Dear 2009, We had quite a year...

Meeting my time goal at the Houston Half Marathon, running with friends at Cowtown, and a trip to Vegas with Jonathan...

Easter with the Bozeman "8 under 8"...


An incredible vacation in Kauai with The One...

Finding this out...
Reconnecting with family in a place that is so special to me...
Bidding farewell to my grandfather and honoring a life well spent...

Having a fun girls weekend in Dallas with Christine, Sis, and Steph...

Making preparations with Uncle Bud, Aunt Lori, and Mimi for our little guy...
Going on a babymoon to Breckenridge and celebrating 9 years with The One...
Celebrating our little man with family and friends...
Meeting Bo...
Our first Christmas as a family of three...
May 2010 bring as many blessings as 2009 has...

Dear Bo, Your first Zanowiak Christmas...

Your GranNana and GranDa came and visited, as well as your Brown cousins. They loved you! We had a good visit, and you were a good boy!

You and Aunt Collyn and Uncle Chase:
You and Cousin Alyssa:
You and Cousin Alyssa and Cousin Cade:

Dear Reader, Guess who is ready for gameday?

Bo is!

(Too bad the Aggies weren't....)

Resting up for the game with Daddy...

Dear Bo, You're 1 month old!

You're one month old today!
Here's what you're up to:

• You remind us of a puppy with your whimpering, squeaking, and the way you like your "paws" up by your face;
• You love to sleep on your hands or with them over your head;
• 
• 
• You are a good baby. You don't cry very often and when you do, you are easily consolable.
• You sleep in a bassinet in our room. You go 3.5-4 hours at night between feedings. During the day, you go 3-3.5 hours between feedings. You've come a long way in the feeding department--gone is the sugar water, "switch and bait", shield, and follow up bottles.
  
• You weigh 6 pounds 3 ounces, wear newborn diapers, and wear preemie clothes.
• You don't like having your diaper changed or having your clothes changed.
  
• I can't get enough of you in this puppy gown. I also love it when you're in just your white bodysuit and socks.
• 
• You love to cuddle. Sometimes when you fuss, we'll pick you up, kiss you, and hold you close, and you immediately stop fussing and nuzzle into us. It melts my heart.

I can't believe you're already a month old. I keep telling myself not to forget these days and to especially remember them when you're 16 and break curfew!

My life was full and wonderful before you, but now I feel like it's just overflowing. Love you, little buddy.

Dear Bo, What a fun Christmas for our little family of 3...

We had our first Christmas as a family of 3, and it was wonderful.

Here you are with our Christmas tree:
And with Daddy:
And your loot:
Can't believe next year you will be walking around and into everything at Christmas! Can't wait!

Dear Bo, 4 weeks old, your first Christmas, and finally 6 pounds...

We spent our first weekend at home as a family of 3! We took some walks, tried to cat nap during the day while you napped, and spent a lot of time saying, "We have a baby..."

We had another weight check, and you gained about an ounce a day and are now 6 pounds 3 ounces! Finally...some news Momma could celebrate about!

We went shopping for some Christmas presents for you, and it was a lot of fun. I remember last December I bought some kids' Christmas wrapping paper with the hope of having a baby of my own to wrap gifts with, and it's crazy that you are here, and I'm using it! You have gotten the neatest "My First Christmas ornaments..."

A glass blown ornament made by my friend, Jennifer, with your name on it:
Baby shoes from your GranNana:
A James Avery ornament with your name on it from my boss and his wife:
And this tractor with your name on it from my friend, Heather:
Your first Christmas bear from Mimi:
I love them all!

We went to the farm for Christmas, and your first Christmas was a white one! You got lots of goodies from your Mimi, Pop, and cousins. You didn't have very many infant toys and now you have quite a selection! With 10 of you (and 6 under the age of 2), it was a crazy Christmas, but you slept through it:
All 6 under 2 years old:
You and Aunt Jen, Cousin Landry, and "a twin":
You and Cousin Brooks:
Family pic:
Snoozing at Mimi and Pop's:
Merry Christmas, little one!

Love,
Momma

Dear All, Merry Christmas...

Dear Bo, You're 3 weeks old and home with Momma and Daddy now...

Daddy came to the farm for the weekend, too. We all had a nice visit (even though Momma had an allergic reaction and ended up in a clinic most of Sunday!).

Baby Brooks arrived on Monday, and I know y'all will be big buddies. He's struggling right now, and I feel so badly for his Momma and Daddy. I know we were scared when we thought you'd go to NICU.

Pop took us to meet Daddy half way on Monday night. I cried when I left both Mimi and Pop. Partly because I'm a little scared to not have someone who knows just how to care for you and to ask questions about your care and partly because it's overwhelming to finally have a frame of reference for how they love me. Hard to believe they've felt about me for 31 years the way I feel about you!

Our first nights with you have been rough. We don't know all of your noises yet, and we're up for everything. Truth be told, you've spent most of the nights asleep on our chest. I swore I wouldn't coddle my baby like that and I would make my baby sleep in their own bed, but well...I'm sure that's not the first time I'll eat my words! I just want you to get rest and that's the way you rest best! Daddy took off work on Tuesday to help me with you, and it was a good, special day with the 3 of us. I am getting used to you during the day and have bathed you (by myself!) and taken you for some walks.

We had another weight check, and you only gained half an ounce a day, for a grand total of 5 pounds 13 ounces. You guessed it...Momma didn't like that news! The doctor suggested we try rice cereal in your bottles to help with some weight gain. We'll try anything.

Dear Bo, Another week old and your first trip to the farm...

If it were possible to spoil something so tiny, you would be! You and Mimi are snuggle buddies (your favorite thing is to sleep on her chest). Daddy comes home to see you at lunch and rocks you when he comes home from work. Pop has driven to see you twice already since you've been home and takes the 9pm-12am shift and rocks and rocks you. Daddy is a "Super Scribe"; he always makes sure your eating and elimination chart is updated.

We had another weight check, and you gained 6 ounces. I was so glad to hear that! Feeding is still a challenge.

Mimi and I took you to the farm for the weekend to meet your cousins and wait for Baby Brooks to get here. I will miss Mimi like crazy. I hope I never forget these things about her visit:

• That she cooked special things I like and Daddy likes;
• The way she sings to you (mostly songs she makes up);
• Us visiting while I nurses--I think I'll miss that the most. Sometimes we sat in a tired stupor, sometimes we had giggling fits, and sometimes I cried and she consoled me;
• Her giving me tips on bathing you and how to get things done with you here (i.e. put you in the bouncer in the bathroom so I can shower);
• That y'all were snuggle buddies.

You met Uncle Bud and his family! The Coles were at the farm to meet Brooks, too, and they are still crazy about you and held you a lot. Aunt Lori took care of you at night so I could rest and y'all became good buddies! You had some special visitors: Momma's friend, Julie, Mimi's friend, Jamie, and your greatgrandmother, Mammies. We're having a nice visit.

You and Uncle Bud:
You and Mammies:
Duded up at Mimi's (this was your "coming home" outfit):

Dear Bo, I don't want to forget your first week...

I already told you about the day you were born; the first week was just as special.

The day after you were born (Saturday), Mimi and Pop came back to love on you.
You also got a surprise visit from Aunt Lori and your Cole cousins! This made Momma so happy that they came to see you! They are CRAZY about you; none more than your cousin Brody who kept telling you he wanted to play football with you, was so still and gentle when he held you, and was very protective (he wouldn't let his sisters touch you when it was "his turn").
Daddy and Pop got me two of the prettiest flower arrangements I have ever received, and Daddy got me a strand of pearls. I felt pretty special.
It snowed like crazy that weekend we were in the hospital.
Your GranNana and GranDa came to see you on Sunday (along with many other visitors).
We went home on Monday at around 11:30am. We dressed you in a preemie Carter's outfit Mimi bought you. You didn't like getting your clothes changed at all. You weighed 5 pounds 3 ounces when we took you home. I was excited to get out of the hospital (we had spent enough time there during the pregnancy!), but I was scared to take you home, too. You slept in the nursery at night and during the day you just slept so I hadn't really experienced any crying sessions with you yet. This is one of my favorite pictures of you from the hospital:
When we arrived home, GranNana had cooked several soups, gotten you and me some goodies, and then she and GranDa were on their way. Mimi arrived to stay for awhile and help with you. It was a great first day.

Leaving the hospital:
Our first picture at home:

During the day, you sleep a lot (mostly in your bassinet that we roll in the den). You are such a good baby. You rarely fuss and are always consolable. Mimi stays up with you at night and wakes me up to feed you. Feeding you is a challenge. Your suck reflex isn't very strong and latching is a chore. We do the old "bait and switch", tempting you with sugar water, follow up with a bottle, and pump. It takes over an hour and usually ends with us both in tears. It breaks my heart that you aren't seeming to "get it" because I know you are hungry. I just love you so much and hate to see you struggle (I'm sure this is the first of many times I will feel this way for you).

Your first bath:
You had your first weight check on Thursday; you hadn't gained any weight. I cried in the pediatrician's office when they said that (see above..."I just love you so much and hate to see you struggle...").

Your Uncle Heath, Aunt Amber, and Cousin Blaze came to visit. They think you're pretty special.
Little boy, I knew I would love you like crazy, but this much...this fast? Unbelievable.