Dear Bently,

Merry Christmas! Okay so Christmas is over but still! I can't believe it was our 3rd Christmas together! I think you had a good Christmas! At least I had an excellent one with you! :) Let's start on December 23, 2013.

We were going to go see lights at Temple Square. I was excited to say the least. Mostly excited for you. I've learned as a parent making your kids happy is way more exciting than making yourself happy. You loved Christmas lights so I knew you would love Temple Square. We all piled in the car and headed to Arctic Circle to eat some dinner! We were running a little late and I was already worried about time. Well to make a long story short, we got a fender bender. No Christmas lights for us. You didn't cry or anything, but Dad asked you if you were okay and you said no. Hopefully you're not too scarred for life! ;)

Christmas Eve you had a blast. You got to open presents which you were extremely excited about. You learned fast the joy of unwrapping those things. :) The Hyers gave you a wagon and you sure enjoyed ridding in that thing. You looked adorable with your cheeks all red from the cold and your blue eyes lit up in excitement!

We spent the rest of the night at Aunt Pualynn's house. It was loud but fun. We had dinner and sang songs. You had a blast running around with the 14ish other kids that were running around. You can definitely tell that you don't have much interaction with other kids. I felt bad watching you try to fit in. I really got to find something for you to do with other children. But over all you held your own. :)

Christmas was more magical then I could ever describe. Number 1 you slept in till 10:30 am. That was mostly due to the fact that you didn't get to bed till after midnight. Once you were up you were ready to go! I wish I could put into words how much fun we had! I loved watching you open your presents. You were so excited for everything you got! Near the end you kept yelling "Where's mine?" You wanted more presents! :) I think you actually like most everything you got this year! :) I loved loved spending Christmas with you Bently! You seriously had a blast and I had so much fun with you!

Love,
Mom

Dear Bently,

Yesterday we went and saw Christmas lights. Don't get me wrong, we've seen Christmas lights on houses and things but this is the first time we went and saw a lot of Christmas lights. It was kind of funny because I said "Bently do you want to go see Christmas lights?" "Christmas lights??? On the window." You said this as you pointed to the kitchen window. Yes we do have Christmas lights on our window but that is not what I meant.

We all loaded up and we were off. I wasn't sure how you were going to react because last year you were still pretty small. As we pulled up to the park you started to freak out. You were so excited! "Oooo Christmas lights! Go in there! Go Christmas lights!" We hadn't even pulled into the park yet and you were freaking out. :) The first thing we passed was a lit up manager scene. You kept asking, "What's that? What's that" We tried to tell you then you started to tell us, "Mama, Dada, Bently Elmer and Olivia!" So apparently we were all in the manger scene! We then went through a tunnel of lights which you informed us was a "cave". The whole time you were adorable! I kept filming little bits but my camera was dying! I wish I could've filmed more!

We ended up walking around the park with the Moreheads. I felt like the worst mother because I didn't bring you gloves! I honestly didn't expect it to be as cold as it was! Your little hands were like ice! I kept waiting for you to complain but you never did! You were having WAY too much! You ran around pointing out the animals and continually asking "What's that?" of course!

Seriously Bently last night was magical! There is nothing better than watching you have fun! I loved every second of it! Moments like that I wish could last forever! (Okay maybe not the cold part! ;) I love you little man! Thank you for constantly reminding me of the beauty in the world. Reminding me to look for the magic in everything.

Love,
Mom

Dear Bently,

Christmas is around the corner and I think we are pretty much done shopping for you. It's rough because I get nervous when it comes to buying you things. The things I think you are going to love you don't. ;( I don't know how I always get it wrong but hopefully this year I got it right! I can't even describe to you how excited I am for Christmas this year! You are at the most fun age! You are already excited and talk about it all the time! And sing Jingle Bells of course. It's the only holiday song you know so we hear it a lot! I've been trying to get you to sing up on the house top but it's not going so well! ;)

We asked you what you wanted for Christmas the other day.
Me: "Bently what do you want for Christmas"
Bently: "Chocolate!"

Every time we ask you, all you want is chocolate. I guess you are easier to shop for than I think and I should stop stressing! I promise, you are getting some chocolate! But you are also getting some pretty cool things with the chocolate as well!

I love you so much my handsome boy. Lately your talking ability has made leaps and bounds and it is so crazy to be able to have semi normal conversations with you. You are making sentences and making more sense! I am so proud of my handsome boy! You are adorable and I love you more than I could explain!

Love,
Mom

Dear Bently,

You started doing something super adorable, and then just like that it was gone. We would tell you "Bently don't do that." You would say "what?" Then we would repeat, "Bently stop it now." And you would go "Huh? What?" It was pretty hilarious watching you pretend like you couldn't hear us. I was actually a little sad when it didn't last! You only did it for a couple days! :( I love you my silly boy!

Love,
Mom

Dear Bently,

Today you ran away from me at the store. You know the rules, if you run away you get in the cart. Of course when I first put you in you started crying. But you quieted down unusally fast. I counted it as a blessing since Olivia was sleeping and I knew when she woke up we would have to go home because she would be hungry. Basically I was on a time limit. I had Olivia's carseat on the front part of the cart so you were in the actual basket. I couldn't see you over Olivia. I went to put something in the basket several minutes later and couldn't help but let out a rather large gasp at what I saw. You had opened a block of cheese and went to town! I started laughing. You must have been super hungry. I forgot to feed you lunch before we left. Ops! I wanted a picture with you and the cheese but you were too embarrassed. So just a picture of the cheese will have to do! You are hilarious my son and I love you so stinking much!

Love,

Mom

 

Dear Benlty,

You my son are going through a fears stage. Random things scare you. I am pretty sure it's because you are having nightmares. You cry out in your sleep and thrash around. We try and wake you up but even when you open your eyes it's like you are still asleep. I hate it! But I think these nightmares are giving you weird fears. The other day I was in your room getting you some socks when you come running in screaming and crying. You just keep telling me your scared. When I asked of what you told me the vacuum. The vacuum wasn't on it was just sitting in the hallway. I comforted you the best I could. But boy were you scared of that vacuum! I felt so bad to see you so terrified. You are in an expressing your emotions stage as well. I hate hearing your little voice say "I scared!" or "I sad". I like it better when you say I'm happy!

Speaking of which. I kept telling you cranky boys take naps. When ever you were crying or being a pain I would ask you "do you want to take a nap?" Which would usually help your behavior improve. Well one day I asked you, "Bently are you tired?" You immediately tell me "No, not tired. I happy!" It was hilarious! Now that's what you say every time. I think I confuse you thought because you try to use the same excuse at bedtime. I always have to tell you sometimes even happy boys have to go to sleep! ;)

You are surly adorable my son!
Love,
Mom

Dear Bently,

Not all things about motherhood come naturally to me. In fact practically nothing does. I have to learn most everything and work at it to become good. It's alright because you're worth it! Playing games with a 2 year old boy is one of those things that sure didn't come natural to me. I grew up with sisters and I sure do know how to play girly games. Learning how to rough house and play cars is a little different. But these past couple weeks I made a goal to play with you more. I hate to admit it but all too often I find me doing my thing and you doing your thing. I decided it had to come to an end. So we've been playing, singing, reading books, doing puzzles, and watching your favorite movies together. Now I'm not perfect at it. But I have been improving and so has our relationship. You have become a mommy's boy! I love it! You always want to be with me. When I'm sleeping in the day (because I'm back working graveyards, yuck!) you ask to wake me up. We have quickly become best friends! I have loved feeling closer to you! I love that you want to be with me just as much as I want to be with you! Thank you for these past couple weeks! We have had so much fun together and I love you more than anything in the world!
Love,
Mom