Dear Daddy, Happy Birthday...

You are Corky and Margie's firstborn, Granny Fleming and Granny Bozeman's first grandchild. The self proclaimed "favorite" grandson. The boy who used a pacifier way too long. Your daddy's right hand man, never proven more than when you held things together for him here on Earth while he rested in Heaven. The one who brings your mother flowers on Valentine's Day because he's not here to do so. The one who made sure your Granny Bozeman lived and died with dignity in her last days.

You are a brother to three. The one she called when her husband left, the one that held them together when their daddy passed on, the one who sees after their business affairs and keeps their best interests close at heart.

You are husband to one. You work hard so she can play hard. You bring flowers and jewelry and always adoration. You bring loyalty and devotion and always love.

You are father to four...to your oldest, "LD", with whom you share the kindred spirit of "keeping things inside", your first son, Derek Ken, with whom you share the gift of visiting with and relating to all you meet, your #3, me, with whom you share the blessing and curse of persistence, and your baby, Heath, with whom you share the art of business sense.

You are grandfather to ten, their "Pop". You dole out pony rides, four wheeler rides, mule rides, and tractor rides. You bathe them, "bob and weave", love them and hug them.

To me, you are "Daddy". The man I was scared of when I was little with your deep voice and strong ways, but still the man I couldn't resist running to and sitting in your lap. The man who cheered at my ball games, helped me write my 8th grade Valedictorian speech, escorted me on Homecoming court, dropped me off at college, picked me up there too soon and had the strength to take me back less than a year later, gave me away at my wedding, called me when my Granny died, and waited as my son was born.

Thank you. Thank you for spanking me when I needed it. Thank you for loving my mother so I knew what a husband should look like. Thank you for being the kind of man I want to teach my son to be. Thank you for not giving up on me when things looked pretty hopeless. Thank you for coming in my room and hugging me and crying during those dark days; you thought I was sleeping. I wasn't. I knew you were there. And though I couldn't tell you at the time, but I needed you there. Thank you for being so brave and letting me go back to A&M, for giving me an education that has brought me a rewarding career. Thank you for moving me more than a few times in your stock trailer. Thank you for watching me marry a good man and move away and letting me come home as often as I wanted. Thank you for coming and taking the late shift with my son after he was born and helping so much when we came and visited. Thank you for telling me I am a good mother when I don't always feel like it.

Thank you. Thank you.

Have a wonderful birthday. My life is and is better because you were born.

Dear Bo, You are 3 months old...

You're 3 months old today!
Here's what you're up to:

• You are still having tummy troubles. These have been a difficult 4 weeks. Randomly throughout the day, you would shriek in pain, grasp at us like "help me", and squirm because you just could not get comfortable. Sleep eluded you, and your little eyes would get so red. It was heartbreaking. Some days, I'm not sure who cried more...you or me. We visited doctors, tried you on 2 different formulas, weaned you for 2 weeks, had a barium swallow and small bowel series, put you on meds, changed your meds, and now, here we are. You are better, but I still miss my baby boy who was comfortable all the time.
  
• You are in 0-3 month clothes.
• We go to the doctor at the end of next week. Two weeks ago, you weighed 10 pounds 14 ounces and were 22 3/4 inches long.
• You wear Size 1-2 diapers (for 8-15 pound babies).
• You smile a lot and have begun to coo a little. You'll smile in response to our smiles now and follow us when we talk to you and move around.
• We found someone to keep you at the house, and she is wonderful with you. You like her.
• You have become interested in new toys: you love your Bumbo and floor gym. We sit you in the floor in your Bumbo and show you your toys. You seem to enjoy it.
• You really like bath time.
• You fight sleep hard. It's very difficult to get you to go down for naps. You go to bed easily at night, but you wake during the night once or twice to eat and sometimes several other times to let us know you're not comfortable.
• It truly takes a village to raise a baby, and your cup runneth over with the best villagers around. Your Pop and Mimi have rescued us more than a couple of times, and your Aunt Lori has taken more than one night shift and cry shift herself.
  

We love you so much and hope Month 4 is a happier month for you! Just look how much you've grown:

Dear Boppy Company,

I wonder if you have considered marketing this alternative use for your nursing pillow?

Dear Bo, Happy Valentine's Day...

I love you as much as the whole wide world!