Today, You Are Still 2

My Little Buddy,

Time goes by so fast.  It was just the other day we welcomed you into this world, stared at your tiny little body in the bassinet amazed at how much love your life brought to us, and were going on late night drives hoping you would stop crying so you could fall asleep.  But now you are a little boy.
Tomorrow you turn 3 years old.  And I can now speak from experience to say you that you were in no way a "Terrible Two" that you hear people warn you about.  Your second year was exciting and fun!  We have little conversations with you!  You can tell me all your letters backward and forward, every animal, color, shape and you can even count to 20!!  You are a very smart and advanced little boy.  You have an incredible memory.  Your fatherband I are amazed at how much you remember at such a young age.  You remember words to songs and names of people.  And at you and your sister's joint birthday party last weekend you walked in and asked where the basketballs were.  How do you remember what I did for your second birthday party??? Amazing kid.
You love planes and cars and tractors.  But most of all you LOVE trains.  You turn everything you can into a train.  Your imagination is incredible.  You will line up toys in a row and make "choo choo" noises as you move them across the floor.
I could make this a super long letter and talk about you all day long, but this is your last day as my little 2-year-old and I want to spend time snuggling you and keeping you my baby for as long as I can.
I love you, Bentley Kyle!

Mommy

A Train Ride for Bentley

August 23, 2013

Dear Bentley,
For my birthday this year I wanted to take a mini vacation.  Just a time to get away with my family.  We decided to go to Branson, Missouri and we invited your Mimi and Baba to come with us.  So we loaded up the car and drove here for a nice weekend.
Today we rode on a train!  We saw that Branson had a Scenic Railway Train and just KNEW  we had to take a ride because you have the greatest love of trains!!  Watching your eyes light up every time the whistle blew was enough to make this WHOLE trip worth while! Your baba bought you a conductor hat to wear. Your daddy took videos and I took lots of pictures.  We rode the train under tunnels and through the Ozark Mointains into Arkansas and then back to Branson.  You loved every second of it!
Afterward we went to the Branson landing. We walked around and shopped but all the excitement from the train ride caught up to you and both you and your Sissy passed out in the stroller. I kept seeing things I wanted to show you. There was a puppy, some balloons, and a dancing fountain that I know you would have loved to see. But I didn't want to wake you up. You had already had such a fun day.        
This world is an exciting place. I'm glad I get to be there to see you experience it too! I love you, Bentley!
Mommy

Catch Up!

Hi Bud!
It has been awhile since I have written.  Having two precious babies occupies a lot of my free time!  Life is so wonderful.  You and your sissy just light up my life.  I think she is your best friend.  Thank you for loving and accepting her so quickly into our lives. You just welcomed her right in and have loved her from the beginning.  Not very many toddlers do that!  But you are the sweetest most thoughtful little guy I have ever known.

You created one of the best memories your father and I have.  We were doing a normal shopping trip picking up some baby wash from the store.  You were sitting in the seat of the shopping cart turning around to play with Gwen in her baby carrier behind you.  You kept reaching in and pretending to tickle her.  Then she laughed.  We stopped and grabbed our cameras to film it.  You made her laugh for the very first time!  

Ever since then you have gone out of your way to make her smile and laugh.  You made it your mission to look out for her and to make sure she is happy.  What a precious boy!  When she sits up and tumbles over you proclaim, "Uh oh!  Mommy? Sissy!"  That way I know to go get her and sit her back up.  When she cries you reach for her and love on her and say, "S'okay sissy...."  If she spits up you grab a cloth and wipe her face for her.

How did we get so lucky?  We love our children so much and thank God for you both multiple times a day.  You are continuing to grow up and learn new things.  It blows my mind how just yesterday you were a tiny little bundle sleeping in our arms and now you are speaking in broken sentences and running all over the house.  I would do anything to keep you little forever but I don't want to miss out on all the new and exciting things I have to look forward to with you!!

Be my baby forever!
Mommy

Your Second Birthday

Bentley,
I really want to tell you about your second birthday party! We celebrated it on March 2nd.  It was an OKC Thunder themed party.  Decorating for the party was pretty easy since we are big Thunder fans.  I went to the store the night before and bought lots of balloons in orange and blue with a Thunder balloon and had them bundled together.  I put them in the entry hallway.  Next thing I know, you are running down the hallway with the happiest expression on your face with the balloons flying behind you!  You had grabbed the strings and just took off running in wild abandon.  I will never forget that happy face you had!

We had about 30 people over to celebrate your birthday.   I dressed you in a cute shirt with a Thunder tie. We had sandwiches and cake then opened lots of presents.  Afterward, all the guys went outside to play baskerball.  You were determined to join them outside.  So I took you out there after their big game was over.  You would throw the ball two feet in the air then yell, "YAY!!!" and clap while looking at me to get the same reaction.  So I would cheer and clap too.  You were so excited to get to play with the big boys.  I loved watching you laugh and cheer after every shot.  Even though you are 2 now, you are still my sweet, happy baby!!  I love that you show me everyday how innocent and simple life can be.
I love you, happy boy!!!

Mommy

Learning New Things

Dear Bentley,

You are sitting in front of my with a whole bunch of little letters.  You are picking each one up individually and telling me their name.  You are like a sponge!  You are learning so much so quick.  We have taught you how to spell your name.  You yell, "B-E-N-T-L-E-Y, Ben-Wee!"  It is so cute how you say your name!  You also know a lot of shapes, how to count to ten, you know you animals and the sounds they make, and you are learning your colors.  I never knew how easy it would be to teach these things to you.  But you love learning new things.  I'm a very lucky Mommy to have you.
I love you, Buddy!

Precious Moments

Hey there, my sweet boy!

I wish I could write you everytime you do something cute, sweet or adorable.   But I do not have that much time in a day!  For example, I was just carrying a load of laundry down the hall when I dropped a few items of clothing.  Just as I was about to turn and pick them up I noticed you had dropped your toy and ran to my rescue. You picked up each item and handed them to me.  Then you went back to playing.  How precious are you??  You just have this natural sweet behavior that is always caring about others.
The other day you were just leaning over your sissy's bassinet cooing and talking to her.  I reached for my phone, fumbled around a bit and finally got to my camera when the moment was over.  I think my clumsiness distracted you.  :) So I just have that moment stored ib my memory.

Just to jump up the cuteness factor that you inhabit.  You have learned how to sing!  About two weeks ago you were singing lightly to the radio.  Just repeating ends of phrases after they were sung.  So I decided to start singing around the house and see if you would sing along.  You immediately jumped in and started singing with me.  We sing "Row row row your boat" and "Come fly with me" mostly.  I took videos of it so I can always hear your sweet little two-year-old voice.

Well, I need to end this letter.  You are currently filling up the toilet with a roll of toilet paper.
To every toddler there are two sides!
Mommy loves you, Bentley!!

TWO

Dear Bentley,

I have been reading over some of these past letters.  It makes me so happy to see how far you've come in your short, precious life.  You have always been such a sweet little baby.  And now, you are TWO!

When you turned two, you grew up into this bright, independent, curious, talkative little guy!  It seemed it was overnight!  You had just became a big brother only two weeks beforehand.  Between that and your birthday, you just grew up so much.  They say the average two year old can understand up to 200 words.  I was skeptical at first but then I started thinking...Yes, that is true!  You answer me when I ask you questions.  You learn new words every day.  You know your animals and the sounds they make.  You know where your nose is, your ears, eyes, hands, feet, teeth, head, arms and legs!  You talk NON STOP!  :)  And you communicate with us so well.  You say "Please" and "Thank you" regularly by yourself.  It is so adorable.  Especially "Thank you."  It sounds like, "Dah Doo!"  I even make you say it for silly things just so I can hear your cute voice say it your special way. 

"Bentley, I just changed your diaper.  Say 'thank you.'" 

"Dah Doo!"

"Buddy, mommy just gave you a hug.  Say, 'thank you.'" 

"Dah Doo!"

It is just sooooo cute!  You make me smile all the time.

You are such a happy little guy.  You find joy and excitement in so many things!  You can run up and down the hallways just giggling and smiling.  You love to play with Roxie and chase her around.  You love playing with your Daddy and being tickled.  My heart just swells when I see your happy face.

And you love love love your Sissy!  Every day you greet her in the morning.  Before nap time and bed time you have to kiss her goodnight.  We learned very quickly that if she is not there for you to say goodnight to, you get very sad and cannot go to sleep.  It is so endearing to see the love you have for her. 

I just cannot express enough how much joy you bring to my life.  All these things and more make me so proud to have you as my son.  I thank God everyday, multiple times a day, for the blessings he has given me in you and your sister. 

Mommy loves you, Buddy! 

Looking forward to what the year brings!