4 years and 8 months and your first "CF related" admission since birth...

Sweet, sweet, Aspen! You always amaze me! You are the strongest little guy that I know and I am SO super proud of you. This month has had some good times (thank you, Lord) and this month has had some hard and trying times. You were admitted to CHOA for your first "CF related" admission on November 18th for NINE days.  You had a long, lingering cough and went to the CF clinic on the 14th to see Dr. Stecenko. She did a throat culture, like usual, to see if you were culturing anything. Your Mommy was told you would be admitted if the culture came back showing anything new (she thought it would) OR if your cough got worse. There was an error in the lab (for the first time ever) but your cough grew worse. After a long Friday... the 17th, of not hearing back from your doctor... she called on Saturday the 18th and you were admitted. More on that later. 

We started the month with all things Halloween. You love FROGS more than any boy I have ever known. You want everything frog! You even wanted to be a frog for Halloween but Mommy couldn't find a good costume, so you chose this dragon... and you were the cutest dragon ever. You and Mommy and Dada and Bennett bought it at your favorite store... P.J. Maxx (also known as T.J. Maxx). hahaha

You were super excited that you could wear your costume to school. Dee Dee was able to go along with you and Mommy. We had breakfast at school with your class. 

Bennett was excited that he was able to wear his dinosaur costume to your school too! 

Mrs. Robin is so good about cleaning hands...and I know we are all grateful! 

It was your day to be line leader! You did such a good job. You said you would rather be the door holder though. LOL 

Your seat at school...

Y'all got to go "trick or treating" to all the classrooms. 

This is your class! Mrs. Robin on the left and Mrs. Maria (your main teacher) on the right...

This is just some of the goodies you found in your bag! You were so excited to show us everything! 

These glasses are hilarious! 

Halloween was a beautiful, fall day and we were able to go up to The Cross and see some animals and get some more candy! :) 

You and B even got to bounce a little bit! 

The start of the line for candy! 

You wanted to know where all your friends were and then you saw Carlie from GUMP! 

We went "legit" trick or treating for your first time and you loved it! B was scared but you rang that doorbell like a champ! :) 

Nelly and Co-Chri are at the hospital waiting to have Thomason! This was Nelly loving the changing leaves...

Dada wanted to have some "Aspen/Dada" time... so you two put up a tent and camped in the yard! 

50's day at your school! Too cute! 

Mrs. Maria sent Mommy this picture of the boys in your class looking 50's tough! :) SO cute! 

I love picking you up from school. On this day, me and Mommy both picked you up! 

We went to the "Owl ice cream" for yogurt...

You love to fix your own and pick out all your toppings! 

I love your smile! You had such an awesome day! 

One of my favorite pictures of us! 

Dee Dee and Pops have spent the last 3 weeks with Nelly and Chri...waiting for sweet Thomason to be born. You were pretty excited to get some Dee Dee time when we got home. You couldn't wait to put a puzzle together. 

Riding your bike and playing outside is your favorite thing to do! 

Mommy let you and Bennett make dirt sundaes. You had such fun! 

The things you make at GUMP make me smile so much! 

You love school...

Showing Bennett how to play Jenga! :) 

Pops made the mistake of letting you get on the elliptical downstairs. haha

You love to go to Trader Joes and push their "you" sized cart! 

It was finally the day to meet sweet Thomason!!! You were SO super excited! Look how grown you look! 

You brought this "blanket" from your room to share with Thomason! You have such a huge heart. 

You like to stop on your way up to see Dee Dee and pick me a flower. I kept this flower in water for a week to remember...

You are riding your bike with no training wheels and fast might I add! LOL You have always been quick to learn things. It didn't take you long to learn to balance. You have loved riding your bike SO much this month! It's so much fun to watch you. 

This is the first month that Dee Dee thought it might be easier to stay at home with Bennett instead of us ALL going to the CF clinic for your appointment. You were not a fan! And that made Dee Dee sad. I think next time, we will just all have to pile in the car and go. 

You didn't quite understand why I wasn't going this time and that made us both sad. 

You  blew your official first PFT's and it was 84%... but you are sick! 

When you are sick... that causes your treatments to be doubled. Instead of twice a day.... it moves to FOUR times a day. 30 minutes each time for the vest and then your breathing treatments and albuterol. You are a tough, tough little guy and I'm so proud of you and how well you take what's given to you. 

I got to pick you up from school this day and you melted Dee Dee's heart! You literally started jumping up and down and screaming..."It's my Dee Dee! It's my Dee Dee!"  You love me to pick you up in Daisy! :)

The doctor told you to stay out of school to make sure you had time for four CPT's... but Mommy couldn't stand the fact. It was the day before your Thanksgiving program and you were POPCORN! She made sure that your treatments fit (you stayed up later) but you were able to go to school the last two days before Thanksgiving break...

I love how you looked back with a smile at me and Mommy and Bennett sitting and watching! 

My heart could have overflowed. On the way out.. you got out of line and came and gave me the biggest hug ever. You were so happy to see me and I was so glad I could be there. 

We were able to eat lunch with you and see all the fun things that you made...

What a fun day! And SO much to be thankful for...

Your classroom door. You are so cute giving us the tour! 

I bought the game, Jenga, for you to play. You are really good at it. 

You and I went to Publix! You love to go shopping with Dee Dee because you know you are wrapped around my finger and can put just about anything you want in the cart. HA! This trip you picked cantaloupe, fruit roll-ups, avocados, jello and several other things. :)

We went down to your house to get your bike and boy do you scare me how fast you ride! You assure me that you've "got it, Dee Dee" and know what you are doing. LOL 

Nelly, Co-Chri and Thomason came over to visit. You already love him so much and you're so protective of him. 

The next day turned everything CRAZY! November 18th... we left for you to be admitted to CHOA. While we were at CHOA, Pops called with Bennett who was sick and it turns out he would be the most sick of anyone, He had pneumonia. 

Waiting to go up to your room! I'm not sure you understood you would be here so long! 

They were putting up the Christmas tree at CHOA and it was fun to watch. This wasn't the best week to be admitted but we are so grateful we are close to good care. 

Getting your arm band... CHOA thought I was there to admit your Mommy! We had a good laugh! 

Your Mommy is the best! She stayed with you the first WEEK...day and night and made sure everything went well. You were traumatized just a little bit by the way they attempted to put in your PICC line. They didn't "act" like the CHOA we knew on that Saturday and we learned a weekend check-in is hard. They put numbing cream and bandages up and down both arms AND attempted to put the PICC line in with you awake. They gave you a small dose of Versed, that did nothing to calm you, and wanted you to be "calm" for your PICC. After a long period of trying... we had to INSIST that they stop. We hope you won't remember this experience the next time you are in the hospital. They finally took you down during the week to IR and they gave you some "gas" and put the line in. PRAISE! Dr. S told Mommy that you would be there 10-14 days... and leaned more towards the 14 days but you were able to leave on day #9. We were so grateful. 

Your first night's nurse... not the best "first admission" check-in... but you are still so brave! 

It was SO hard for us to watch you so scared...

Dee Dee threw together a goodie bag for you to have at the hospital. You had some books and candy and a plane to put together and paint. 

You didn't like the oxygen reader on the tip of your finger. They eventually moved it to your toe and you did much better with that. 

Dee Dee brought you some candy lego's. You could build and play and then eat them...

They numbed both arms (or attempted to) because that should have helped when your IV was put in. The tape and the cream did nothing but stress you out. It was REALLY hard to get off too. 

We attempted to keep your mind off things by painting your plane. You did a great job! 

Dee Dee brought you this book by Max Lucado. I loved reading this book to you and I hope you will pray this prayer when you are scared...

"God, you are good. 

God, you are near. 

God, you are here!

And, God, you LOVE me." 

They made us leave when they attempted the PICC line. That was a mistake that we didn't realize was happening. Dada eventually got to "suit up" and go back in with you... but by then, it was too late. They weren't getting that PICC line in you that day. 

So... they did the IV on your hand. You weren't a fan. They replaced the IV with the PICC line the next week. 

You got a lot of use out of the candy legos...

The day of your admission was hard. You had so much drainage and phlegm that you threw up. You coughed pretty much non-stop and it was hard to watch. 

Respiratory came often and you weren't really amused. Sometimes you would do your treatments willingly and sometimes you put up a pretty big fight and your Mommy had to hold you down. We know you were scared and didn't have control of much in your life... so you acted out some. 

By Sunday, you were feeling MUCH better and had so much fun when Steven (and Sarah and Chris) came for a visit. They brought you a NINJA turtle and you all played for a bit. You had several visitors. My friends, Sheryl and Tim also came to play and bring y'all dinner. 

We went to the gift shop and Mommy bought you a flute that you build! It was a great idea until you wanted to play it in the lobby! hahahaha #toocute 

You put up such a fight during some treatments that it just wore you slap out! 

We didn't get to see your doctor for the first few days. Mommy and this doctor don't always see eye to eye. 

Some days you just chilled and did treatments with no problem :) 

You needed some POPS snuggle time! So cute! 

You got a baseball tattoo on your hand and they gave you an extra. You really wanted to put it on my hand, so I proudly wore a dinosaur that you put on me! LOL 

Having lunch out of the bed and with Pops was a fun idea! Your ordered spaghetti....
Mommy said you always ordered pancakes for breakfast and cheese grits. 

Playing pool on Pops phone brought some laughter! 

It was always fun to leave the room and go for a walk. You loved to go by the fish tank. There was a "Nemo" in the tank. You had to leave your room during "odd hours" because there was a girl with the dangerous bacteria on another floor and y'all couldn't get out of your room at the same time. 

We went outside to play and we even ate Thanksgiving lunch outside! 

You and I sat in the bed one day and ordered some frog toys. One of those toys was a frog game. We sat in the floor one day and had such a fun time playing it! You were SO good at it. I was always yellow and you were always green! 

Dee Dee also brought you some frogs that you flicked around the room! We had fun playing with those. The nurse told Mommy they found one of these frogs in another room and when we left...the nurse gave you one back and said she had found it in the hall. hahahaha!  They also gave you this stuffed lion that also had a PICC line in, so he could relate. :) 

The PICC line was so helpful to put your meds in... It took 30 minutes to put in your antibiotics. 

But it wasn't always easy to walk around the room with your pole. 

The shooting frogs game became really serious at one point. LOL 

You earned tokens for doing things well (like your treatments) and you could turn them in for a prize at the end of the day. 

Superior Plumbing provided our Thanksgiving lunch and it was delicious. When you walked in to the room you said, "Well, this is special!" TOO cute! 

It was a beautiful day in the 60's and we ate outside in the courtyard...

This bag was your "frog bag!" 

All smiles after playing FROGS! 

On Thanksgiving, Pops and I left the hospital to go see Nelly and Co-Chri and Thomason and to pick up a sick B! We stopped briefly to climb Stone Mountain and I thought of you! You know how much I love sunsets and always tell me when you see a pretty one or tell me to take a picture if I'm with you. I took this picture and thought of you and prayed for you. Sunsets are my favorite and they often remind me of just how much we have to be thankful for. God's amazing grace! I love you, Aspen! 

Mommy said every time you went downstairs to get your food... you picked out a salad and a slushy. :) 

Dada and Bennett were sick on Thanksgiving so they didn't get to see you. On Friday, Dee Dee brought Bennett up to see you. You took B on a "tour" of CHOA and was so proud. You said..."I was here when I was a little, tiny baby and we went outside....!" 

You were excited to show Bennett your PICC line. You said..."This is my first time to have one of these!" We hope you won't have another one for a long, long time! 

I love your imagination! You build a snowman out of pumpkins...

You and Bennett ran and ran. You have some cough left but B is actually worse than you were. You "ran out of air" when you were running but overall bounced back quicker than they thought you would. 

You picked flowers for me and Mommy from the gardens. 

You ordered pizza for lunch and were so sweet to share with B! You were the sweetest you have been this entire day! 

You hugged on B! We think y'all missed each other! :) 

Everyone was looking kind of tired... but we had to attempt a picture in front of the garden Christmas tree! 

Bennett was feeling pretty bad! You were so sweet to try to get down where he was and roll around with him. He wasn't a fan but you were sweet to try! 

You wanted us to all walk, holding hands! :) 

You've missed being outside and climbing Dee Dee's tree... so a boy has to do what a boy has to do! ha! 

Mrs. Michele, Jenna and Dave came for a visit. They brought you Spider Man fun stuff and a transformer that Mr. Dave had. You played with your stuff ALL day! 

I love how you wanted to hold my hand when we went for walks...

You had some fun things to do in PT! You even got to go to the "underground" tunnel that went over to Emory! 

On day NINE... boredom had set in. We were waiting to get your PICC line out and you were climbing in the closets and bouncing off the walls! LOL 

You pitched a fit when it was time to take your PICC line out and that delayed us leaving by almost 2 hours. ha! But I don't blame you... that PICC line is new to you and you didn't know what to expect.  Dada played nice for a long time. He can make you laugh much faster than anyone else... but sometimes serious talks are needed. You NEEDED to have your PICC line removed!

See you later room 5214.... We're out of here! Mommy will miss the ice chips in the room behind you... but that's about it! LOL

When you finally got it removed and we were "free", you were running the halls of Egleston! 

Mommy was really sick and so was Bennett. They weren't able to come to the hospital and Mommy was very sad about that. She spent a solid week at the hospital with you and I wish she had been able to watch the JOY in your eyes when it was time to leave! Happiness! 

You weren't able to go home the first night because Mommy was sick, so you came to Dee Dee and Pop's house. You always find the "prizes" I have stashed for you and you found this LEGO set. You and Pops built it.

You LOVE legos and I have a feeling we will be doing MUCH more of this! You built a ship that had a shark and a fishing pole! Your favorite things...

When it was getting time to go to bed, I had a duvet cover on your bed. You said, "You don't expect me to use this do you? I need a blankie that's like the carpet." haha! We found a blanket that met your approval. :)

 We stayed up late and played and you slept in "your bedroom!" You slept until 9:30 the next morning without waking up once! You were so tired and so ready for some good sleep! I was sad that you couldn't go home to Mommy and Dada but I sure did enjoy having you stay with me. We laughed and played on the I-pad and had so much fun playing games. 

You made eggs the next morning and even cracked them yourself! 

Your treatments are back to twice a day and we are thankful for that. You still have a cough that we are praying will go completely away. You go back to the CF clinic on December 11th. I wish you were able to come home from the hospital and stop all "airway clearance" but that won't happen. CF is a hard disease to stay "on top of" but I pray every day you will have the determination to take the best care possible of your lungs. 

Me and you went to Trader Joes. You were so cute getting your own cart. 

We went to Target and added some things to your Christmas list...

and I enjoyed our lunch date to Taqueria Del Sol... We played your new game and ate chips! :) 

You got a pretend fish at Target and had so much fun playing with it...

We also got the game, Trouble! It look a few minutes to teach you... but for 4 years old... you picked up really fast on this game for ages 5 and up. 

The leaves turned late this year. I love to watch you run down your driveway. You were going to get your bike! 

You love to ride with "no training wheels" and I love to watch! 

Mrs. Sandie bought you some push up pops and you loved them! 

Watching you and Bennett play was sweet. 

Bennett wasn't quite ready for you to come home...and you really wanted to stay because you love to spend time in your bedroom at our house...LOL! It was cute that after 10 days, you both loved your one on one time. haha  You pitched a fit when you left. That made Dee Dee feel good because I'm going to miss you too, buddy... but it just shows us how much you both love your "individual" alone time. You love each other so much though and I know you're ready to be back under one roof with your Mommy, Dada and B! 

It's been a hard week, Little Mister! We've talked about your first admission but when it actually gets here... it's harder than it seems like it might be. It's hard not to be together on Thanksgiving and hard to watch you go through all they put you through. However, when you were at Egleston... I tried my best to STOP and literally count "my blessings!" There are SO many things to be thankful for. I'm thankful for more things than I could list right now. I'm thankful for the ability to breathe and to walk and talk and a lot of things we take for granted. I'm also thankful that you are SO active. I am thankful that you love to jump and climb and play outside. I am thankful that you have a determined spirit. I am thankful that you can be stubborn at times, because I think that will be good for you in the fight against CF. Your personality and your competitiveness are a blessing and I'm thankful for it. I'm thankful that you love school and have such a kind heart. I'm thankful that you love Bennett and have fun playing with him. I'm thankful that you are a FIGHTER and I pray you will work hard and push STRONG against this disease called Cystic Fibrosis. 

Prayer Requests: 

* To gain some weight. You lost some weight in the hospital. You were able to get back close to what you came in at... but not quite. 

* For your coughing to STOP and for you to go back to a baseline cough of "nothing!" 

* For you not to give out of breath when you are exercising

* For Mommy, Bennett and everyone else to get well and stay well

* For you to stay healthy the rest of the winter... but especially in December

* For your lung x-rays to get back to where they were prior to admission

* For Dada's boss to be more understanding when he needs to miss a day

PRAISES! 

* Thank you, Lord, that Aspen didn't culture anything... not even staph

* Thank you, Lord, that a 14 day admission turned to 9

* Thank you, Lord, that Aspen's lungs sound clear when he left CHOA

* Thank you for this first admission to be behind everyone and for us all pulling together to make things work as smoothly as possible

* Mommy and B are better

Some things are hard to understand. Sometimes Dee Dee has a hard time understanding why a sweet boy like you has to struggle just to breathe. That's where FAITH comes in Aspen. God created you just the way you are and He doesn't make mistakes. We aren't on this earth for our reasons or purposes... we are on this earth for His glory. I believe, with all of my heart, that the Lord is going to use YOU for His glory. I continue to pray that you will come to know Him at an early age and will trust and depend on Him for your strength and peace in all of life. 

I love you, sweet boy! Your Dee Dee hopes you will always remember how much I LOVE you!

You are SO funny. I wish I remembered ALL of the funny things that you say but I can only remember some. You keep us all laughing though! 

Coughing lately has made you gag. You're not used to that. You coughed really hard one day and said..."I almost chocked but I didn't. It's my lucky day!" ha! What a positive way to look at that. :)

Your favorite fast food is Chick-Fil-A and TACO BELL! You are so funny with Taco Bell. Last month while we were camping, I told you I wasn't sure where a Taco Bell was (everyone else wanted CFA). I was hoping you wouldn't notice the Taco Bell RIGHT next door. haha! We were riding through Loganville this month and you said..."Remember that time about Taco Bell!" hahaha! You are starting to remember and recall things very well. That makes this Dee Dee so happy. You're remembering all the fun and funny times. You love hot sauce and love that you love it so much like Dee Dee!

You love juicy drops and kit kats and hot lunches from school. You still love your milkshakes and this month, you're really loving pancakes! Your appetite went down in the hospital but it came back with a vengeance on the way home. You ate CFA and ate really well!

You love Bow Valley and Gunner and that's one way that we are different. ha! I don't like dogs but I'm glad that you do. You told me that Gunner loved me and that he wouldn't hurt me. You love to reassure me that it's ok! (We kept Gunner for a little while since Nelly was in the hospital)

You get MOST of your words right but the "confused" word of the month is LOSSER! You will say..."I'm a winner but B is a LOSSER!" We can't quite convince you that it's LOSER! ha

Happy December! We're decorating our tree this coming weekend and Dee Dee is SO excited. I can't wait for all of the exciting times and to celebrate Jesus's birth, together, as a family!

You love SNAPchat filters and I can't help but to close with this picture. It makes me laugh and it's our feelings for  being home! :)

WOO HOOOOOOOO!!!! And to make things even better... it's been in the upper 60's this week, so it's been OK for some outside time to burn off all that energy.