3 3/4 years old! You bring so much JOY! SO grateful for how well you are doing...

You are so big! So grown-up! I can't believe you will be four in three months. You are a Dee Dee's boy in so many ways and I am so grateful! Watching you grow is one of my biggest joys. You always make me smile. I'm so grateful that you have had a "well" month. 

Stone Mountain Christmas was rained out... but pictures at Stone Mountain before hand were not and I'm SO thankful! I love this years pictures!

I'm so thankful that I chose the word JOY for our pictures this year. How appropriate. Dee Dee found out the day before these pictures that I have a mass on my left kidney. In fact, the mass is so large, that it takes up 3/4 of my kidney. It's been a long month in SOME ways... but no matter what, you bring SO much JOY to my heart.... my whole family does and I'm so grateful for all that I have. He has been so faithful all of my years and I know He will continue to be. Surgery to remove my kidney is set for January 19th, 2017. 

We had so much fun taking these pictures. We went right to this location and all agreed this was a perfect spot. 

I love, LOVE that we caught a picture with both of you smiling! 

I love my family so much! 

We went to Frontera's after the mountain. I love how you love to sit in my lap! 

Dee Dee bought you this tractor with a drill at your favorite store (P.J. Maxx... haha). You love taking the tires on and off! 

I love you coming up the hill to play! 

We put up our Christmas tree last week. Bella had a tree in her room and you wanted one too. I just happened to have the perfect one in the basement! :) 

Pops and I were so excited to buy you and Bennett a swing set/fort for your back yard! Pops and I love you both so much! We hope y'all will have many good memories outside and that your Mommy and Dada will love watching you play. King of Swings was the BEST! 

Pops came up with the idea to name y'alls fort... Fort Collins (another town in Colorado). What a fun name! 

SO exciting! 

Dee Dee can't WAIT to have a picnic with you two in the spring... right here on your picnic table below your fort! 

Watching you two makes this Dee Dee's heart happy! :) 

You fell and got a boo boo and told your Mommy that you needed your "Dee Dee!" Nothing makes my heart happier to know that you love your Dee Dee! 

Ooops! The lady from King of Swings stopped by and chased you right into the mud with your new coat on! You were not a happy camper! LOL 

Pops is hilarious! He was reading you a book and "talking Tom" was repeating him! :) 

I love that y'all are loving your swing set! 

We went to the Mall of GA for Bennett's birthday party! Y'all got to ride the train...

and we went to Build a Bear! 

You got Rubble from Paw Patrol! :) 

Giving your animals a bath...

The line was so long to build a bear that we took a break to go and get you a COKE icee. You were pretty excited! :) 

You drank the whole thing! 

We went to Tin Lizzy's afterwards...

You came up to visit Dee Dee and your eye went straight for this "hidden" Paw Patrol Christmas present. You can find the smallest things! LOL I decided to let you go ahead and have it. 

Movie time with you is my favorite... We watched The Grinch! You told me to put my phone down and when I didn't... you decided to lay on my arm. Sweet boy! 

Your eyes are red because we stopped by Publix and the lady gave Bennett a sugar cookie and you a chocolate chip cookie! You were NOT happy. haha! She quickly gave you a sugar cookie also. 

Then we went to get your hair cut. You look so grown up! 

We went to see "Sing" for Bennett's birthday...

We thought we were hilarious! I'm not sure you and Bennett did! HA!

We met Nelly and Co-Chri after the movie at Frontera! You aren't the biggest fan of B getting all the attention. That face of yours! :) 

Nelly got Bennett this "digger!" You loved it just as much. So cute! 

You're a hunter in the making! :) 

Mommy and Dada gave y'all one of your presents on Christmas Eve morning... a new Gator. Y'all are going to have so much fun! :) 

Christmas Eve service at Loganville High School. This is the first time that we haven't had the service at our church. We were just a little sad about that. 

I love getting new pajamas for Christmas! 

After we got home from Christmas Eve with Granny and Papa... we made Santa cookies! 

I couldn't love you two more...

You went a little heavy on the sprinkles but you sure did have fun! 

Helping Mommy get Santa's cookies on his plate...

All ready to leave for Santa...

Y'all had to wait about 10 minutes before coming down to see what Santa brought y'all! Mommy said you were a little stir crazy! LOL 

Santa brought your SHARK! You put this on your Christmas list back in the summer! You were so excited to get it. 

You were so in awe that Santa ate most of your cookies and even left the straw on the plate! :) 

Dada putting together one of Santa's toys! 

 You got a drill, a tool box, a Paw Patrol toy and a mini "table" pool table. When you saw the pool table you said... "NO WAY!!!" and did the "cha-ching" hand motion! We were all cracking up! Your big present was your new swing set!  We had so much fun opening presents and cooking breakfast with everyone.

You got a doctor kit too... 

SO excited to tell Mommy all about it. LOL 

We did this advent tree together and it was so much fun! You came up most days to add an ornament to the tree and on Christmas morning... you got to add the star at the top because it was Jesus' birthday. 

I love explaining things to you and watching it soak in...

Happy Birthday Jesus! We all sang with a candle in the cinnamon roll! 

Grateful for our family! 

Granny and Papa came out Christmas morning...

You got some chop sticks in your stocking. Nelly loves for you to sit with her! 

You got a tool box! So much fun! 

Nelly made you an ABC book! SO cute! 

The shark Santa brought you...

Having so much fun on the rollercoaster  that Nelly and Co-Chri got you and Bennett for Christmas! 

SO much fun! You can already see the "dare-devil" in you coming out! LOL 

You waited patiently for the "shark" that was on your Christmas list! You couldn't wait to play with it

You love helping Pops! 

Riding with Pops to put the lawn mower up! You were one happy camper! :) 

I was in the bedroom and I hear...."Dee Dee!!!! Dee Dee!!! I brought you flowers!" Melt my heart! :) 

I know that you won't LOVE to come to Dee Dee's house forever as much as you do now... but right now, I couldn't enjoy it any more. I'm grateful every time you ask your Mommy to come and see me that you're just down the hill. One day this week you said this to your Mommy..... "LOOK Mommy! There's a storm coming (pointing to the dark clouds). I need to go to Dee Dee's! You go on back in the house though!" You always make me smile! You love watching movies, playing outside, reading books, baking, putting puzzles together and playing with Paw Patrol. Your BIG squeezes make this Dee Dee's heart so full. You came up today and wanted to ride your rollercoaster. You were upset that leaves had gotten on it and some water. You make me laugh so hard sometimes! You like clean hands and feet and I'm thankful for that! :)   

You have so much personality! You have many "facial" expressions and "tone" of voices.  Your high pitch voice when you notice something (you see our car at the store for example) is your Mommy's favorite... and I think mine too! You know what you want and you like things done a certain way. You love bath time and climbing on anything you can. You are "sure footed" and rarely trip or fall. You love to be a "helper" and your Mr. Independent to the core.

You go back for your 2 month check-up on January 24th. You've had a good month and I pray that January will be just as good. The weather has been a little crazy. It was 72 on Christmas Day and one day this week... the high is 40 degrees. I'm praying that the changes in temperature won't affect you too much. You're appetite seems to be a little better than it has been. Your favorites this month seem to be Chick-fil-a chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese and of course your "milk shakes!" 

If you are following Aspen's journey.... we would really appreciate your prayers this month! 

* To remain as close as possible (or higher) to the 50th percentile in weight

* For Aspen to stay well... his lungs to remain clear especially

* For Lindsey and Chris and Bennett to stay well also

* For trials that are underway that could eventually have an impact on Aspen's treatment. There is a trail on-going for those that have one copy of the DF-508. This could eventually have an impact on Aspen's well-being

* For the CF walk that will take place in May of 2017! To be able to raise money to meet our goal

* For my left kidney removal surgery to go well on January 19th. I am praying for a super natural occurrence and that the tumor won't be cancerous (as they most likely say that it will be). 

Aspen... your Dee Dee loves you to the moon and back and back again! Praying for our January 2017!