Dear Bo, On the day you were born...

On the day you were born...

Daddy and I woke up really early and couldn't sleep. It was a special time.

Mimi and I went shopping (it was Black Friday), and I bought you a Christmas present (a sock monkey jack in the box).

We had pizza for lunch.

We watched the A&M men play a basketball game.

Daddy worked on hooking up an antenna at the house, and it took forever.

On the day you were born...

Contractions started about 3pm, and we started timing them on the monitor the home health nurse left at the house. We timed them until about 5:30pm, then we all took showers and got our stuff together. I called Dr. Carrasco, and we went to the hospital about 6:30pm.

When we got to the hospital, our nurses were Dawn and Deidre, who were our nurses at a previous visit. They were wonderful.

Dr. Carrasco got to the hospital about 8pm and said I was far enough to do a c-section. We had decided against medications to stop labor because I had such a bad reaction to all of the previous ones. We then found out 2 c-sections were ahead of us so they gave me morphine until it was our turn. The morphine made me a little sick. Not too bad though compared to all of the other medications I had to take in weeks prior. The NICU nurse came in and told us there was a 100% chance you would have to go to NICU.

The nurses came to prep me about 10:30pm, and Daddy got geared up. They took me to the OR to administer the anesthesia, and I got sick beforehand. The administration of the spinal itself wasn't bad at all. Drs. Robert and Londa were there to do the c-section.

Daddy came in when I was all prepped. Once they started the procedure, it became apparent that the anesthesia wasn't working. I could only say "hurt" and "vice grips". I had a death grip on a metal pole. The doctor gave me meds to "make me see strawberry fields" and apologized to Daddy that I would be out of it. Boy, was I out of it. I would swear I was dead. I kept "floating" to different colored rooms and trying to come back to the light in the OR. I briefly remember a cry and Daddy in my face. The next thing I remember is waking up in recovery and saying, "baby". Deidre told me you were perfect and didn't even have to go to NICU! I thought my heart would explode! Daddy stayed with you and showed you to Mimi and Pop who were there waiting.
Daddy went with you to be measured, and they put you under an oxygen tent for awhile, but you were out in no time. We knew you were a fighter!
Daddy brought you to me for the first time. I will never forget that I immediately thought you were beautiful and fell in love with your crooked little mouth.
Then Daddy went and gave you your first bath.

I know that God is bigger than any medical data out there, but I have to admit that I was surprised and continue to be overwhelmed that you are here and that you are perfect and that you didn't spend a second in NICU even though you were only 34 weeks.

We don't deserve you, little buddy, but we are crazy in love with you. So glad you are here and healthy.

Bozeman ("Bo") Pawlo Zanowiak
11:54pm on November 27, 2009
5 pounds 11 ounces (they had the card in your bassinet wrong)
16.5 inches