Dear Bently,

You are 2 today! I can't even believe it! Seriously where did the time go! I swear just yesterday you were a tiny little baby! Now you walk and talk and have your own little personality! We're not doing anything today for your birthday, sorry! We're doing all the celebrating this weekend and I can hardly wait! See we bought you a slide and I think you are going to be extremely excited! You LOVE slides! I can't wait to see you playing on it! :)

Happy Birthday little man! I hope you know how much your Mama loves you!

Mom

Dear Bently,

I hate it when children whine. Seriously it drives me crazy. So when you reached the age and started to beg for things I knew something had to change. So a couple months ago we taught you to say this sentence when you want your milk, "Can I have some milk please." At first we would have to feed the sentence to you word by word. Then you only needed to be prompted. Now you use this sentence like a champ. The funny thing is, the sentence is now used for more then just milk. You will randomly interject anything you want in there. The other day your Dad walked out of the room for a minute. Suddenly you looked at me and said, "Can I have some Dada please!" It was hilarious. I laughed and laughed at you! You are just the cutest kid in the entire world! I love watching your vocabulary expand! :) It's been the highlight of my past several months is just listening to you gain your voice! :) Thanks for keeping me smiling!

Mom

Dear Bently,

I've been having a rough couple days. My whole entire life all I've ever wanted to be was a stay at home mom. But certain situations outside of my control have so far prevented me from doing that. With your 2nd birthday coming up in a few short weeks I can't help but feel sad at all the time I didn't get to spend with you because I had to work. I miss you so much when I'm not with you. I miss getting to see your first and hear all the funny things you say. Let me tell you, being a working Mom is not easy and I admire all the woman that can do it. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing it's not going to last forever. I will make what ever sacrifices I need to to get home with my little boy. Until then I'm going to soak up every moment I can with you.

Today you fell asleep, as you do a lot, in front of your door. I pushed on the door till you woke up enough to move. You whined and reach up for me. I picked you up and started walking towards your bed when I realized I needed time with you. Even if you were asleep I needed to feel close to you. So I took your snugly sleepy self to my bed and that's where we spent the next hour. You slept the whole time but I spent a lot of it just looking at you. Marveling at how much you've grown and how big you seem to me. Wishing with all my might that I could keep you little. That I could make this moment drag on for the next year or so. Being a working mom has taught me to treasure the moments. The little things in life.

Bently I hope someday you'll read these and realize how much your Mom truly loves you. How much she loves watching you grow and learn. How much she wants the best for you always! I truly love you with all my heart and soul Bently.

Love,
Mom

Dear Bently,

You have a funny little quirk. We decided you were old enough for silverware and it has been the best choice we have ever made! I love being able to focus on my own dinner while you happily munch away on yours. You are still really bad with spoons but we'll get there.

The funny thing is you LOVE using your fork. No matter what we're eating you want your fork. Today, for example, I gave you a grilled cheese sandwich. I set the plate in front of you and then you adamantly demanded a "fork". No matter what I told you about using your hands and that it was okay, you weren't going to eat that sandwich till you got your fork. You ate the whole sandwich with your fork. It was pretty hilarious. I don't know why eating with silverware is so important to you but I don't mind at all. I think it's pretty darn adorable! :)

I love you so much Bently!

Mom

Dear Bently,

Happy Valentines Day!!! I want to take a moment to tell you a few of the reasons why I love you so much! :-)

* I love how you'll randomly grab my head and plant a kiss on my lips. You hold for a long time and then make a muah noise at the end. It always makes my day.

*I love how you'll cry when I leave. It sounds strange but nothing makes me feel more loved then knowing you're going to miss me!

* I love how you will come shut the door to the room I am in and say phrases like "love you" "See you later" "miss you". It's too cute and I love hearing you say things in your toddler way!

* I love how you dance in the car. You vigorously shake your arms and kick your feet!

* I love how you sing. You sing with every song whether you know the words or not you are belting it out there. I love it and I always just sit and listen to you!

* I love how whenever you see an ultrasound picture you say "sister". I know you don't know what it means but it melts my heart every time you say it!

* I love the mischievous grin you get on your face when you know you are doing something bad. It's so hard to be mad at you when you look so adorable being naughty!

I love being your Mom Bently. I love being with you every day and listening to you as you learn more and more words. I love you so much little man! Happy Valentines Day!!!

Mom

Dear Bently,

You have begun to sing. It's adorable. I seriously can't get enough. We tired to get it on video but of course you clammed up in front of the camera but don't worry I know we'll catch it eventually! You sing in your own jibber jabber randomly throwing a word out that you know. My favorite is listening to you sing "I am a Child of God". You know all the end words. God, Here, Home, Dear, ect. It's adorable! I used to switch up your goodnight songs but lately all I sing is that one because I love hearing you sing it! I know you're going to be the kid in primary that shouts out the songs with no fear. You sing loud and you smile. I can tell you are so proud of yourself. And to be honest, I'm pretty proud too! Feel free to serenade me anytime you want to! :)
You also have decided you are big enough to feed yourself and we do not need to help you. It started a couple mornings ago at breakfast. I always just feed us from the same bowl. Well this morning you started throwing a fit and wouldn't take a bite no matter what. I gave up, deciding to just feed myself when you reached over, grabbed the bowel, pulled it in front of you and picked up the spoon. Since that moment you have fed yourself. You're not always perfect and I have a hard time not helping you, but you are learning. And trying. You really aren't my baby anymore. I Love you so much!
Mom

Dear Bently,

It's 6 am. I have been up the past 2 hours with you. I don't know why but for some apparent reason you just didn't want to sleep. About 5:30 I started to cry with you. My pregnancy induced emotions and exhausted body didn't know what else to do. And as I climbed out of bed for the twentieth time that night I was frustrated. I'm not a perfect mama. I wish I was but I'm not. As I found myself in your bedroom I couldn't help but smile as you smiled when I walked in. I laid down by you and you cuddled up next me. True you didn't fall asleep but I sure enjoyed cuddling with you. I'm sorry for being frustrated. I'm sorry I'm not perfect. But I want to let you know I love you through it all. Even when my emotions aren't pretty that love for you is ALWAYS there and it always will be. You are the most adorable, sweetest, most amazing child I know and I am so incredibly thankful that I get to be your mom! I hope you know how much I love you! I will continue to work on my patience. And you continue on working on sleeping! :)
Love
Mom