We got a little footstool for the bathroom so we can teach Asher to wash his hands and brush his teeth.  We of course still help A LOT with these, but he’s getting better and loves, loves, loves being a big boy and doing things himself.  He literally could brush his teeth (or more specifically eat his toothpaste and bite his toothbrush) all day long.  I think his favorite part is laughing at Piglet on his toothbrush :).

…to Ashley that we do give our child sugar.  I was so desparate to show you, we snapped a picture with our camera phone.  Here he is, enjoying a Sonic shake filled with lots of refined sugars.  So, you don’t need to worry anymore :).

I’m sitting here (thankfully by myself!) balling my eyes out, because we have hope!  Hope for our little Asher, and the 70,000 children and adults Cystic Fibrosis affects worldwide.  Hope for a cure!

Here are a few statements from a recently published article in the New York Times…

“’I do think we will see a cure,” said Dr. Richard Boucher, director of the Cystic Fibrosis/Pulmonary Research and Treatment Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “These therapies that hydrate the cystic fibrosis airway surface may be able to stop the progression of the disease in adults. And, very excitingly, in babies you may even be able to prevent it.”  Dr. Boucher says the likelihood that this will happen in the next 5 to 10 years is “extremely high.”

Over the last decade, scientists have been testing an experimental compound called VX-770, which may be able to fix the defective protein that causes the surface of the lungs to become so dehydrated in cystic fibrosis. It works by essentially tricking the cells that line the airway into secreting salt, which causes water to flow back into the airway. By restoring the proper balance of salt and water, the lungs become hydrated, the mucus thins out and harmful bacteria are more easily washed away.'”

Jeremy and I have been hearing about VX-770 since Asher was born, and it’s still moving forward through the testing. Our little man has benefited greatly from new inhaled medications like Pulmozyme (makes the mucus thinner and easier to expel), and Tobramycin (an antibiotic that delivers medication straight into the lungs that fights off infections like Pseudomonas – which Asher has).  BUT, this VX-770…this is the real deal…this could quite possibly be our cure.

The article says, “many scientists also warn that even the most promising of drugs can fail in late-stage testing.”

Will you join us in praying for a cure for Asher?  For a cure, real soon.  We’re praying for VX-770, but we’re not picky.  If God wants to reveal a cure through another drug, that’s fine by us.

Yesterday Krista and I braved the rapids and took our boys to the 2009 Peach Festival at Schnepf Farms!  We had such a great time enjoying our boys together!  We kept complimenting them for how well-behaved they were all being!  Quite honestly, we really didn’t plan on being there all morning, but we were all having fun, and meltdown-free, so we just kept going.  Thanks for spending the morning with us, friends!

Memories…

– Krista and I shared a really huge, peach cinammon roll – yeah, it tasted as good as it looks!

– Asher was not afraid of the gigantic peacock hissing and fanning his feathers!  Birds just freak me out, especially ones that can ram you over!  Not Asher, this kid is fearless.

– Asher and Carter got all cuddly when we went on the train ride and the hayride.  Krista and I were not complaining, we don’t get a lot of cuddle time with our boys.

– We took a hayride to pick the peaches and left behind the wipes.  Wow, that was a colossal mistake.  Peach juice, dirt, and 3 boys don’t make for clean.

– We tried to get pictures of the boys together…but, you know…they’ve got lots to do.

– On the hayride some lady was squeezing past Asher and I and told me, “You’re gonna have to move that child!”  ha ha ha, it just made me laugh!

– Apparently we had lost Asher’s hat somewhere along the way, and reunited with it on the hay ride.  Some nice man picked it up, and we just happened to get on his tractor for the hay ride.  I guess it was meant to be :).

Great times!

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…played with lots of my friends at Chase and Carter’s house (mom said she couldn’t get good pictures because we were all too fast)

…was a good boy and sat in my car seat for an hour while mom got us lost in Tempe (she didn’t mean to, I understood)

…played with Superman – he’s so funny

…bit my tongue really hard

…finished my 2nd day of Tobi, only 26 more days to go (mom and dad bought me a Mickey dvd so that makes it more fun)

…made daddy and mommy laugh a lot at dinner tonight

…helped mommy check out at the grocery store (I like the *beep*)

I know I’m forgetting stuff, but I’m tired.  It was a busy day.  Bye, bye.

We had a rock ’em sock ’em time today at the South home!  So many fun activities for the kids, great food, great friends, and I’m guessing a child who will sleep in tomorrow :).  Asher was so busy checking out all the fun toys, and playing with the kids that he had this glossy-eyed (kind of scary, ha!) look to him on the car ride home.

THE PARTY

There were a lot of super wet things for Asher to play on, but for some reason he took the much dryer route and preferred the land toys.  Not sure why, but I do know we need a little house in our backyard like this one.  He loved going in and out and in and out, and sweeping and raking.

SAMMIE AND ASHER

Oh, I love these pictures!  Asher is so in to Sammie!  He’s listening to every word she’s saying, laughing hysterically, and then hugging her for the fun times.

THE ABBY CADABBY PINATA

Sammie won the bid at Asher’s fundraiser for this adorable pinata, hand-made by Kristie Braselton.  It was the perfect activity for all the kids!  Asher really took a couple good whacks at it – well, you can see how hard he was swinging by the picture of Jeremy flinching, ha!  Meagan even had Abby Cadabby party hats!  She plans things down to the fine details.  Um.  Yeah.  Meagan and I just understand each other :).

PIN THE TAIL

No blindfold.  Lots of examples of where to place the tail.  People to follow.  Nope, not Asher.  He’s a leader, ha!

Thank you so much, Peter, Meagan, Sammie, and Mr. Cole-train, for inviting us to your fun party!!!  We love you!!!

Our friends, Travis, Jessica, and their little peanut, Justus, came over to visit.  Whenever Asher is around other kids I’m always reminded how much he needs it.  He gets so excited, he can barely (not really at all) control himself.  He had so many hugs and kisses to give his little friend, we started to feel bad Justus, ha!

This last week two of Asher’s friends, Cole and Abigail, mailed him letters for his mailbox!  Wow, he was so excited to open them up!  He got a picture of his buddy, Cole, with an invitation to come and play, and “Cars” stickers and a nice note from Abigail.  He’s got the best friends!

I’ve been laid up these last few days with my back.  So, Asher painted me a picture :).  And, now I understand why it’s so easy to accumulate boxes and boxes full of your children’s artwork!  I will never throw this piece of fine art away!!!

Madi.  She’s a sweet, sweet girl, with a sweet, sweet heart.  Look at this flyer she made to collect money for teamASHER!  It reads, “Hey!  Would you like 2 help a cause?  Then please donate to Fundraising 4 Fibrosis!  Or send $ to Madi!”  ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!  Fundraising 4 Fibrosis – how perfectly adorable is that!

Doesn’t he just look like he’s contemplating world peace, a solution for our economic crisis, LOST theories, and how many cookies Cookie Monster just shoved in his mouth :).