Congratulations Ro & Merilee!!!

Rigo and I had the opportunity yesterday to visit our new niece, baby Ashilene! She was just 14 hours born when I got to hold her...and I started crying!!! I am so excited for them and I can't believe my big bro is a DADDY! I know he's going to be the best though, I can already see all the love in his eyes for his little angel. Merilee was amazing....pushed that 7 1/2 pound baby girl out all natural! Whew! I don't think I could handle that, so I definitely admire her for that one. Should have seen her yesterday, despite her crazy day before, she was totally glowing...what a cute Mommy! I forgot my camera =( so I'm going to have to steal pics from Ro later. I had such a good time visiting with them, playing with little Ashilene's toes and seeing her beautiful eyes open! I think every time a baby is born to someone we know, my anticipation grows for when our own baby will come in 3 months! I can't wait for these next 3 months to pass by (especially with the heat that's already starting up!)! It will be so fun to have all the little cousins playing together soon...and we are already talking about family vacations for next year so our kids can grow closer! How blessed we are to have family so close together that we can visit whenever we want! I love Ashilene and I can't wait to see her again! She is so beautiful!

Man it's HOT!

I know I shouldn't be complaining...we live in the Bay Area and we have the best weather around. But being 6 months pregnant and having my feet and hands all swollen is just not fun! I could barely get my wedding ring off yesterday, so I may not be wearing it after this month =(
I can't believe it was 101 degrees yesterday, and it's only May! Thankfully there is AC at the hospital, but I was still sweating running around. I realize that I walk much slower now...hahaha, so I guess I'm not really running, but hurrying around trying to do my nursey duties. I am grateful to have a ceiling fan in our bedroom to leave on at night and keep us cool! My baby girl has been moving around so much, and she has discovered my bladder because she has been kicking it constantly the past few days! Lol. I'm just happy that she is an active and healthy baby and I'm still waiting for our 3D ultrasound this Saturday...so excited!

Happy Mama's Day!

What a great weekend it's been! Yesterday was Merilee's baby shower and we had lots of fun. It was great to see old friends from Hayward 1st ward and it made me even more excited for when our baby girls get to meet! I can't believe little Ashilene will be here in a couple weeks (more or less...we'll see!) I am so excited for Rojohn and Merilee...they are going to be awesome parents and that little girl will be so spoiled! Hehehe. After Merilee's baby shower we hung out at my mom's house to celebrate Mother's day. I hope my mom knows how much I love her and how grateful I am that she's my mom. She has done so much for our family and is a very strong woman through everything that has happened especially with my dad's cancer and she means the world to me! Her and grandma looked really happy to have us there and we're always happy to spend time with them! The boys had gone to my house for the duration of the baby shower so they wouldn't be bored while all of the girly stuff was going on and brought back the video games. Lol. Rigo, Rojohn & T.J. were going at it with Fight Night and Guitar Hero, and afterwards we sang some karaoke (typical Filipinos, huh!). It was nice to have some quality time with my family. We decided to watch Wolverine that night and I loved it! Wolverine has always been my favorite X-Men character and that movie was awesome...it makes his character make so much more sense and it had tons of action, which I love! I heard it portrays the story fairly accurately from the comics also. The next movie we're excited to see is Night at the Museum 2! The first one was hilarious and the previews for the second one are looking pretty good too!

Earlier this week was Merilee's birthday and we had the opportunity to celebrate at Olive Garden! Yay for Merilee being born gives us an excuse to eat! Hahaha...I'm grateful that Rojohn found such a wonderful person to marry...I remember when I saw his phone ring and it said "Sunshine" with Merilee's smiling face, I thought How PERFECT! Hehehe...she truly does bring that sunshine with her positive and optimistic attitude. I could not ask for a better sister-in-law and better wife for my brother. I know she is going to be such a great mother too! We love you Merilee!

So today being Mother's Day...what a great day to honor the wonderful women in our lives. At church there were a few people who greeted me with "unofficially," and others who said you don't get any more of a mother when that baby's kicking in your womb! I was looking down at my tummy during Relief Society and Sacrament meeting and I was watching my belly move thinking if the sisters beside me were saying look at how much her shirt is moving....hehehe. The cool thing is that this baby girl has been kicking ALL DAY...Rigo says she knows it's her mommy's special day and she's being a sweetheart and trying to tell me how much she loves me. Hehehe. I love it! She has such a personality already...I know she loves music! She always kicks during hymns at church and when the radio is on in the car. It's funny because I'll turn on the radio and she'll start kicking, and if I turn it off, she'll stop. On...kicking again. Love this girl! She is such a big blessing this little miracle growing inside me and I could never express how grateful I am to have the opportunity to be a mother...I have dreamed of being a mother since I can remember. My two biggest dreams: #1: Get married in the temple - Check! #2: Be a Mommy! YES! I could not be happier and I know we will have challenges with our growing family but as we strive to live worthily and righteously everything will work out. My heart is full and I am just grateful for the many blessings our family has received and am so excited to see what is in store for our little girl. Can't wait to meet her!


Rigo and I have been setting up the baby room, which was recently our office/storage area. We still have the desk and file/storage cabinet in there but it is slowly being de-cluttered. Rigo set up the glider/ottoman in the baby room today and it is a wonderful Mother's Day gift...my hands and feet were swollen today (it was a gorgeous day today) and it is so good to put my feet up on the ottoman and relax. Thank you hunny! I could barely get my wedding ring off and when I took my shoes off I could see all the strap lines embedded in my feet. Oh boy, and summer hasn't even begun yet! I want to take pictures of the baby room but it's not ready yet so I guess I'll have to post later. I do have one of my sweet husband in front of the baby crib as we were setting it up. I am so blessed to have such a great guy in my life who takes care of me and I am happy to be stuck with him for eternity! (I taught the Young Women about temple marriage today and talked about our Prince Charmings....hehe) He is going to be such a great daddy!





Look at how happy he is! We think about how it will be to watch our baby girl sleeping in there all the time.





Oh and my growing 6 month belly!

I love this pic...our lil baby girl who already has our hearts...

Work + Pregnancy = Tired

So lately I have been too tired to blog. The back pains have continued...my OB has asked if I want work restrictions, and I'm still thinking about it. I may not be able to take patients, which would mean doing paperwork all day...but then again, I wouldn't have to risk dealing with any confused, combative, or contagious illnesses either (of course we use isolation precautions, but still...). The whole weekend they floated me out of TCU down to my good ol' 3rd floor med/surg-tele...which wasn't too bad...except I kept getting discharges/transfers/admissions (which I'm used to in TCU) but with more patients...at least there are CNAs down there.

I keep saying to myself...you're just barely 6 months along, gotta keep going...and I'm grateful for the strength and energy that the Lord blesses me with each day to make it through my work shifts. Rigo has been very supportive, massaging my back and feet when he's around and I'm achey. I get to take disability leave in July, so I'm just waiting for these next 2 months to go by...and I know I will only get bigger and it will get tougher, but I know I won't be alone. There are plenty of women who work all the way up til their due date...so if they can do it, I can too, right? I'll just keep praying for strength and I know Heavenly Father will help me out.

It is such a joy to feel my baby girl moving and kicking all the time. It has gotten to the point now where when she kicks, I feel the whole middle upper section of my body move...what a trip! She's getting bigger and stronger...and I'm just a happy camper. Funny...yesterday I was so tired and hitting the snooze button before church (Rigo had already left for a meeting), and I was thinking, maybe I'll just sleep a little more since I slept so late from getting home from work and I have to go to work later....but this little girl kept kicking me like she was saying "Mommy get up and let's get ready to go to church!" Hahaha. She makes all the discomforts of pregnancy worth it....I love this baby so so much and am so excited to meet her in a few months!

She's A Kicker!

Well, the baby girl in my belly has been kicking all day and all night for the last week or so. Hahaha. She must be growing! My belly is definitely growing. There are some nights that are hard to fall asleep because I feel her moving around all the time. But it's okay, I guess I have to get used to it anyhow, right? Less sleep and all...hehehe. It is such a wonderful feeling though! Rigo always laughs when he feels her moving in my tummy. We can't wait to meet her!

Our good friends, Adam & Shawna, had their baby girl this week. 8.1 lbs. She is such a cutie! She doesn't even look like a newborn! Her skin already has a nice hint of brown and she's got those chubby cheeks I love! We are so happy for them and are even more excited for the day we get to meet our own baby girl. There were actually a few babies born these last couple of weeks. My cousin had her baby boy and Gladys had her baby boy, both the Saturday of General Conference. What a great year for babies!!!

Rigo and I are planning a little getaway for Mother's Day, but are still debating where. Just a local spot maybe an hour or two away. Our last weekend getaway before our baby girl comes! We were going to visit my sister for Memorial Day weekend in San Diego, but traveling down there is more expensive than we'd like at this time, plus our 3d Ultrasound is scheduled for that Saturday! Another great event we're looking forward to!!! I am still imagining what she will look like, and this ultrasound will give us a sneak peek at her little features! So excited!!!

5 Months Along...and Congrats to Doug & Luz!

Rigo's been sick for over a week so we went to the doctor a few days ago and he was put on prednisone for a few days to open up his lungs. Last night at work I started getting a tickly feeling in my throat, and lo and behold, today I'm coughing with a sore throat. Bummer...I hate being sick, and adding to the pregnancy is just no fun. Even though I'm only 5 months, my back is already hurting, and I'm looking into getting one of those maternity support belts. Any suggestions as to which type? There are so many out there. My sister sent a couple up with her maternity clothes so I'm hoping to try out whatever she used if I can find them.

We went to watch Fast & Furious...and my back was achey so bad...it took me the whole movie to get comfortable, which left me with 5 minutes of comfort at the end of the movie. Horrible huh? And I'm still going to get bigger in the next 4 months! But other than the back pains, the movie was awesome! I love cars, and this movie had lots of good action, so I was happy. We were out celebrating the fact that Doug (Rigo's brother - who is younger and his only sibling) just got engaged to his girlfriend Luz! We are so happy for them and are excited to welcome Luz to the family. They have been together since Doug's mission and we knew this day would come, just weren't sure when. It's cool because they're planning their wedding 3 days after our anniversary! September's an awesome month! Hehehe. I know that they are going to make each other super happy, as they already do! But I have watched them grow since Doug returned from his mission and know that they are going to be such a great couple. They have supported each other through the thick and thin and have become better individuals together. So it's going to be a busy end of summer! Baby girl will come, then a wedding a couple weeks later! Lots to look forward to...can't wait!

5 Month Belly...

Happy Easter everyone! I'm looking forward to going to the temple tonight to enjoy the visual and musical fireside "Where Jesus Walked." It starts at 7:30 and sounds like it's going to be awesome...so if you don't have plans for Easter Sunday and you're in the area, you should check it out. I have no doubt you'll be spiritually uplifted with the beautiful music and scenes depicting our Savior's life. I am so grateful for his Atonement and perfect example...such a blessing to know that He lives and the same power he possessed while he walked the earth is available to us through the priesthood. How amazing it will be the day I get to thank him in person. I'm off to church to get my spiritual grub on!

We're Having a Baby GIRL!

So after all the anticipation, we are excited to announce it's a baby girl! During our ultrasound yesterday, I was crying like a baby. Right when I saw her heart beating I started tearing up, and 15 minutes later when the tech announced it looks like a baby girl, I was still crying! I was just so happy to see her moving so much in my belly, and then when she said it was a girl, I was so surprised! Everyone in both mine and Rigo's family thought it would be a boy except for my dad...who says he KNEW it was a girl from the beginning. Hahaha. So I lost the bet and treated him to dinner last night.

It was so nice to see our families after our ultrasound and get together. How grateful I am for all of their love and support. Seeing their excitement when we told them we're having a girl was the best. I loved hearing the screams, seeing their faces light up, and all the big hugs. We had a blast, but I forgot to take pictures at dinner of everyone. I think I got so caught up eating all the yummy food, showing the ultrasound pictures and talking about the baby of course I forgot. We met everyone at Babies R Us to meet and caravan to Newark Buffet, which I think is the best Chinese buffet in the area. I love how the place is so clean, nice ambience, lots of good fresh food, especially seafood! Yumm, my favorite. But I did get a picture with Merilee in front of Babies R Us before we left for the buffet. In front of the stork parking/expectant mothers sign...heehee perfect!

I love that I have a pregnant sister so close to share all the exciting moments together. We even compared ultrasound pics of our baby girls and they look alike! So if somehow Merilee pops out a boy, then I'll have 3 months heads up that it could be a boy. Hehehe. We were testing out strollers at Babies R Us with our hubbies...so fun! I wish Jubie was closer so she could share in these fun sister times, but thank goodness for technology I can talk to her for an hour and then e-mail her all the pictures so she is in the loop.

All in all, last night was just a fun and happy time. Rigo and I are so excited to be having a baby girl! One of Heavenly Father's precious daughters. Rigo now asks me "How are my princesses?" and "How's Daddy's little angel?" Hehehe...so cute. We are just grateful that everything is normal so far and can't wait to meet her in August. Apparently my due date bumped up to August 19th according to the ultrasound, but my Dr. is still keeping it at the 22nd since it's close. She's a big baby girl!