Dear Bo, Then and now...

We were surely in a different place last year.  I remember it was the first night you slept through the night (unfortunately, you wouldn't repeat the feat for many more months).  I, however, didn't sleep through the night because I kept checking to make sure you were breathing.  It's funny to look back and read that Daddy was still griping about your Easter outfit.

{Then}

 {Now}

 {Then}

{Now} 

{Then}

{Now}

Dear Bo, More cousin love...

Not only do I love that you have a cousin your age, but I am thrilled you have so many cousins at all.  In fact, you'll soon have 14 cousins...

 There's just something special about a sis, and mine is no exception (in fact, she is the rule).  I love that her children adore you so, and you feel nothing but adoration in return.  The girls tote you around like you're their little brother (or doll!), and Bro-Bro is so sweet with you.  I smile at all the things he will teach you.

{Nothing says cousin love like a bath and matching pajamas}

 

 

 

{Except group pictures in your Easter best}

 

Dear Bo, Easter Sunday at the farm...

Oh my word.  I love picking out holiday clothes.  And your Daddy and I couldn't have more different taste.  To me, Easter = white shoes.  If you're a boy, it means white walkers.  If you're a girl, it means white (preferably patent) shoes with bobby socks with a lace edge.  It also means traditional clothes.  If you're a boy, that means a jon jon or a longall (preferably monogrammed).  If you're a girl, nothing will do but a bishop dress or anything smocked.

I totally made that happen this year.  I found a longall at Kelly's Kids that I had my talented sis-in-law embroider.   And I paired it with a white button down (hand me down from cousin Cade) and white Buster Browns.  Be still my heart.  I can picture the Buster Brown shoe store at our local mall like I'm standing in front of it!  And now I can put my baby in them! 

Daddy was none too pleased.  In fact, he said you looked like Pee Wee Herman.  Whatev.  You were P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S.  And I have pictures to prove it...

 

 

 

 

You didn't quite get the egg hunt.  You threw them over your shoulder like you do your basketball.  And then you got frustrated that your Easter basket had eggs in it so you threw the eggs out of the basket one by one.  Finally, you gave up and just picked up sticks and played in the sand box...

 

 

 

 

Easter wouldn't be complete without the Easter bunny.  The Easter bunny was good to you...

 

 

Dear Bo, You're 17 Months old...

Here's what you're up to...

• I have no idea what you weigh or how long you are because thankfully we haven't been to the doctor's office lately!  But Meka and Mimi keep telling me how heavy you are.  You wear 18 month clothes, have a size 5.5 shoe, and wear a size 4 diaper.  You have 4 teeth on top and three on bottom (middle two and your bottom left).  I think you're trying to cut your bottom right tooth.
• You like to talk and look at us so seriously while you babble something we can't understand.  You say Da-da, can say Momma but don't very often, say hi and hi-dee, say Buh (for Bo), and will repeat things we say, but you don't say them on your own initiative.  You love to laugh and scream.
• You are still in the picky phase about eating.  For breakfast, you like bananas, nutrigrain bars, eggs, sausage, and pancakes.  For lunch and dinner, you like chicken, turkey, and fish sticks.  You don't prefer beef.  Your favorite veggies are green beans, avocado, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.  Your favorite fruits are applesauce, pears, peaches, mandarin oranges, and grapefruit.  Your favorite snacks are goldfish, fruit snacks, raisins, Ritz crackers and graham crackers.
• You're still lovin' your schedule!  Up at 7:30 (milk and breakfast) nap at 10 or 10:30, up by 12:30 (milk and lunch), nap at 3 or 3:30 (milk), up by 5:30 (milk and supper), bath at 8pm then bedtime.  Your bedtime routine is rocking with one of us while we read books and sing, then we let you turn off the closet light and put you in bed.  You have cried on and off this month when we put you down, but you usually calm down after we pat you for a few minutes.
• Some of your favorite things: baths, carrying around your fish and lovie, Cat in the Hat, playing outside, swinging, your cozy coupe, shooting basketball, books, carrying around the remote, sitting in our lap to watch cartoons in the morning, playing in the kitchen drawers, playing in the dog water, squeezing between the chair and the ottoman.
• You know your eyes, nose, and mouth. 
• You are so friendly, like to wave and clap, and like to "give sugar".
• 5 months was a really tough time, and when I see where we are a year later, I am reminded of God's faithfulness and the notion that sometimes time is the best medicine.  I'm so grateful for where we are.

You are an absolute joy, son.  My cup runneth over.

{Then-5 months}

 

{Now -17 Months)

Dear Bo, Your buddy (hopefully)...

I had a cousin growing up who was 2 months older than me.  He was a boy cousin, but it didn't matter that we weren't the same sex.  Our proximity in age contributed to our closeness.  It also contributed to our fondness for one another's friends.  My friends thought Stan was so cute (it didn't hurt that he was hilarious, had a heart of gold, and was an accomplished athlete).  And I "went out with" several of his friends (which means we went exactly nowhere...we just liked each other, but that was the term of the day).  We had so much fun in the summers hanging out together, and we couldn't wait to see each other at Christmas to see what one other got from Santa.  I even convinced him to play pretend with me (and convinced him to go by the "pretend name" of Rick; I can't recall what my pretend name was).  It was awesome to grow up with a cousin so close in age.  On Mother's side, 3 of us have cousins our age.  There was a "built in buddy" at family events that was always so fun. 

As our siblings started their families and we decided to postpone ours, that was one thing that made me the most uneasy.  I really wanted you to experience cousins your age.  That's why I was so excited when I got pregnant at the same time as Aunt Amber.  And though I wished for them a little sister for Blaze, I was thrilled when they announced "Blue" just like we did.  You and cousin Brooks are a mere 3 weeks apart in age.  I'm so hopeful for the friendship you will have!  I love when I see you two together and smile as I imagine the buddies you will become...

 

 

 

Dear Bo, Another family weekend...

This time it was with the Bozeman half...

On Thursday you spent the night at the farm while Momma and Daddy went to Aggie Muster.  I just love that tradition and can't wait to take you one day.  Then Mimi kept you on Friday while the nanny was off.  We met up with you after work.  It was a gorgeous night, and you and your Cole cousins played outside on the swing set and in the sand box until you were too pooped to keep your eyes open any longer.

Saturday was a busy day!  Daddy and I went to watch Landry play tee ball and Bailey play softball (forgot the camera) while you took a nap at the farm.  Then it was time for Brody's 4th birthday party.  Other than the wind, it was a gorgeous day, and you ten kids played and played and played.

{But first you ate--the Kool Aid jammers were a hit!}

 

 

 

 

 

{Then it was time for playing outside}

 

 

 

 

 

 

{And egg dyeing}

 

 

 

{And birthday cake}

 

 

 

{And hunting Easter eggs}

 

 

 

{And rides on the mule}

 

To be continued...