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

Dear Benly,

Merry Christmas! Okay to be honest we celebrated Christmas with you last Friday. I loved this Christmas. I didn't love that I couldn't celebrate it on the day because I was working. But I loved this Christmas because we got to do what we wanted to do. Don't get me wrong I love our other Christmas traditions, like going to Grandma and Grandpa Hodson's house and visiting family. But this Christmas was special because we got to focus on our family. Just the 3 of us. You, me, and Daddy. We had a blast! I can't remember the last time I had such a laid back awesome Christmas! Daddy keeps telling me that it was his favorite Christmas ever!

Christmas Eve (The 21st of December) I made a little dinner. Of course I burnt the ham but that's just your Mom and her amazing ability to burn everything! Haha. I made it as fancy as possible, we used the nice dishes and had candle light. We giggled and talked and enjoyed the good food! :) Next I gave you our Christmas Eve ornament. It's 3 little penguins with our names on it! I love it and I think you did too! You kept trying to pull it off the tree. Haha! Then we loaded up in the car and headed to Christmas Street. It's a street in Salt Lake where all the houses are decorated! You my son fell asleep 5 minutes into the drive. So you didn't see any of the lights! But they were cool! I think that's going to have to be a tradition! :) We also went down an adjacent street that had the story of Christ and his birth! It was a very special moment as your Dad and I took turns reading the verses of the scripture and looking at all the beautiful pictures. When we got home you woke up and you sure were happy. I hope you note the sarcasm here. :) We got you in your Pjs and read you a Pirates Night Before Christmas, while you mostly screamed through it. Then it was time for you to go to bed. :)

The next morning was Christmas! It was super fun! I burnt the cinnamon rolls (again shocker)! :) Haha! But they were still yummy! You didn't like them though silly boy. You kept asking for cereal! You loved opening presents! It made it so stinking funny! Your reactions were so cute! Every present you would beg us to open it for you! You just wanted to play with all your toys! We got you a police car that makes the siren noise. You love it! You mimic it and it is so stinking cute! :)

The rest of the day we napped and watched Hunchback of Notre Dame and cuddled and had homemade hot cocoa! It was seriously just awesome! :) I loved every second of your second Christmas with us! It was perfect! Just like I knew it would be! :) I love spending holidays with you my son! You are my whole world and watching you light up with excitement is something I will never forget! I love you more than you'll ever know!

Mom

Dear Bently,

We took you to see Santa! :) Dad was nervous that you were going to cry and freak out! I was actually not scared of that outcome. We were planning on buying the crazy expensive pictures for you and I figured that would be hilarious! :) I know I'm a weird Mom. But I had no fear. You are one of the friendliest kids I've ever met. I knew you would do fine. We stood in line waiting and the whole time you kept saying, Santa! Santa! :) I carried you up to Santa and you didn't cry at all! I sat you in his lap and you just stared at him in awe. Then we got the picture. You didn't smile, no surprise there you never smile in pictures, but you weren't sad either! Santa looks crankier then you do! ;) I love the picture! I love getting to have these fun holiday traditions and memories with you! I love getting to do all things I dreamed of doing with my children with you! You are the sweetest baby and I just love you to pieces! :) Being your Mom is the best! :)

Love,
Mom

Dear Bently,

Kid you are hilarious!!! Today we were driving home from Salt Lake and your Dad told me you were sleeping. Sure enough I look in the back seat and your head is down. I let out a pretty loud "NO!" I knew you wouldn't nap at home if you fell asleep! Your head immediatly jerks up and you have the this hilariou goofy grin on your face! Your Dad and I busted up laughing! It was hilarious! We have been mimicking you all day long! :)

Another time you were dancing in your booster seat. I said "Bently what are you doing!" and you said "I dancing!" It was hilarious! I have never heard you say the word dancing before! I loved it! :)

You keep us laughing Bently! I love seeing what new and exciting things you'll do! Every day is different and I love it!

Mom