Welcoming My New Neice - Aspen Rae Limbo

Alesha and Brad - Brad is in Kuwait but was able to be apart of the big day via Skype.

Welcome to the world, Aspen Rae, you are richly loved!   

It was an honor to be able to be there for this little one's birth.  Alesha did great and was able to do a VBAC, which is always incredible.   Alesha's husband, Brad, was able to Skype for hours from Kuwait with Alesha and was able to be "there" via Skype for the delivery.  What a blessing! 
 
After Aspen's birth, it hit me like a load of bricks...I'm next in line!  GULP!  I need to get things organized around here!  I better start either planning my bag or packing my bags and I better get those kiddos down in their rooms so we can work on the nursery.

Aspen Rae Limbo - 7 lbs 10 oz and 22 & 1/2 inches long.

Happy Mommy and New Baby Aspen

Happy Auntie and baby Aspen

Sweet little one

Baby Aspen Rae is welcomed by twin siblings: Brother Tristan and Sister Torin

35 Weeks Along

Yesterday we had an opportunity to spend some time watching our sweet baby via ultrasound, thanks to a friend at the hospital - gotta love connections!
She kept her hands up by her face most of the time but right at the end, after I turned onto my side, we were able to catch a glimpse of her face even though she kept one hand up by her nose.

Good news: it's still a girl!  Phew!  The last few months I've had lots of dreams that I was having a boy puppy.  Funny how our dreams play with our heart strings.  She's also head down, ready for the big day.  Soon, very soon!   Praying that I'll be able to have this little one natural again like I did with Grayson and that labor and delivery go quickly and smoothly.

Progress with Our Little Helpers

Jeremiah and I have been working diligently to get kids' new rooms finished downstairs.  It seems like it takes forever when you work an hour or two here and there, but progress IS progress nevertheless. 

Jer finished putting in all the trim in both rooms last night - hip hip hooray!!   What a big job.  Thankful that Jer is a super handy-man and also thankful for the all free matching trim from my Dad.  Next step: call the carpet guy and tell him that we're ready for him to come and do his job.  During the wait though we we'll finish filling nail holes, touch-up paint, put outlets in, put in the remain lights, put shelves in the closet, and hang the pull down blind. Oh and the twins' room still needs a shelf for the half wall and trim around that, again, one thing at a time.  

Looking forward to getting these rooms finished!  I am ready to work on the nursery, but currently that has to wait until the twins are out of their current room upstairs.  Still planning to have the 3 kids downstairs in their new rooms by the first week of August, so we still have a few weeks yet.  But, with each passing week(I'll be 34 weeks along tomorrow - Monday 7/16)  we get closer to the day our new little one will arrive, plus with each passing day my energy levels decrease, so normally I'm pretty EXHAUSTED by lunch time, especially on these extremely hot days (in the 90's and low 100's).  I really have to dig deep within to find spare energy to be able to get dinner on the table, kids in bed and put an hour or 2 into working on the basement projects.  Must. finish. well.  

 Anyway, enjoy the pictures of the progress of the twins' room and the pictures of our little helpers.  

Summer Celebration

We celebrated my 30th birthday by going to the carnival (just like almost every other year for the last 20 years).  The kids had a BLAST!  The kids rode 6 rides (even Grayson!) and I am sure they would have been more than willing and happy to ride on a few more, even if they were repeats, but we had to cut them off since tickets weren't cheap (a dollar a ticket, and each ride cost 2 or 3 tickets each kid...it adds up fast).  But this Momma was more than happy to see the kids ride in my place.  

In years past I used to favor the "Zipper", "Mean Machine" and the "Til-A-Whirl".  My siblings and I would ride 'til our hearts were content or until a rain storm would come and break up the fun.  For years my Mom and Dad would get us wrist passes for an evening and boy did we get our money's worth of rides.  I think in a year or two we may just have to get passes for the kids if we want to continue this birthday/4th of July tradition.

We decided to go crazy and attend the Belle Fourche (10 minutes from Spearfish) Parade instead of the short parade in Spearfish. Belle Fourche's parade was 90 minute long (far too long). Pretty sure everyone and their neighbor from all around came out to view it, just like they do every year.  People begin lining the streets 3 hours BEFORE the parade even started!  NUTS, but oh so fun.  I wouldn't trade this small town living for anything.  I am super content and happy to stay right here.

My heart was moved a little more this year as we celebrated America, her freedom and all those that fight for her freedom.  Brad Limbo (married to my younger sister Alesha) is being deployed overseas for 10 months; his activation (he's with national guards) ceremony is today (7/6/2012) in Sioux Falls, SD.   Brad and Alesha have a set of twins, Torin (L) and Tristan (R) and their 3rd baby is due July 26th (3 weeks away).  If you think of Brad, Alesha and kids, pray for them as this is a very difficult season for them to endure.  Brad will be unable to return for baby #3's birth, but hopefully he will be able to be apart of it via Skype.  He is being sent overseas on July 26th (Alesha's due date), so if you would, stand in agreement with us that this baby will be born earlier than the 26th so Brad doesn't have to miss out on the big day (even if it's via Skype).

You're our Hero, Brad!