365 days of love

the day you were born, smiling already

the day you were blessed, perfect day, besides me deciding to wear white after having a baby?
your little squishy face!

back when you didnt have a choice or not if you wanted to cuddle, still smiling

1st time at church after your blessing, one month old

three months old first road trip, you slept the whole ride

about three months again

four months old, chillin on the table in snowflake back before you were a wiggle worm!

suppose to get ready for bed, instead play and snuggle with dad

six months old, cheesy smile i cannot resist. I miss those shoe socks, too cute.

seven months old, just playing outside with mom.
oh how you hated the grass
10 months, broke open moms favorite nail polish and spilled it all over the floor, and somehow we were laughing.

twelve months old today

When Kam and I first decided to start our family words cannot describe the feelings of emotion that would come once our little one was born. I was so blessed to have a wonderful pregnancy. The moment the nurse put her in my arms I felt overwhelmed with so many different types of emotions. I first ran my fingers through her long hair trying to console her, and then wiped the tears of joy from my face. I remember just looking at her, she was so little and fragile. Six pounds of little baby, that depended on me to live. After that moment I felt this overwhelming feeling of so many thoughts at once "what if something happens to me, how will she eat, can she really survive without me...what happens when she falls and hurts herself, I don’t want her to get hurt... will she always choose the right...will I teach her enough.... will she have a strong testimony....? All of these thoughts soon disappeared by just a few sleepless nights. I was happy to record movies and get up in the middle of the night to nurse my sweet girl. I feel so truly lucky that she was such an amazing sleeper from the beginning. Thinking back on those nights always make me smile. It was our bonding time; she would wake up, eat, snuggle, and then go back to bed. Remembering how sweet it was at just days old staring at her smile in her sleep. Kam and I always thought she was dreaming about heaven, it was the only thing she knew and you could tell it made her happy. Then came the real smiles, they could melt anyone's heart. I love those big toothless grins. Then came the "cooing" we have numerous family videos of ourselves trying to make Bentley make that exact noise after us, and she did, just rarely when the camera was rolling. She has been a talker from the beginning. Even Kam went through some silly moments as a father, every night he would wake me up in a frantic voice and tell me Bentley was in the bed and he would be patting me down looking for her. Every night I had to explain to him that she was sound asleep in her bassinet. Oh then came that first night in her crib alone. I felt so selfish that Kam and I got to sleep in the same room and she was on the other side of the apartment all alone. I wondered to myself, is she going to roll over on her face, what if her blanket goes over her head, I should go check on her, will she be sad when she wakes up, why am I still up? Then came the rolling around and sitting up. We would be so amazed at every little step of progress she made; it was so magical watching a person develop every little thing about themselves right in front of our eyes. Then came the crawling, and beating up other kids. When she wanted a toy, she wanted a toy. Don’t worry; she has learned to share since then, kind of. Then came the walking, oh how this melted my heart. Seeing her tiny feet and her determined face make these little steps was incomparable. We clap every time she falls down, and then she claps. So still, every time she falls she claps and looks over at me for my reaction. Maybe I should have clapped when she started walking, but I didn’t want to distract her. Now we clap at everything. How could I be blessed with such a perfect little baby? I will stop asking these questions and just appreciate the moments I have with her. I tried to take the number one advice I got as a mother, "cherish every single moment because they grow up too fast." And I have cherished every moment. Every time the spazzy one gives me a hug I squeeze her has tight as she can handle it. Every time she licks my face to give me a kiss I try not to wipe it off too fast. The love of a mother is something that every woman knows. I never knew my heart could love my husband and daughter so much, but it does. How my heart can fit that much love in it, I don’t know, but it does. Bentley, it has been a joy watching you grow, please continue to be so sweet and spunky, we love you.

Things that make Bentley, Bentley.
She loooves to dance

She says a lot of words; hi, bye, mama, dada, puppy, papa (i think she doesn't know what she means when she says papa though), and baby

She waves hi and bye

Her 7th tooth is coming in

She makes the funniest faces all the time

she sleeps 10-11 hours at night, the earlier she goes to bed the later she sleeps in, try it-its amazing!

she nursed for a whole year! i am so proud of the both of us for doing it. (the weening has begun)

She mimics everything we do and tries to do it too

Bentley looves sunglasses, or normal glasses. she wears them around her neck its too funny!
She thinks she is so funny; she laughs at herself and looks over for a reaction
She loves to eat anything, and by anything I mean all foods, ants and she even tried a rock this week
Her dad is her best friend, once she hears those keys in the door and he walks in it’s a party until bedtime
She loves her grandparents
She is only afraid of people with white hair, sorry I don’t know why?
She tries to walk across the room in a v position, pushing her head across the room like a crazy person
She has so much energy
She is very dramatic, I have heard its a girl thing.
She is happy 95% of the time, the other 5%she is teething or too tired and wants to play
Bentley rarely gives people hugs, but if you’re a stuffed animal you get a BIG hug
Bentley is just Bentley and that is why we love her.