Happy Birthday month, sweet Aspen! I love that we share a birthday month and I LOVE you! It's hard for me to believe that you are FOUR! It seems like just yesterday you were born... right after mid-night on Good Friday. I'll never forget watching you come into this world and the JOY that I felt in my heart. And, what a JOY you have been since then.
I wish I could see then what I see now. When you were diagnosed with CF on April 8, 2013... it felt like our world was falling apart. You were only 10 days old. You were in the hospital for 39 days and from everything we understood and heard... you would likely spend more time in the hospital for your CF before your first birthday and certainly before your 4th birthday. We know that CF is progressive but I also believe with all that I am...that the Lord has had His hand on YOU! I'm so grateful you love to run and jump and that you are really active. That's the best thing for your CF. I love that you seem to have a decent appetite... keeping your weight up is so important. I love that you have a "stubborn streak" because I believe you will be more compliant with your treatment when you are older. I love that you are SO independent... because I think that will help you as you grow. I love that you are BRAVE because the Lord knew you needed to be to fight this disease.
This has been a wonderful month for you. We've shared birthday celebrations and we've played outside. We welcomed day-light savings time... which meant more playing outside in the afternoon. We've been to the zoo and celebrated your birthday MONTH! You've been healthy, had a good appetite and been super active and we couldn't be more grateful. We're going camping for your birthday weekend and we all are SO excited.
You are FOUR and your Dee Dee loves you to the moon and back and to the sun too! :)
You love to "pretend" to fall asleep in the funniest places. haha
You and Bennett love to play outside!
I love how you drive you and B all around the yard. We're going to get the mail now. :)
You loved to find Charlie last year...BUT...you REALLY love to find and play with Charlie this year!
You could spend hours outside looking and playing with Charlie!
You love to play with your Dada!
Me and Mommy went to a women's retreat with the church. I was so happy to see your smiling self when we returned!
Dada made you your own big boy bed! He ended up lowering it some but you LOVE it so much!
Mommy brought you some bubbles back with Paw Patrol on it!
Dee Dee brought you back a "fireman's pack"! You love to squirt things! :)
This group of ladies make Dee Dee's heart happy! :) They came out on a Thursday night for a Thirty-One party to support YOU and our walk coming up in May! We raised over $1,000 for the CF Foundation... all to help YOU!
It's the start of Dee Dee's birthday week and Dada had an awesome idea! We all piled in the truck and went to Ali's Cookie and met Nelly and Co-Chri!
You got a sprinkles cookie but Dee Dee got chocolate and caramel. Yum!
I love this picture! Such a fun night!
I love this picture too! Us with Cocoa! :)
We went to Farm Burger for dinner. You love your Nelly!
You are the sweetest!
Eating a boiled peanut...
You insisted that Mommy get this card for you to give me for my birthday... even if it said "Sisters!" hahaha
We went to Mellow Mushroom the night of my birthday. I'm teaching you the ways of parmesan cheese and garlic powder! :)
Outside days are my favorite. Dee Dee went down the slide on Fort Collins...
It makes my heart happy that you love to swing!
Mommy sliding down with y'all too!
You and I went off. When you get home... you LOVE to give B a huge hug and tell him that you missed him. I hope you'll always love each other!
The hugs don't last long but they are cute while they do! LOL
You love to "drive!" You actually have an amazing ability to drive things. You can drive your tractor through the tiniest places!
It's the start of YOUR birthday week and Dee Dee took you to Scoops in Covington. You went with me to the post office and we "had" to stop and get some candy! :) You LOVE bubble gum machines! You need an endless supply of quarters!
Afterwards, we went to Walmart and silly Dee Dee thought I didn't need a shopping cart. And then you saw the big red bag of Doritos!
And some Princess Ana cookies!
And some Kool Aid drinks! hahaha
We bought you a Paw Patrol piñata to take camping with us for your birthday! We ended up getting a shopping cart. LOL!
Dee Dee bought you a kite on your shopping trip to Walmart. You couldn't wait to fly it. Your Mommy and Dada took you to Lake Varner. I love how your drinking your sprite and flying the kite at the same time. HA!
You don't like dirty things... No dirty hands or dirty clothes will do! You spilled something on your shirt and had to take it off... You crack me up!
You spent the night with Nelly and Co-Chri and y'all went on a birthday shopping trip. You bought this fun bat and ball. We had such an awesome time playing in the yard! Go, Mommy!
Nelly had fun throwing you the ball!
Pops took a turn also!
Watching you fly your kite or really play outside doing anything makes this Dee Dee's heart grateful. Running and jumping and exercise in general is good for your lungs!
You dyed eggs with Nelly. You wrote a sweet message in them for us to crack....
"Jesus is my friend!" and "I love you!" You were so excited to show us!
You love to help... no matter what it is! You love to bake and learn. I LOVE to watch you take it all in. Pops was putting some plants in little containers. SO cute!
One thing you wanted at Walmart (you asked for it last month when we went to Toys R Us) was a Jack in the Box. We couldn't find one but Dee Dee ordered you one off Amazon. You are fascinated for some reason. SO cute! :)
You and me and Mommy and B went to the zoo!
You LOVED feeding the giraffe. I think the giraffe was your 2nd favorite "animal" at the zoo... right behind the frogs. haha
Your facial expression was priceless!
The giraffe even posed for our picture! :)
You loved searching for the birds...
You sure do love your Mommy!
Because this huge nest made a CUTE picture! :)
Our photo-bomber friend was in every picture we took with Willy B!
We had lunch at the zoo and you picked cheese pizza!
with shark gummies for dessert! LOL
You and Bennett really loved playing with the goats...
We might have to get you and B a pet goat! :)
We rode the train...
The tunnel was fun!
We ended the zoo trip by picking out a toy from the gift shop. You chose a stuffed frog.
And... we got a shirt from the zoo that's a FROG! It is a size 5! You are getting so tall!
You love to play with Bow Valley. You have started telling her "backyard, Bow" when it's time to put her up! I love how she's beginning to listen to you.
You love to give Bow Valley treats... you were making her work for this one! :)
Snap chat filters on my phone are fun!
I went with you and your family to Moe's! We had fun eating on the patio.
I told you to look at your cup... there was a planet on it. You said..."That's not a planet, Dee Dee! That's Saturn!" LOL You keep us laughing!
You and I went to the Story Shop in Monroe and picked out a book. We had so much fun playing!
We went in the teepee they had...
and played in the hobbit hole...
You cleaned your "place!" :)
It was a beautiful day. We had pizza for lunch afterwards. You said..."Look, Dee Dee! It's an "A" like "Aspen!" LOL
Walking around in downtown Monroe was fun! I sure do love you, Little Mister!
You sure do love your Dada! I love this picture of your hug!
Dee Dee is leaving with Pops on a work trip! You really want to go and one year... you are going to! You love to talk about the ocean. I wish I could pack you and take you with me! :)
Mommy had all sorts of fun outside things to do this week! Y'all are too cute!
Your favorite thing to do is find "Charlie!" I can't believe how many you found! :)
You love Charlie to crawl around you! I think that's SO cute! :)
B is rolling you Reese's pieces down the slide! Y'all are a HOOT!
Aspen... you are so loved! Mrs. Michele loves you and you love her! She hosted a Thirty-One party tonight in your honor. All to raise money for Team Aspen and a CURE for CF.
Our $$$ numbers are WAY down this year with fundraising. I think it's because people see you as "healthy" and don't really understand what Cystic Fibrosis is. I don't think people understand that CF is a progressive disease that ravishes the lungs and digestive system and most often ends in respiratory failure. We started fundraising later than normal this year because of the tumor on Dee Dee's kidney. We will get rolling, PRAYERFULLY, sooner next year.
Your Dee Dee wants nothing more than a CURE for you. Pops and I pray every night for you and your health. We're praying this will be a healthy, wonderful year for you. I'm also praying that when you begin to understand "what" CF is a little more... that you will always be a FIGHTER! I'm praying that you will put your stubborn streak to work and do the best you can.
I'm so proud of you. You are brave and you are already a fighter. You've already endured more than many people have to in a lifetime. My biggest prayer is that you would find the Lord at an early age and surrender your life to Him and live for Him. After that... I am praying you will have a fighting spirit that is determined and that perseveres. I'm already praying that you will never have to fight... just to breathe! I'm praying for a CURE! I'm praying for effective treatments.
You fill my life with so much JOY and I'm so grateful that I am able to watch you grow.
This is our Great Strides shirt for 2017. 100% of the money raised goes towards your team. I chose the "mountains" shirt and BREATHE EASY because we are headed to Colorado this year for your first time. The altitude is higher than in GA. Right now... you shouldn't have any problems breathing because your lungs aren't damaged...but one day....that might become difficult. I pray as you get older... you'll be able to travel and do anything you want to do and will always be able to "breathe easy!" I pray for a CURE so you never have to worry about these things that so many people take for granted.
I love your sense of humor! I love your silly faces. I love how independent you are and how determined you are to do things. I love your love for the outdoors. I love that you love to run up the hill for a visit. I love that you love to learn. I love that you love friends and always want to come and see Dee Dee's friends when they visit. I love how much you love your Mommy, Dada and Bennett. I love to bake with you. I love how you are always talking... just like your Dada and Dee Dee.
Happy Birthday sweet boy! As I go to sleep tonight... I know I will wake up and you will be FOUR. Your Mommy said you are making pancakes together for breakfast. Dee Dee is at the ocean but is coming home just in time for dinner with you. Mommy said you said...."The sun is going to nap and when it's big again, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!"
I love how excited you are and I can't wait to hug your neck. I've missed you. I'm so excited to be celebrating your birthday with you and I can't wait to go camping!!!!
Your FOUR today and your Dee Dee can't wait to get a hug!
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