03-07T11:39:00.000-08:00

It is all done and ready for Abby when she gets home from the hospital!!

New additions...

2008-03-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

Bath time is ready for Abby!! We got our bathroom all set up complete with little towel hooks; one for me and one for Abby! I have her bathtub underneath the sink next to a basket of bath supplies and washcloths. I am so excited to bring her home!!! 13 days and counting!!!

Just one more thing...

2008-02-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

I forgot...Matt and I visited family for a last minute baby shower. While we were up there, we were able to visit David Seel, an old family friend, and his fiance, Jaqueline. Here are Grandparents as well.

We made it!

2008-02-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We have finally made it to Chandler, AZ!! It was a rough weekend for all of us. I came down with the flu on Thursday, our last packing day. We moved out of the apartment on Friday, stayed with my parents Friday night and then set out on the road for a 7+ hr drive to sunny Arizona on Saturday. Roxanne was confused as I let her into the backyard, but really liked it. We were out of the truck in 45 minutes, thanks to E-Move. Unfortunatley, we didn't have any utilities on because the landlord forgot to tell us that they had shut them off days earlier. So Rich, my brother-in-law brought over battery powered-lanterns, water, dinner and alcohol!! Hooray!! Of course, I took about 5 bites and drank some water and went to bed.

On Sunday I began to feel a bit better and we began to unpack. I still wasn't much help, I am not moving very quickly. We met a bunch of our new neighbors. Everyone is really nice and everyone has lots of kids and dogs! Just our kind of street!

Matt started his new job on Monday morning...TROOPER!!! He is so excited! He came home early and said it was a great first day!! I saw my new Dr. Monday afternoon and she was really nice. I only have 3 weeks left! She gave me all the hospital info and the last minute stuff I need to know. My power was turned on while I was gone! So I was able to do the laundry and take a shower!!!

As we talked about Matt's day, the baby's crib, changing table and basket were delivered!!!! So we put them together and dressed everything, so the baby's room is almost complete!!!

I am still coughing, but it seems to be clearing up a bit. Roxanne and I are trying to do little bits of the house in between back aches. Matt has been the greatest help ever and is more productive by the time he leaves for work than I am all day. I guess that's what happens when you move 3 weeks before your due date...

We have no pix yet, I can't find the plug to get them into the computer...soon, I promise. Love and miss you all.

I finally gave in!!!!

2008-02-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

My sister has been bugging me to create a blog ever since I got pregnant. Now that we are moving out of the state, I figure it isn't a bad idea...

Most of you should know by know that we are moving to Chandler, AZ on the 23rd of February. This town is pretty similar to Laguna Niguel and is a suburb of Phoenix; just think a little south east. As you also know, we are expecting our first child, Abigail Louise, on the 17th of March. So as you can imagine, our apartment is a bit hectic right now. We found a really nice house which will suit our family pefectly! A yard for Roxanne, a guest room for the Grandparents, a Roman tub for Matt, and a pre-painted baby room for Abby! I love the way our walls are painted and the curtains match our furniture. What else could I ask for? So for the next year, while the market continues to ddrop, this will be our home. We will post pix when we actually get there.

Matt is starting his new job on February 25th. He will be the Corporate Chef of a restaurant group in AZ headed up by the Mastro Family. They sold their fine dining division and currently have eight other restaurants for Matt to fix right now with two new concepts coming in the next eight months; three more after that. So, he definately has his work cut out for him.

I am embarking on a new career of my own...motherhood. This will be a new career move for me, not quite utilizing my restaurant knowledge or financial expertise, but hopefully life experience will come in handy. I believe I will start around March 17th, but with the way the wind blows, you never know. I am quite looking forward to this full-time adventure and have been avidly researching in order to feel a bit more prepared. Unfortunately, I have learned over the past nine months while body hosting, that you can never learn enough...