HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Happy Valentines Day! This year we had to leave town on Valentines Day so we spent the night before visiting grandparents. First we went to Gowah and Grandma Pat’s house and you opened your most coveted DVD: Cinderella! You were also surprised with a new Bubble Guppies DVD, a super cute Valentines bear, some princess fingernails and a lovely card. It just so happened that your cousin Baylor was in town visiting, so when we got to Grandma Madelyn and Grandpa Gary’s house the two of you got to celebrate her first Valentines Day together! Grandma Madelyn and Grandpa Gary gave you a Snow White balloon character attached to a jar of pink and blue M & M’s and a princess Barbie. Ironically enough, Sally had told me that afternoon that you had announced earlier in the day that you were receiving a princess Barbie Doll for Valentines Day, and a magnetic Dora travel matching game. Earlier in the week, Grandma Madelyn surprised you with a Snow White red Valentines Day shirt with a super cute red and white cardigan. She also purchased some red, aqua, and blue denim for you as well!
Valentines Day just happened to fall on the day we had to head to St. Louis for State Swimming. You were able to enjoy your friends at Sally’s and exchange your Valentine Cards before I picked you up at noon. You decorated white bags with colorful markers and stickers (you chose a little Yorkie sticker) and then exchanged Valentines Cards with all of your friends. Sally and Papa gave you a Valentines Balloon and a super cute Valentines bracelet! When I picked you up, you had been sitting on the couch waiting for me; the other kids were already down for nap. (Avoiding nap is always a special treat for any toddler…to be allowed to stay awake when the rest of the crew is napping!)
I openly admit that any chance to plan something, or shop for something excites me! Valentines Cards fall perfectly into that category. Last year, I searched and searched for the perfect homemade Valentines for you to share with your friends. This year however, since we have been lucky enough to be spending lots of time at the Plaza in KC, I was able to purchase the Valentines I had fallen in love with last year from Pottery Barn Kids (but since I was really into the idea of handmade cards… I did not purchase): super cute, little cupcake Valentines with an adorable little toothpick flag flying from the top.
I suppose mothers fall into several categories…ones that don’t care about things like Valentines; those that would never take the time and exhaust the effort to hand make a Valentine, or simply don’t have the time and those mothers who spend hours and hours for the perfect Valentine! I suppose I fall into the latter two categories. Now I love a good project, and making something with your hands and sharing the experience is even better…and I totally do not have the time to dedicate to such ventures (although I certainly can make time if necessary). This year however, I really loved the Pottery Barn Cards…simple, elegant, classic, and stylish…so no handmade-with-love Valentines for you to distribute. I hope you are not scarred for life. However, since I was not at the daycare party to read the reactions on the faces of your pre-K friends, I will never know if they were disappointed that they received a card from a retail establishment :)