Little Mr Man,
I swore I would stay on top of recording your changes!
You are getting SO big these days... I see the two-year old coming out in you
very clearly these days and it's pretty fun to watch.
You are joyful, funny and encompass a "total boy" description. You still obsess over throwing rocks into ANY body of water and have a natural fascination with sticks. You are a jumping machine and have been since you were about 15months old, if there is a mattress around or anything with a "spring" to it, you are jumping on it. You love to climb
everything, truly to the point where I've woken up in the middle of the night from a nightmare that you've figured out how to climb over the 2nd floor banister! You already know how to give your mama a heart-attack! You've just started riding your strider bike without much help... You get on it by yourself and walk around on it slowly. I'm sure you'll be a little speedster soon. Until then, I can wait.
You are excessively independent, so much so that I sometimes forget you are little and wonder why I was
even considering letting you do X, just because Harper was. You are a quick problem-solver, just like your sister. You figure out creative ways to get into things or accomplish your goal. Your signature move these days, certainly, would be how you move our bar stools around the kitchen like chess pieces in order to reach what you want or to help with a task. As soon as I begin cooking or cleaning in the kitchen, it is usually within 30 seconds that you are there, pushing your stool over, climbing on top and ready to help. You love cooking with me - adding ingredients, stirring, and tasting... and you love to play in the water at the sink when I'm doing the dishes.
Bentley boo, you are FULL of life - strong willed one minute and oh so sweet the next. You have a zest and twinkle that is all your own and it is infectious! You and your sister often evoke comments from perfect strangers on how JOYFUL you both are...
your joy is pure and it is a gift from up above. You also have a smile that is warmer than sunshine and more special than description... one that can not be translated by a camera. With it, you break through strangers' unbreakable barriers and fill faces with softness and hope. I don't think it's possible to pick, but it might be my favorite part of YOU.
Even though you are the younger sibling, the phrase we often say is you are "never to be left behind" and it is TRUE... sometimes to Harper's dismay these days. You have more energy than I have seen before! Now that I think about it, you are your daddy's boy: Once you are awake, you are on full steam until your head hits the pillow or the car starts rolling... In your eyes, all daylight hours are to be spent running, climbing, screaming, laughing, learning... and then when the day is done, you usually sleep HARD.
You adore music... anything with a good beat (you definitely take after your mama there). In fact, your daddy and I will never forget how you moved ever so perfectly to Gwen Stefani as it blared over the speakers at mommy's running event last month! We looked at each other like, "did you just see that too?!?", it was pretty awesome ;)
You still have your signature "head-bobble"... anyone who has met you and spent any extended amount of time with you, knows the move. It mostly comes out when you hear music. The loose bobble from side to side has some sort of dancing-something-or-another in your future. Right?!?
We also call you "Mr. Gadget Man". You love every electronic or virtually anything with buttons: the DVD player, TV, remote controls, computers, ipads, phones, dish washers, washing machines, etc. And I'm not just talking the typical toddler kind of love for buttons and electronics... you
LOVE gadgets! If it has a button, you are pushing it ;)
I'll have to record better stats around your birthday, but as of right now, you and Harper are amazingly close in size! You are just a little shorter than her and today... you weighed the same amount (if the scale was correct at the lake) at 31 pounds. Daddy said you might even have a half of a pound on your sister ;) Once you hit the 18 month mark, I started getting the "twin question" fairly regularly in public. I get it... you guys are close to the same size and do most everything together. You keep up with her exceptionally well physically. It is the verbal difference that gives your age away at this point, my little man!
Some of the things you say:
- I like it!
- I see!
- I want it
- I don't want anything
- Come here!
- I happy
- I love you
- Come on!
- We once asked you, "Who are you?"... (we were looking for the "Bentley" response). You replied with "Me!"... Harper thought it was so funny, she asks you most days, "who are you?" and you always reply with "Me!"... and then you both laugh in stitches EVERY time. You two are so fun together.
- We also took a shot at asking you, "What's your name?". Your reply every time is, "Harper" and you think it is so funny... especially when everyone else reacts with laughter. You are such a ham!
- During one of our family ice cream stops this summer, we were standing in line and trying to figure out what everyone was going to order. We asked Harper what flavor of ice cream she wanted, and before she could reply, you bursted out saying, "chocolate!" We did NOT expect your response... but coming from your family history... it was natural ;)
- Favorite words: ball, bubbles, bugs, Harper, Mama, Dada, potty, hurt, water, blankie, go, car. snack, bike, birdie, puppy, etc.
- You REPEAT everything we say and are adding new phrases to your repertoire daily.
- You love to sing and your favorite songs right now are: Jesus Loves Me, Silent Night, Holy, Mommy's Talk Silk Hat song, ABC's, Jesus ABC's, Nova, Beautiful.
Bentley, you are my heart's joy and treasure! My heart just wants to
explode as I sit and think about who you are and what you mean and bring to our family. I could not ask for more my boy... You are my little dude, my buddy. Your daddy and I love you SO!!!
