It was a little difficult trying to get Asher to pick a character that he wanted to be this year.  He’s into ALL the superheros, and Star Wars, and he kept changing his mind.  Wolverine…no Obi-Wan!  Darth Vader…no Darth Maul!  Iron Man…no Spiderman!  So we went to Target in hopes that he would fall in love with something, and his heart would be content until Halloween.  As soon as we got to the costumes he saw Obi-Wan, and it was all over.  That’s what he wanted, and there was no turning back…except they didn’t have his size.  Talked with two Target people, they checked the back, the racks, nothing.  Just as we’re leaving I give one more sweep and find his size way in the back.  Asher leaped into my arms giving me the biggest squeeze saying, “You found it, Mommy, you found it!!!  I’m going to be Obi-Wan for Halloween!!!”  I thought he was going to cry, ha!  It was such a fun memory.

We had to have a little photo shoot to remember this year’s Halloween.  I simply cannot believe how much he loves Star Wars and super heros.  I had heard that he would when we found out we were having a boy, but I truly did not know how all consuming the hero talk/activity is every day.  Everything is a light saber.  Someone always needs to be webbed.  There are always bad guys to beesh.  It’s never ending, and adorable.  He’s watching Star Wars and doing his treatment right now, ha!

His go to, favorite light saber, is an old bike air-pump, ha!

October.  Gosh, I forgot how busy October is every year.  Asher’s birthday, Halloween, yearly chest xrays, blood work, pediatrician appt for regular shots and flu shot, annual clinic visit at the hospital…so much in one month.  This last week we went in for his xrays and blood work – this I dread the most.  It’s really hard on him.  They take five vials of blood, which feels like forever.  He got to pick from the prize basket when he was leaving.  He looked at all the toys and said, “I’m going to pick the football one, my daddy loves football!”  What a sweetheart.

This year the blood work really confused him.  When Jeremy got home that night Asher asked him if he had blood in his arm.  After Jeremy said, “yeah, Buddy, why?”  Asher said, “Well, I don’t.  The lady took it today.”  And, this morning he fell and cut his knee and was pretty shook up because he didn’t think it was going to bleed because he didn’t have anymore blood.  So Jeremy spent some time with him watching youtube videos about how the body makes more blood.  Poor thing.  He goes through so much, and he’s trying to figure everything out.  Bravest boy I know!!!

Ok, we can’t take it anymore, we just wanted to scream to the world that we’re having another little boy!  Here’s our precious gift from the Lord.  His name is Beck Ellis, he’s due March 15th, 2012 and we’re soooo in love.  And yes, he’s actually smiling.  He’s excited to be a part of our family too :).

I’m sure you can imagine the roller coaster of emotions we’ve been on already.  Deciding whether or not to have more children, praying like crazy for our ultrasound today and that we would leave with tears of joy, all while wishing this was going to be our third child because we miss our sweet Paxon so much it hurts…we just didn’t want to be so consumed by fear that we couldn’t move forward with life.  We left our ultrasound today with tears of joy, and for that we thank the Lord.  God is very much in control of all the details, He loves us more than we can understand, and He wants the best for us.  All of these things are true, even if we would have left today with tears of pain and sorrow.  He didn’t promise us an easy life but He did promise to always be with us holding us along the way.  We don’t know what our future holds.  We won’t know if Beck has Cystic Fibrosis or not until he’s born.  But, today we REJOICE AND GIVE THANKS for our beautiful baby boy, Beck Ellis.  Beck is just a straight up cool name, so for obvious reasons we chose it :).  Ellis means “My God is the Lord” and that just makes our hearts soar.

We’re putting the news of our little baby, and promoting this next years 4th Annual teamASHER Silent Auction all in one post because the auction is 3 weeks before our due date.  Since I’m already the size of Kansas, I’m planning on needing a lot of help this year, so let the planning begin!  Plus, we wanted the auction to come before Beck is here, because we’re going to be busy snuggling our little baby once that time comes :).  But for now, the fight is on, and despite my stately size, it will not cease.  We will fight until CF is thrown into a place where the sun doesn’t shine!!!

How could we not fight for this (sorry for the annoying mom voice)…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_E5pe8PK00[/youtube]

Please, please, pretty please, plan to join us for a couple of hours on Saturday, February 25th from 4:00-6:00p in the Conference Center at Redemption Gilbert (1820 West Elliot Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85233).  We already have some really cool things planned for this year, and would be so honored if you could join us!  We’re moving over to a much bigger venue this year and hoping, praying, we can pack it out!!!  Please come, please bring friends, please don’t feel like you can’t come if you can’t spend money.  Your presence is a blessing to us.  We are anticipating a shopping extravaganza, so everyone could potentially fill up your Christmas stockings, and food and entertainment nights for the next year!  It’s going to be GREAT!

Last years event would NOT have happened if not for so many of you graciously donating your time and services and products.  Would you be willing to do it again this year?!  Please email me (rachelolimb@gmail.com) or leave a comment here and I will be in contact with you.  We’re beginning the exciting, crazy Silent Auction season, and we can’t wait to see what happens this year!  Only 4 months to go!!!  I will have letters and fliers and donation forms people can fill out to receive a tax credit.  Please let me know if you’d like your business to be a part of the auction.  We will be promoting your business through Twitter and Facebook this year as well!

Ok, that’s a lot.  So, here’s a recap…

1.  Beck Ellis is beautiful

2.  Asher is going to be Obi-wan Kenobi for Halloween

3.  Mark your calendar for 2/25/12 from 4-6p

4.  Become a fan of our twitter and facebook page to see the items you will have to bid on!

Thank you everyone for all your love and support!  We are SO thankful for you!!!

Shannon and I took the kids to the best pumpkin patch in town again!  It’s hard to believe it’s already been another year since we were there.  It’s amazing how much kids grow, and life changes in a year.

We had a great time with the kids making memories, and of course Asher eats up all the cousin time he can get :).

This was really cute.  The worker guys were restocking the pumpkin patch, and Asher marched right over there and lent a hand.  He just walked up to the guy and held out his arms, and helped unload about 10 pumpkins.  The boy loves a job, and that warms my heart!

We’re so proud of our boy for moving up in his swim class!  He graduated from Otter to Seal today :).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf24BqTII44[/youtube]

Lil’ A man has been sick this last week.  He’s a lot better now, but this last week he’s sounded like an old man who’s been smoking for 50 years.  I wish a cold was just a cold for him.  I wish we didn’t have to increase treatments, worry about new bacteria, worry about old bacteria flaring up again, pump him with antibiotics…not looking forward to this winter season.  Really praying for protection over his lungs these next few months.

We’ve spent a week at home just hanging out watching tv, playing ipad, taking naps and cuddling.  I knew he was sick when Daddy came home from work and he didn’t move a muscle.  He usually tackles Daddy.  Oh, and when we’d ask him how he was doing he would say in a very sad voice, “Not good.  Not good at all.”  Poor thing.  So happy to see him bouncing back.

Just wanted to post a few videos of Asher singing and working on some memory verses.  He’s so cute and wiggly :).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN9Hpqvdsv0[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attYonJJyiw[/youtube]

Well, we’re making progress with the swim lessons!  Asher is doing so well, and being such a brave boy.  It’s taken him quite awhile to be able to roll on his back, because he hates the water going up his nose…yeah, that’s pretty hard to argue with, who doesn’t!  He used to roll on his back and cry.  So proud of him conquering a fear!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNcgB8Sszx8[/youtube]

DINO MUSEUM!

I took Asher and Rush to the dino museum, and they had an absolute blast!  I love the AZ Museum of Natural History, we’ve been there so much Asher knows practically where everything is.  It’s a great museum (especially for boys!) with lots of hands on displays and fun exhibits to walk through, and even a craft room.  The boys were so proud of themselves for putting the pieces together of the big mammoth!  They had such a great time together.  Cousin love :).

Grandma Olimb and Auntie Dana flew in for a weekend visit.  It was so great having them here!  We decided to ditch this heat for a day and drove up to Sedona to just…well, to just be outside.

We stepped out of the car and Asher was off!  He was so happy running around and being one with the wilderness.  I asked him to stand next to the pretty flowers so I could take a picture, and this is what I got.  The man loves an audience!

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And then our hike got a whole lot more adventurous and memorable.  We decided to walk in the river for quite awhile until we saw our trail pick up again.  It was a time we will always remember.  It was a perfect balance of adventure, beauty, danger, and laughs.  There was a lot of hand holding going on because of the slippery rocks, and we would go from seeing the tops of our shoes to knee-deep water…which isn’t that deep…unless you’re 42 inches high, ha!  Asher was sopping wet, and fell a couple of times on some rocks, but didn’t even complain.  He was having such a blast…we all were!

And, of course, all good trips end with a pretend light saber battle and lots of force fields!

Thanks for coming to visit Grandma and Auntie D!

Jeremy decided to take Asher up to the mountains for his first hammocking trip with Daddy.  Before they left I drilled Jeremy about the camera, and taking pictures, and lots of videos, and not forgetting to take pictures, and oh my gosh please take lots of pictures…and, this is what I got.

They were right next to the beautiful Rim, or so I hear, ha!  This seriously makes me laugh.  To be fair, the trip only lasted about 8 hours.  They got up there, setup their entire camp, had dinner, hung out, and drove home to sleep in their own beds, ha!  It started raining, and the wind picked up, and it was 48 degrees at 8:00p and they didn’t pack for cold weather.  It was hilarious though, when I saw Asher he told me that he had so much fun on his camping trip with Daddy, ha!  I guess the length of time didn’t matter, it still left a lasting impression :).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnc2oGxTgLk[/youtube]

We’ve had so much fun lately celebrating people!  Asher and I got to see a little girl become a part of a family forever at an adoption hearing, and I have to say, that was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen; Asher had a blast hanging out with all the big kids at his friend, Jonas’ birthday party; Asher’s best bud, Carter, turned 4, and any party that has a pinata with a real baseball bat is worth mentioning; and, we got to celebrate Baby Carter.  Baby Carter, who we prayed hard for before we even met him.  Jeremy was so honored to lead his baby dedication, and then we got to celebrate his 1st birthday.  There has been a lot of celebrating going on, and it’s been great!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRNjmdH_k4o[/youtube]

And, I just have to thank Asher.  Asher, you are amazingly flexible and I’m so thankful for your easy going personality.  I forget stuff all the time, and 90% of the time you forgive me and roll with the punches.  You bless me in so many ways.  Thanks for being ok when I forget your swim suit, your sippy cup, your nigh nigh bear when you ask me to grab him…I love you.

We took a little road trip for a friend’s wedding, and had a chance to be outside for a night.  It was a beautiful wedding, and a beautiful location.  Lots of grass, ponies, and trampolines…I wish we didn’t have such an aversion to trampolines because Asher would love it, and it would definitely be an excellent work out for his lungs…we just can’t stop thinking about all the AFV videos, and broken femurs and collarbones…moving on to plan B :).

Asher was a blur running around, it was so great to be outside.  We’re all so sick of this heat right now.  Big time missing our bike rides and park dates.  Can’t wait for cooler temps!

And then this all happened…

“Every time she sneezes I believe it’s love…”

I’ve never seen Asher so giddy, and so concerned about a girl.  It was adorable, and it made me want to lock him up all at the same time :).

CLINIC REPORT

Asher is rockin’ the charts!  Three months ago when we were in Asher weighed in at 36.5 lbs, which was in the 25-50th percentile.  We got a yellow light from his dietitian, and left with more incentive to kick up the calories and try to pack on some weight.  He weighed in this week at 39.3 lbs, which is in the 75-90th percentile!  We’re so thrilled with his weight gain!  We make the food and try to make it as appealing as possible, but Asher is the man who makes it all happen!  Way to go, Buddy, we’re so proud of your chub!

We did have a little moment that was a bit of a downer while we were there.  We were talking with Asher’s doctor about his two negative Pseudomonas cultures, and made a comment about getting one more and being able to take a break from Tobi.  Asher’s doctor isn’t really crazy about that idea.  He said he would like to go about a year with negatives before taking him off Tobi…insert really big sigh, and a lot of complaints…we do like that his doctor is aggressive, and we respect his opinion.  We’ve told him how the Tobi really messes with his sleep, eating, and grumpiness, so we’ll see how long we all can hang in there.  It did bring a whole new level of seriousness to this bacteria.  We’ve gotta hang in there.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj4MnvGrY0g&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

I was so blessed to be able to take a trip to Chicago with three dear friends this last weekend.  While I was away, Asher ATE UP Daddy time!  I know Asher loves me, but I seriously cannot even compete with Daddy.  The tv, video games, wrestling, and pizza were on constant rotation in the home, and both boys were quite content with their hang out schedule :).

I just have to give Jeremy props, because he rocked another huge milestone for us.  All major milestones in this house happen because of Jeremy.  Asher no longer sleeps with diapers at night!  He really should have been done with them long ago, but I’m too big of a weenie to try.  Jeremy just tries things.  What a concept, ha!  Anyways, it’s totally note worthy that the big boy is done with diapers!

I had to put up a few pics of Chicago, what a great city to visit!  So many things to do, so much food to eat, and lots of fun fashion to look at.

We took a boat tour and got absolutely poured on!  We at least had a roof to hide under on the boat, but when we docked and we had to schlep across the pier to the mall it was all over.  We were cold and wet, but we were making memories and loving it!

This picture is an absolute crack up!  Poor Erin barely made the cut, and some random lady who was blinded by the flash is forever in our fondue portrait.  Clearly I couldn’t crop her out.

Krista and I marveled at The Bean for quite some time.  Why do I have the worst luck in asking people to take pictures?!  The nice man even threw in, “I’m a photographer!”  Sigh…the background behind us looks nice though :).

This picture also cracks me up!  Don’t you just love how creative Krista and I are with our feet up!  “Um…let’s do what she’s doing!”  L.O.L!

It was such a great weekend, and clearly what we’ve all learned is that I can go on girl trips more often :).  Just kidding, honey!